Dear friends-
A little bit over 15 years in the past I had a loopy thought: to try to begin a dialog asking the place the ladies have been in entrance of the digital camera and behind the scenes in Hollywood. I referred to as my weblog Women and Hollywood as a result of to me, Hollywood is all over the place. My exploration grew right into a calling that I by no means anticipated. It allowed me to journey throughout the globe talking with others who have been passionate about this challenge. The work helped start the Athena Film Festival, which is now a full-fledged teenager at 13 years previous.
Fifteen years later, the dialog is totally embedded in our tradition and is roofed by mainstream shops. Women, a few of whom bought their begin at Women and Hollywood, are working in all kinds of roles throughout the business. It was not too way back that it was all the time a shock when a sequence had a lady director as a part of its season. Now, it’s unacceptable in the event that they don’t. The work will not be executed, removed from it, however with a view to proceed the revolution, evolution is important.
It’s time for Women and Hollywood 2.0.
As of April 1, The Women and Hollywood weblog will not be publishing unique tales. We will preserve the positioning dwell as a result of it has turn into an ideal useful resource, significantly for college kids of the business.
Have no concern: I’ll nonetheless be launching the reality bombs and amplifying girls’s voices. But will probably be another way. In Her Voice: A Women and Hollywood Podcast will launch in April and will probably be a spot the place I’ll cowl information and interview creatives. I’m excited to get again to speaking to the ladies who’re effecting change and nicely as these whose artistic visions are coming to our screens.
We will proceed the weekly publication of the Women and Hollywood Newsletter of content material by and about girls and non-binary individuals opening in theaters and streaming. The Girls Club, our neighborhood for ladies and nonbinary creatives to attach and help one another, is flourishing.
Over the years, significantly via my work within the Creative Development Program on the Athena Film Festival, I’ve realized that I not solely wish to talk about the change that we have to see, however I wish to be part of it. To that finish, I shall be launching the Creative Doula Program. Part strategic advisor, half doula, we would be the artistic advocates for these gifted voices and tasks written by girls or non-binary writers which have girls/women on the heart of the tales.
There are many individuals to thank for the success of Women and Hollywood. First thanks goes to the Dobkin Family Foundation for its continued help. There could be no Women and Hollywood with out the Dobkin Family Foundation. The crew – writers, editors, fellows, interns, social media professionals. Nobody does this work alone. I’ve been so fortunate to have individuals who cared concerning the work as passionately as I did, significantly Laura Berger, who satisfied me nearly a decade in the past that I wanted an intern and is now in command of every thing that goes on the positioning. Everyone who has been part of the work through the years has had an immense contribution in protecting girls entrance and heart within the narrative.
I wouldn’t be capable of make this shift if I didn’t imagine that I’d achieved what I got down to do 15 years in the past. I couldn’t be extra thrilled that the dialog is flourishing and sturdy and {that a} new era has taken up the mantle and is pushing for increasingly change. I’m so excited to proceed to be part of this motion.
Onward,
Melissa
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