Over 150 women came together in Cannes to celebrate Black women in international film, including producer and former Netflix exec Fiona Lamptey, Rocks producer Ameenah Ayub Allen and founders of distribution and exhibition specialist We Are Parable, Anthony and Teanne Andrews.
“’Do better’ was our message to Cannes Film Festival leadership in May 2022,” said Yolonda Brinkley, founder of grassroots equality movement, Diversity in Cannes, who also launched a new initiative at this year’s festival, Black Women Cannes, to celebrate, support and uplift Black women at the festival, and to start a film fund. ”In [the festival’s] 75-year history, they’d only selected one Black women in competition.
“’Do better’ was our message to Cannes Film Festival leadership in May 2022,” said Yolonda Brinkley, founder of grassroots equality movement, Diversity in Cannes, who also launched a new initiative at this year’s festival, Black Women Cannes, to celebrate, support and uplift Black women at the festival, and to start a film fund. ”In [the festival’s] 75-year history, they’d only selected one Black women in competition.
- 5/23/2024
- ScreenDaily
Partners on the scheme include Gaumont, Eleven, and Maia Pictures.
The Writers Lab UK and Europe has set the 15 participants taking part in the 2023 edition, which for the first time is offering a combined UK and Europe edition, with participants from all four UK nations, plus Ireland, Greece, Italy, Germany and Austria.
The development and marketplace programme devoted to script development for women and nonbinary screenwriters over 40 launched in 2015 with a US edition, expanding to the UK in 2021, and Europe in 2022. It provides an opportunity to discover and nurture new talent, matching selected writers with leading film and TV industry...
The Writers Lab UK and Europe has set the 15 participants taking part in the 2023 edition, which for the first time is offering a combined UK and Europe edition, with participants from all four UK nations, plus Ireland, Greece, Italy, Germany and Austria.
The development and marketplace programme devoted to script development for women and nonbinary screenwriters over 40 launched in 2015 with a US edition, expanding to the UK in 2021, and Europe in 2022. It provides an opportunity to discover and nurture new talent, matching selected writers with leading film and TV industry...
- 9/25/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Applications are now open for the Red Carpet Accelerator Programme.
The British Blacklist and London-based global communications company agency the Dda Group are launching the Red Carpet Accelerator Programme to improve representation of Black journalists on the red carpet at this year’s BFI London Film Festival (October 4-15).
Applications are now open for the initiative which will see six successful candidates trained in producing, presenting and editing in preparation for conducting red carpet interviews at the festival and beyond.
“Such opportunities weren’t available when I began my journey,” said Akua Gyamfi, founder of The British Blacklist. ”I’m...
The British Blacklist and London-based global communications company agency the Dda Group are launching the Red Carpet Accelerator Programme to improve representation of Black journalists on the red carpet at this year’s BFI London Film Festival (October 4-15).
Applications are now open for the initiative which will see six successful candidates trained in producing, presenting and editing in preparation for conducting red carpet interviews at the festival and beyond.
“Such opportunities weren’t available when I began my journey,” said Akua Gyamfi, founder of The British Blacklist. ”I’m...
- 9/19/2023
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
The Big Screen Awards ceremony will take place on November 23 at The Brewery in London.
The first group of judges for The Big Screen Awards 2023 has been announced ahead of the entry deadline of September 8.
The Big Screen Awards were rebranded from the Screen Awards last year, and recognise the achievements of marketing, distribution, publicity and exhibition teams and companies for their work releasing films into UK cinemas and connecting them with audiences.
Among the first group of judges confirmed for this year’s awards are producers Andrea Cornwell and Lisa Marie Russo, plus former Lff head and current Nfts exec Tricia Tuttle,...
The first group of judges for The Big Screen Awards 2023 has been announced ahead of the entry deadline of September 8.
The Big Screen Awards were rebranded from the Screen Awards last year, and recognise the achievements of marketing, distribution, publicity and exhibition teams and companies for their work releasing films into UK cinemas and connecting them with audiences.
Among the first group of judges confirmed for this year’s awards are producers Andrea Cornwell and Lisa Marie Russo, plus former Lff head and current Nfts exec Tricia Tuttle,...
- 8/16/2023
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
The Big Screen Awards ceremony will take place on November 23 at The Brewery in London.
The first group of judges for The Big Screen Awards 2023 has been announced ahead of the entry deadline of September 8.
