The Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Locarno International Film Festival have announced the participants the inaugural Industry Academy International U.S. and the group includes eight women out of a total of ten participants.
According to the Film Society’s announcement, the selection committee was so impressed by this year’s applicants that they raised the acceptance number from six to ten.
“Creating a more inclusive industry is an essential challenge facing film culture today,” said Film Society of Lincoln Center Deputy Director Eugene Hernandez. “With this program we aim to empower and support a new generation of leaders within the film community by offering direct engagement with leading professionals as well as prime networking opportunities during New Directors/New Films, a festival that showcases work by emerging artists. We were thrilled at the response to the program and are excited by the group of young industry professionals who have been selected for this inaugural initiative.”
The eight women selected are: Charlotte Henskens (Fortissimo Films Netherlands), Rachel Kiner (MGM Studios), Asha Phelps (IFC Center), Zahra Phillips (Broad Green Pictures), Rebecca Ray (The Film Sales Company), Hannah Thomas (BAMcinématek), Tiffany Vazquez (GIPHY) and Natalia Winkelman (Indiewire).
The Industry Academy takes place from March 20–23 and will include screenings and panel discussions exploring the fields of international sales, marketing, distribution (online and traditional), exhibition and programming.
As the announcement states, the Industry Academy signifies the ongoing dedication The Film Society and Locarno International Film Festival have to “engaging a new generation of key players in the independent-film industry, helping them attain a better understanding of the industry’s challenges while also extending their network of contacts and building bridges across different markets. The program will focus on increasing diversity within the film industry and film culture — one of the greatest challenges facing the film business today — and support and nurture women and people of color who are looking to gain a foothold in the industry.”
But the Industry Academy isn’t the only place where women can dominate. The Locarno Film Festival Critics Academy is taking applications now through May 9 for aspiring film critics from around the world. We here at Women and Hollywood encourage all of you female film critics out there to apply.
