Women Take Centre Stage as TIFF Kicks off Second Year of Trailblazing Share Her Journey Campaign
New Ambassadors include Amma Asante, Molly McGlynn, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Ellen Wong RBC Foundation announces $450,000 donation to support women in film
Share Her Journey is back for its second year, and TIFF is asking you to join the movement. The $3-million, five-year campaign championing women in front of and behind the camera ramps up ahead of Festival season, reaffirming the organization’s commitment to providing practical support for women and its efforts to help shift the dial across equity in the film industry.
“TIFF is proud to support a future film industry that represents the most diverse perspectives and range of voices on screen,” bailey continued. “The Toronto International Film Festival is planning a variety of key events that will examine ways to advance more women and under-represented creators in the industry. We invite everyone to join us for a very special Share Her Journey Moment, planned for September 8. Stay tuned — the movement has only just begun!”
“2017 was a landmark year for women in film,” said maxine bailey, Vice President of Advancement at TIFF. “Discussions around gender parity were front and centre of the news cycle, and the important issues raised still ripple around the world. Thanks to the generosity of more than a thousand individuals, Share Her Journey, which launched in July last year, continues to make a difference on a very practical level for female creators.”
The campaign is fast gaining local and global momentum with new Ambassadors, including award-winning writer and director Amma Asante (A United Kingdom; Belle; A Way of Life); writer and director Molly McGlynn (Mary Goes Round; 3-way (Not Calling)); actor and producer Shohreh Aghdashloo (The House of Sand and Fog; Star Trek Beyond); actor Ellen Wong (GLOW; Scott Pilgrim vs. the World); actor and producer Jennifer Podemski (Moccasin Flats; Empire of Dirt); and writer-director Joyce Wong (Wexford Plaza; Sunbathing). These Ambassadors are all joining the drive to amplify solidarity for women working in screen industries.
With over $1.3 million pledged to date, the Share Her Journey fundraising target for 2018 has been set at an ambitious $1 million. Funds will continue to help provide support, mentorship, and skill development to empower female creators and ensure equitable opportunities for women.
The RBC Foundation recently announced a pledge of $450,000 for the newly established RBC Female Creator Initiative supporting professional development opportunities for women. This initiative will help female creators grow their careers by fostering artistic skills development, mentorship, and year-round networking opportunities. In addition, the RBC Foundation will be providing support for the new TIFF Producer Accelerator Programme, female participation in TIFF Filmmaker Lab, and access to TIFF Industry programming.
TIFF will shortly announce its special Share Her Journey Moment for Festival 2018.
To join the movement and to learn more, sign up here. Visit www.tiff.net/shareherjourney for more information about the campaign and to make a donation.