The Big Screen Awards were rebranded from the Screen Awards last year, and recognise the achievements of marketing, distribution, publicity and exhibition teams and companies for their work releasing films into UK cinemas and connecting them with audiences.
Among the first group of judges confirmed for this year’s awards are producers Andrea Cornwall and Lisa Marie Russo, plus former Lff head and current Nfts exec Tricia Tuttle,...
The first group of judges for The Big Screen Awards 2023 has been announced ahead of the entry deadline of September 8.
The Big Screen Awards were rebranded from the Screen Awards last year, and recognise the achievements of marketing, distribution, publicity and exhibition teams and companies for their work releasing films into UK cinemas and connecting them with audiences.
Among the first group of judges confirmed for this year’s awards are producers Andrea Cornwall and Lisa Marie Russo, plus former Lff head and current Nfts exec Tricia Tuttle,...
- 8/16/2023
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
The BFI teamed up with Yolonda Brinkley’s Diversity In Cannes to launch a programme of events to build creative and financial partnerships for Black women in film.
Melanie Hoyes, the head of inclusion at the British Film Institute (BFI), has described the first Cannes’ Celebrating Black Women in International Film programme as a “phenomenal” success, and has pledged to return with the same focus next year.
After an informal gathering last year, this year the BFI teamed with Yolonda Brinkley’s grassroots film equality movement Diversity In Cannes to launch a programme of events to build creative and financial partnerships.
Melanie Hoyes, the head of inclusion at the British Film Institute (BFI), has described the first Cannes’ Celebrating Black Women in International Film programme as a “phenomenal” success, and has pledged to return with the same focus next year.
After an informal gathering last year, this year the BFI teamed with Yolonda Brinkley’s grassroots film equality movement Diversity In Cannes to launch a programme of events to build creative and financial partnerships.
- 5/23/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Speakers include BFI London Film Festival director Kristy Matheson, Film4’s Farhana Bhula and The British Blacklist’s Akua Gyamfi.
US producer Anthony Bregman, incoming BFI London Film Festival director Kristy Matheson and leading UK execs are among the speakers confirmed for the second edition of the Sundance Film Festival: London industry programme.
The Sundance Institute will once again be partnering with Picturehouse for this year’s event, which takes place at London’s Picturehouse Central from July 6-9.
Bregman will deliver the keynote talk. He premiered three features at the Sundance Film Festival in January: Flora And Son, Eileen and You Hurt My Feelings,...
US producer Anthony Bregman, incoming BFI London Film Festival director Kristy Matheson and leading UK execs are among the speakers confirmed for the second edition of the Sundance Film Festival: London industry programme.
The Sundance Institute will once again be partnering with Picturehouse for this year’s event, which takes place at London’s Picturehouse Central from July 6-9.
Bregman will deliver the keynote talk. He premiered three features at the Sundance Film Festival in January: Flora And Son, Eileen and You Hurt My Feelings,...
- 4/26/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Advisors and guests include ’Succession’ writer Susan Soon He Stanton and ’Call My Agent!’ star Camille Cottin.
The Writers Lab, the development and marketplace programme devoted to script development for women and nonbinary screenwriters over 40, is opening its first combined UK and European edition.
Julia Berg of UK production outfit Untamed Stories will again partner with the co-founders of The Writers Lab US, Elizabeth Kaiden and Nitza Wilon, to launch a combined UK and European Lab this year. The US programme, produced with New York Women in Film and Television (Nywift), is supported by Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman. Last...
The Writers Lab, the development and marketplace programme devoted to script development for women and nonbinary screenwriters over 40, is opening its first combined UK and European edition.
Julia Berg of UK production outfit Untamed Stories will again partner with the co-founders of The Writers Lab US, Elizabeth Kaiden and Nitza Wilon, to launch a combined UK and European Lab this year. The US programme, produced with New York Women in Film and Television (Nywift), is supported by Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman. Last...
- 4/6/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Bays was speaking alongside BFI exec Ama Ampadu, following allegations that the organisation has failed to address systemic racism.
Mia Bays, director of the BFI (British Film Institute) Filmmaking Fund, used a panel at The New Black Film Collective Xpo event in London this week to underline the BFI’s commitment to diversity, following allegations from filmmakers of colour that the organisation has failed to address systemic racism.
