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Breaking Through The Lens, an initiative launched three years ago to promote emerging female directors, has unveiled the shortlist of projects vying to participate in the 3rd edition of its pitching platform set to take place during the Cannes Film Festival.<\/p>\n
The selected projects, which will be pitched to over 100 financiers and key industry people during Cannes, were announced during the European Film Market on Feb. 25.<\/p>\n
Spanning 13 countries, this year\u2019s shortlist of 20 titles includes Tamika Guishard\u2019s African dance-driven feature \u201cRhythm in Blues;\u201d Daresha Kyi\u2019s U.S. documentary \u201cMama Bears\u201d which follows conservative Christian mothers whose lives are transformed as they accept their LGBTQ children; Ahd Kamel\u2019s Saudi Arabian feature \u201cMy Driver and I\u201d set in 80s and 90s and centering on an unlikely friendship between a privileged Saudi girl and her Nubian driver; and Laura Moss\u2019 feature debut \u201cBirth\/Rebirth,\u201d a female-driven Frankenstein adaptation.<\/p>\n
Set to be announced in early April, the final list will be narrowed down to ten projects by a jury comprising Emma Berkofsky, the head of development at Lionsgate UK, Ursula Devine, development executive at Northern Ireland Screen, Akua Gyamf, the ounder of The British Blacklist, Daisy Hamilton, acquisitions and business development at TriCoast Worldwide, Kate Kinninmont, managing director of The F Word Media company, Nina Ritter, acquisition and development executive at Studiocanal in Berlin, Caddy Vanasirikul, VP of acquisitions and productions at The Exchange, Tiffany Boyle, the president of packaging and sales at Ramo Law, and Tina Gharavi, the BAFTA-nominated TV and film director.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s clearly a disconnect happening in the industry when you look at the numbers of women coming out of film schools and the numbers of features being directed by women,\u201d says Emily Carlton, who co-founded Breaking Through The Lens with fellow directors Daphne Schmon and Elpida Stathatou.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs filmmakers ourselves, we found that the biggest obstacle was getting financing. When you\u2019re in Cannes it can be very difficult to get meetings with some of the bigger financiers. It can be overwhelming,\u201d said Carlton.<\/p>\n
Last year\u2019s edition of Breaking Through the Lens featured ten projects from 11 countries. Three of these projects have since entered production.<\/p>\n
Schmon said the \u201cgender imbalance at the top levels of our industry is evident now more than ever, with not a single woman nominated for Best Director at the BAFTA\u2019s or Oscars.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe talent is definitely out there, along with lots of good will in the industry but at a certain point, talk is not enough,\u201d said Schmon.<\/p>\n
The Shortlisted Projects are :<\/p>\n
\u201cAlgeria\u201d
\nDirector: Violeta Salama
\nProducer: Clara Nieto<\/p>\n
\u201cAlaska\u201d
\nDirector: Rachel Cain Stephens
\nProducer: Maria Allred<\/p>\n
\u201cBirth\/Rebirth
\nDirector: Laura Moss
\nProducer: Mali Elfman<\/p>\n
\u201cChickenshit\u201d
\nDirector: Jessica dela Merced
\nProducer: Bob Shaye<\/p>\n
\u201cDancing for Heaven\u201d
\nDirector: Billie Porter
\nProducer: Candice Dragonas<\/p>\n
\u201cFour Letters of Love\u201d
\nDirector: Polly Steele
\nProducer: Chris Curling<\/p>\n
\u201cGillyfish\u201d
\nDirector: Sarah Sellman
\nProducer: Jon Shestack<\/p>\n
\u201cJennifer, 42\u201d
\nDirector: Elle Kamihira
\nProducer: Katie Hyde<\/p>\n
\u201cKodokushi\u201d
\nDirector: Janus Victoria
\nProducer: Lorna Tee<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s Do This\u201d
\nDirector: Lora Campbell
\nProducer: Emily Andrews<\/p>\n
\u201cLilly\u201d
\nDirector: Rachel Feldman
\nProducer: J Todd Harris<\/p>\n
\u201cMamma Bears\u201d
\nDirector: Daresha Kyi
\nProducer: Yvonne Welbon<\/p>\n
\u201cMouth\u201d
\nDirector: Kimi Lee
\nProducer: Isabel Marden<\/p>\n
\u201cMurder Fans\u201d
\nDirector: Nat Luurtsema
\nProducer: April Kelley<\/p>\n
\u201cMy Driver And I\u201d
\nDirector: Ahd Kamel
\nProducer: Georgina Paget<\/p>\n
\u201cRhythm in Blues\u201d
\nDirector: Tamika Guishard
\nProducer: Birgit Gernb\u00f6ck<\/p>\n
\u201cSkin of Youth\u201d
\nDirector: Ash Mayfair
\nProducer: Ngoc Tran<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Other Widow\u201d
\nDirector: Ma\u2019ayan Rypp
\nProducer: Amir Harel<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Wild Ones\u201d
\nDirector: Eva Weber
\nProducer: Jessica Levick<\/p>\n
\u201cYou And Me Both\u201d
\nDirector: Jennifer Suhr
\nProducer: Carolyn Mao<\/p>\n
View this article at Variety<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tiffany Boyle on the Breaking Through The Lens Jury at Cannes Breaking Through The Lens, an initiative launched three years ago to promote emerging female directors, has unveiled the shortlist of projects vying to participate in the 3rd edition of its pitching platform set to take place during the Cannes Film Festival. The selected projects,
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