“The team I’m part of and the executive I’m part of are committed to being an anti-racist organisation. There’s been a lot of change that hasn’t been reported,...
Mia Bays, director of the BFI (British Film Institute) Filmmaking Fund, used a panel at The New Black Film Collective Xpo event in London this week to underline the BFI’s commitment to diversity, following allegations from filmmakers of colour that the organisation has failed to address systemic racism.
“The team I’m part of and the executive I’m part of are committed to being an anti-racist organisation. There’s been a lot of change that hasn’t been reported,...
- 3/31/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
‘The Woman King’ took prizes for best ensemble and best female friendship on screen.
Charlotte Wells’ indie drama Aftersun and Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King headed the winners at the second Girls On Film awards, from the UK podcast celebrating exceptional women in cinema.
Aftersun received the best feature film award, four days after it picked up the Bafta for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer. The film also won best publicity campaign, for Mubi with Organic for theatrical & awards publicity, and Dda for awards publicity.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
The Woman King...
Charlotte Wells’ indie drama Aftersun and Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King headed the winners at the second Girls On Film awards, from the UK podcast celebrating exceptional women in cinema.
Aftersun received the best feature film award, four days after it picked up the Bafta for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer. The film also won best publicity campaign, for Mubi with Organic for theatrical & awards publicity, and Dda for awards publicity.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
The Woman King...
- 2/23/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
“Masked Singer” host Davina McCall, “We Are Lady Parts” creator Nida Manzoor, legendary British sports anchor Sue Barker and Emma Butt, a dubbing mixer, dialogue and SFX editor and Adr recordist, were among the women celebrated at the Women in Film and TV Awards on Friday evening in London..
Comedian Katherine Ryan hosted the event, which saw numerous famous faces in attendance including “Bad Sisters” star Anne-Marie Duff, who awarded Ramita Navai a prize for the BBC News and Factual award, former Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston, who handed Nainita Desai the Gravity Media Creative Technology prize, and “Bridgerton’s” Adjoa Andoh, who presented Akua Gyamfi the Mercury Business award.
Other well-known names present at the event were “Inside No. 9” star Jessica Hynes, TV “Ridley Road’s” Tamzin Outhwaite, “Strictly Come Dancing” semi-finalist Aj Odudu, “This Morning” host Dermot O’Leary, who presented and accepted the Eikon presenter award on Davina McCall’s behalf,...
Comedian Katherine Ryan hosted the event, which saw numerous famous faces in attendance including “Bad Sisters” star Anne-Marie Duff, who awarded Ramita Navai a prize for the BBC News and Factual award, former Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston, who handed Nainita Desai the Gravity Media Creative Technology prize, and “Bridgerton’s” Adjoa Andoh, who presented Akua Gyamfi the Mercury Business award.
Other well-known names present at the event were “Inside No. 9” star Jessica Hynes, TV “Ridley Road’s” Tamzin Outhwaite, “Strictly Come Dancing” semi-finalist Aj Odudu, “This Morning” host Dermot O’Leary, who presented and accepted the Eikon presenter award on Davina McCall’s behalf,...
- 12/2/2022
- by Manori Ravindran and K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
US producer Christine Vachon has been confirmed as keynote speaker.
Sundance Film Festival: London, the UK offshoot of Sundance, is to host its first industry programme, running concurrently with the festival at Picturehouse Central from June 9-12.
Industry passholders will have exclusive access to talks, events, round-table meetings, keynote speeches, masterclasses, panel discussions and daily networking drinks. Passholders will also have access to three public screenings of their choice.
“Sundance Film Festival: London has had industry talks and events in the past, but it’s great to formalise it and make it a real strand that offers the industry more,...
Sundance Film Festival: London, the UK offshoot of Sundance, is to host its first industry programme, running concurrently with the festival at Picturehouse Central from June 9-12.
Industry passholders will have exclusive access to talks, events, round-table meetings, keynote speeches, masterclasses, panel discussions and daily networking drinks. Passholders will also have access to three public screenings of their choice.
“Sundance Film Festival: London has had industry talks and events in the past, but it’s great to formalise it and make it a real strand that offers the industry more,...
- 4/13/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Acquisition
U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 has picked up South African detective drama “The Cane Field Killings” starring Kim Engelbrecht (“Bullet Proof”) and Iain Glen (“Game of Thrones”). The eight-episode series, which launched last year in South Africa, will launch on Channel 4 on Apr. 10. The drama tells the story of a brilliant criminal profiler, Reyka Gama (Engelbrecht), who is struggling to comes to terms with her dark past. Having been abducted as a child by farmer Angus Speelman (Glen), Reyka now channels that traumatic experience to enter into the mindset of Africa’s most notorious criminals. The series follows her investigation into a string of brutal murders committed by a serial killer in the sugar cane fields of Kwa-Zulu-Natal.
The show is produced by Serena Cullen for Serena Cullen Productions and Harriet Gavshon for Quizzical Pictures. “The Cane Field Killings” is a co-production between M-Net and Fremantle and is distributed internationally by Fremantle.
U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 has picked up South African detective drama “The Cane Field Killings” starring Kim Engelbrecht (“Bullet Proof”) and Iain Glen (“Game of Thrones”). The eight-episode series, which launched last year in South Africa, will launch on Channel 4 on Apr. 10. The drama tells the story of a brilliant criminal profiler, Reyka Gama (Engelbrecht), who is struggling to comes to terms with her dark past. Having been abducted as a child by farmer Angus Speelman (Glen), Reyka now channels that traumatic experience to enter into the mindset of Africa’s most notorious criminals. The series follows her investigation into a string of brutal murders committed by a serial killer in the sugar cane fields of Kwa-Zulu-Natal.
The show is produced by Serena Cullen for Serena Cullen Productions and Harriet Gavshon for Quizzical Pictures. “The Cane Field Killings” is a co-production between M-Net and Fremantle and is distributed internationally by Fremantle.
- 3/17/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Brad Pitt, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Lulu Wang are among 900 new members inducted into the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) since 2020.
The global intake also includes Akua Gyamfi, Anna Dick, Bobby Krlic, Caroline O’Neill, Fiona Shaw, Isobel Waller-Bridge, Jennifer Hampson, Kate Herron, Mark Bridges, Micheal Ward, Roger Clark, Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù, Vanessa Kirby, Waad Al-Kateab and Woody Jackson.
Individuals selected for BAFTA’s new talent initiatives, Breakthrough and Elevate, are also welcomed as new members.
On Thursday, BAFTA opened applications for its new membership tier, Connect, created for emerging and mid-level professionals across the U.K. and North America to join the academy at an earlier point in their careers.
BAFTA chair Krishnendu Majumdar said: “BAFTA continues to be committed to driving more inclusive industries and promoting unheard voices in the screen arts. Members are at the heart of everything we do and we’re always looking for talented...
The global intake also includes Akua Gyamfi, Anna Dick, Bobby Krlic, Caroline O’Neill, Fiona Shaw, Isobel Waller-Bridge, Jennifer Hampson, Kate Herron, Mark Bridges, Micheal Ward, Roger Clark, Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù, Vanessa Kirby, Waad Al-Kateab and Woody Jackson.
Individuals selected for BAFTA’s new talent initiatives, Breakthrough and Elevate, are also welcomed as new members.
On Thursday, BAFTA opened applications for its new membership tier, Connect, created for emerging and mid-level professionals across the U.K. and North America to join the academy at an earlier point in their careers.
BAFTA chair Krishnendu Majumdar said: “BAFTA continues to be committed to driving more inclusive industries and promoting unheard voices in the screen arts. Members are at the heart of everything we do and we’re always looking for talented...
- 3/17/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Filmmaker was known for titles such as ‘The Story Of Lovers Rock’ and ‘Burning An Illusion’.
UK filmmaker Menelik Shabazz, known as a pioneer in the development of contemporary Black British cinema, has died aged 67.
Shabazz’s death was confirmed to Screen by his daughter, film curator Nadia Denton, who said he died in Zimbabwe of diabetes-related complications.
The writer, director and producer had relocated to Zimbabwe to work on a new project, The Spirits Return, his first full-length fiction feature in 40 years.
Shabazz is known for films including the 1981 drama Burning An Illusion, which is said to be the...
UK filmmaker Menelik Shabazz, known as a pioneer in the development of contemporary Black British cinema, has died aged 67.
Shabazz’s death was confirmed to Screen by his daughter, film curator Nadia Denton, who said he died in Zimbabwe of diabetes-related complications.
The writer, director and producer had relocated to Zimbabwe to work on a new project, The Spirits Return, his first full-length fiction feature in 40 years.
Shabazz is known for films including the 1981 drama Burning An Illusion, which is said to be the...
- 6/29/2021
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Programme will match film professionals with paid opportunities and professional coaching.
UK film and television training body ScreenSkills has launched a programme to match experienced Black, Asian or minority ethnic professionals with upcoming film productions.
Film Forward will help upcoming productions extend their network of Bame talent, matching professionals who have at least five years of experience in below-the-line roles with paid opportunities, including professional coaching.
It will launch with up to six individuals matched with productions crewing up in early 2021. Writers and roles in development will not be included in the launch recruitment round.
The aim is for successful...
UK film and television training body ScreenSkills has launched a programme to match experienced Black, Asian or minority ethnic professionals with upcoming film productions.
Film Forward will help upcoming productions extend their network of Bame talent, matching professionals who have at least five years of experience in below-the-line roles with paid opportunities, including professional coaching.
It will launch with up to six individuals matched with productions crewing up in early 2021. Writers and roles in development will not be included in the launch recruitment round.
The aim is for successful...
- 3/4/2021
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
If there’s a sense of planetary alignment in the timing of Steve McQueen’s Small Axe – five films about London’s West Indian community airing weekly from this Sunday on BBC One – it’s not by design. Over a decade in the making, the creators couldn’t have known that these stories would land in a year marked by both the global Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd, and the disproportionately devastating impact of Covid-19 on black communities in the UK.
The collision of 2020’s events with five stories celebrating black British history feels fortuitous to the cast. “The timing of it is so trippy,” says actor Shaun Parkes, who plays Frank Crichlow in the first film in the series Mangrove, about London’s real-life Mangrove Nine protest and Old Bailey trial.
Speaking at the BBC Small Axe press launch chaired by Akua Gyamfi,...
The collision of 2020’s events with five stories celebrating black British history feels fortuitous to the cast. “The timing of it is so trippy,” says actor Shaun Parkes, who plays Frank Crichlow in the first film in the series Mangrove, about London’s real-life Mangrove Nine protest and Old Bailey trial.
Speaking at the BBC Small Axe press launch chaired by Akua Gyamfi,...
- 11/12/2020
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Giorgos Georgopoulos’s Not To Be Unpleasant But We Need To Have A Serious Talk won the top prize.
Greek director Giorgos Georgopoulos’s Not To Be Unpleasant But We Need To Have A Serious Talk won the ’film of the festival’ prize at the UK’s Raindance Film Festival, held online this year from October 28 to November 7.
A dark comedy about a womaniser who contracts a sexually-transmited disease that could be fatal to his many partners, Greece’s Not To Be Unpleasant previously picked up the J.F.Costopoulos Foundation award at the 2019 Thessaloniki film festival.
The other winners...
Greek director Giorgos Georgopoulos’s Not To Be Unpleasant But We Need To Have A Serious Talk won the ’film of the festival’ prize at the UK’s Raindance Film Festival, held online this year from October 28 to November 7.
A dark comedy about a womaniser who contracts a sexually-transmited disease that could be fatal to his many partners, Greece’s Not To Be Unpleasant previously picked up the J.F.Costopoulos Foundation award at the 2019 Thessaloniki film festival.
The other winners...
- 11/6/2020
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
Cathy Brady, Aleem Khan, and Francis Lee make the shortlist.
The BFI has revealed the shortlist for the three filmmakers in the running for the Iwc Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary Award, which grants a £50,000 prize to a UK-based writer, director, or writer-director with a first or second film at the BFI London Film Festival.
The 2020 shortlist comprises Cathy Brady, writer-director of Wildfire; Aleem Khan, writer-director of After Love; and Francis Lee, writer-director of Ammonite.
The jury will be led by Michaela Coel, the creator and star of HBO/BBC drama series I May Destroy You, who will be joined by BFI...
The BFI has revealed the shortlist for the three filmmakers in the running for the Iwc Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary Award, which grants a £50,000 prize to a UK-based writer, director, or writer-director with a first or second film at the BFI London Film Festival.
The 2020 shortlist comprises Cathy Brady, writer-director of Wildfire; Aleem Khan, writer-director of After Love; and Francis Lee, writer-director of Ammonite.
The jury will be led by Michaela Coel, the creator and star of HBO/BBC drama series I May Destroy You, who will be joined by BFI...
- 9/21/2020
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
The BFI and Iwc Schaffhausen today revealed the three filmmakers shortlisted for the annual Iwc Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary Award, given in association with the UK film organization.
The 2020 contenders are Cathy Brady, writer-director of debut feature Wildfire, Aleem Khan, writer-director of debut feature After Love, and Francis Lee, writer-director of sophomore feature Ammonite, starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan.
At £50,000 ($65k), and now in its fifth year, the prize is one of the most significant bursaries of its kind in the UK, expressly designed to support the future careers of promising new UK film talent.
Brit multi-hyphenate Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You) will join Ben Roberts, Chief Executive of the BFI and Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of luxury watch maker Iwc Schaffhausen, to select the winner, which will be announced at the BFI London Film Festival 2020 Virtual Lff Audience Awards, on Sunday 18 October – the closing night of the festival.
Chaired by Tricia Tuttle,...
The 2020 contenders are Cathy Brady, writer-director of debut feature Wildfire, Aleem Khan, writer-director of debut feature After Love, and Francis Lee, writer-director of sophomore feature Ammonite, starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan.
At £50,000 ($65k), and now in its fifth year, the prize is one of the most significant bursaries of its kind in the UK, expressly designed to support the future careers of promising new UK film talent.
Brit multi-hyphenate Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You) will join Ben Roberts, Chief Executive of the BFI and Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of luxury watch maker Iwc Schaffhausen, to select the winner, which will be announced at the BFI London Film Festival 2020 Virtual Lff Audience Awards, on Sunday 18 October – the closing night of the festival.
Chaired by Tricia Tuttle,...
- 9/21/2020
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Six years ago I wrote a piece titled “All White At The Top,” asking why the UK film industry was painfully bereft of Black, Asian and minority ethnic executives.
I drew up a list of more than 75 leading companies in production, sales, exhibition, distribution, post-production, public and private finance, VFX, talent agencies and physical studios. None of the companies were led by professionals from an ethnic minority and few had ethnic diversity in their most senior ranks.
Among the reasons for imbalance were class, nepotism, access, lack of regulation, complacency, stigma, stereotyping, unconscious bias and public funding “jobs for life.”
The piece was written during a wave of industry soul-searching, whose cultural breakthrough was expressed globally by the #OscarsSoWhite anger that surfaced in the same year. The outrage led to reforms on both sides of the pond.
Six years on, a survey of the industry’s leading film and TV...
I drew up a list of more than 75 leading companies in production, sales, exhibition, distribution, post-production, public and private finance, VFX, talent agencies and physical studios. None of the companies were led by professionals from an ethnic minority and few had ethnic diversity in their most senior ranks.
Among the reasons for imbalance were class, nepotism, access, lack of regulation, complacency, stigma, stereotyping, unconscious bias and public funding “jobs for life.”
The piece was written during a wave of industry soul-searching, whose cultural breakthrough was expressed globally by the #OscarsSoWhite anger that surfaced in the same year. The outrage led to reforms on both sides of the pond.
Six years on, a survey of the industry’s leading film and TV...
- 7/6/2020
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
UK acting and filmmaking talents have weighed in with their picks for an ‘alternative BAFTA list’ that highlights more diverse candidates.
The campaign, launched by the UK wing of Time’s Up, is designed to recognize the number of women and people of color who were overlooked in this year’s awards race.
The BAFTA nominations were decried for selecting an all-male field of director nominations and no non-white actors, sparking a #BAFTAsSoWhite trend on social media. The awards body has since said it will carry out a detailed review of its voting procedures after this year’s ceremony, which takes place on Sunday (February 2).
Dame Heather Rabbatts, the chair of Time’s Up UK, slammed this year’s BAFTA noms as having “glaring omissions.”
“This ‘invisibility’ is even more shocking given the choices which were available and the strength of films and performances where Black talent was apparent this year,...
The campaign, launched by the UK wing of Time’s Up, is designed to recognize the number of women and people of color who were overlooked in this year’s awards race.
The BAFTA nominations were decried for selecting an all-male field of director nominations and no non-white actors, sparking a #BAFTAsSoWhite trend on social media. The awards body has since said it will carry out a detailed review of its voting procedures after this year’s ceremony, which takes place on Sunday (February 2).
Dame Heather Rabbatts, the chair of Time’s Up UK, slammed this year’s BAFTA noms as having “glaring omissions.”
“This ‘invisibility’ is even more shocking given the choices which were available and the strength of films and performances where Black talent was apparent this year,...
- 1/27/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
International Film Festival RotterdamReality Check report
The 2019 Iffr Reality Check conference tackled the thorny subject of development, and how filmmakers can better exploit their own content, the plethora of new platforms and the end-user to the benefit of all. The day was divided into four parts, comprising three-panel debates and a series of intensive break-out discussions on the questions raised throughout the day. A closing session presented conclusions drawn from these deliberations.
Opening the day, Iffr director Bero Beyer described how the wide spectrum of content that we see across all platforms is developed within generally narrow constraints and that it is therefore imperative that the industry offers/creates/allows for a “wide space” for ideas to develop, mature and ultimately be realised. Great talent can turn to compete for media to tell their stories, he warned, and they could, therefore, be lost to the film world.
Reality Check Program...
The 2019 Iffr Reality Check conference tackled the thorny subject of development, and how filmmakers can better exploit their own content, the plethora of new platforms and the end-user to the benefit of all. The day was divided into four parts, comprising three-panel debates and a series of intensive break-out discussions on the questions raised throughout the day. A closing session presented conclusions drawn from these deliberations.
Opening the day, Iffr director Bero Beyer described how the wide spectrum of content that we see across all platforms is developed within generally narrow constraints and that it is therefore imperative that the industry offers/creates/allows for a “wide space” for ideas to develop, mature and ultimately be realised. Great talent can turn to compete for media to tell their stories, he warned, and they could, therefore, be lost to the film world.
Reality Check Program...
- 2/24/2019
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
As the Berlinale expands its efforts to achieve gender equality, Women and Hollywood founder Melissa Silverstein co-hosted and moderated a discussion about women striving for industry change Saturday at Berlin’s Regent Hotel. The sharp and focused panel of six experienced industry women – creatives, organizers, journalists, festival organizers and activists – welcomed a full house composed of 98% women.
Silverstein welcomed Andrea Riseborough, the star of opening night film “The Kindness of Strangers,” on stage. The actress’ Mother Sucker Prods. co-sponsored the event.
Riseborough was surrounded by the Toronto Intl. Film Festival’s executive director and co-head Joanna Vincente, co-founder of Le Deuxieme Regard Berenice Vincent, South African writer-director Jenna Bass, whose feature “Flatland” is at the festival, and British Blacklist creator Akua Gyamfi.
Silverstein introduced the central question: “How are women in the industry pushing for change?” Other topics that arose were how much progress has been made, what expansion strategies...
Silverstein welcomed Andrea Riseborough, the star of opening night film “The Kindness of Strangers,” on stage. The actress’ Mother Sucker Prods. co-sponsored the event.
Riseborough was surrounded by the Toronto Intl. Film Festival’s executive director and co-head Joanna Vincente, co-founder of Le Deuxieme Regard Berenice Vincent, South African writer-director Jenna Bass, whose feature “Flatland” is at the festival, and British Blacklist creator Akua Gyamfi.
Silverstein introduced the central question: “How are women in the industry pushing for change?” Other topics that arose were how much progress has been made, what expansion strategies...
- 2/9/2019
- by Thelma Adams
- Variety Film + TV
Iffr panel discuss the need for diverse voices and adversity to risk.
At yesterday’s Reality Check conference at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr), two panels of film professionals discussed how their careers are changing as the business undergoes radical change.
Moderator Wendy Mitchell / Akua Gyamfi / Nanouk Leopold
Speaking on the day’s first panel, which focused on the increasing popularity of “new” stories, and how these original ideas were unearthing new audiences, Akua Gyamfi took the opportunity to highlight how the industry is now waking up to the benefits of promoting diverse voices.
Gyamfi is the founder of the British Blacklist,...
At yesterday’s Reality Check conference at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr), two panels of film professionals discussed how their careers are changing as the business undergoes radical change.
Moderator Wendy Mitchell / Akua Gyamfi / Nanouk Leopold
Speaking on the day’s first panel, which focused on the increasing popularity of “new” stories, and how these original ideas were unearthing new audiences, Akua Gyamfi took the opportunity to highlight how the industry is now waking up to the benefits of promoting diverse voices.
Gyamfi is the founder of the British Blacklist,...
- 1/28/2019
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
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