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NEWS Monday 20 May 2019
DAY 7

THE BUZZ
OF THE DAY FEMALE FINANCING
INITIATIVE FINDS

FEET ON CROISETTE
Telling the story of
her first film: Carla
Simon (centre) with
Alex Navarro and
Lucia Recalde of
MEDIA

Filmmakers Nina Menkes (Heatstroke)
(left) and Deva Palmier (Finding Clive) © DR
AUNCHING last year in a villa
© DR outside of Cannes, with the
French-American actress and
choreographer Mia Frye
FIRST WOMEN ON THE MOVE DAY L moderating, this year, for the
SHOWS THERE’S MORE TO BE DONE second edition of the ground-breaking,
femme-centric financing initiative, Breaking
Through The Lens, a new venue on the
HE FIRST Women on the memories, Summer 1993 is widely important” too. And while Simon’s story Croisette, backing from sponsors, and a
Move day dedicated to acclaimed as a moving depiction of life as was inspiring to all aspiring women strong round of female pitches has seen
women in the film sector a child in an adult world and praised for filmmakers, the findings of a study by the programme establish itself in Cannes
took place in Cannes exceptional performances by its two child Collective 50/50 — a France-based proper. A room full of potential backers
T yesterday. Organised by the stars. organisation committed to equality in the listened to 10 film pitches from female
European Commission’s MEDIA Inevitably, commentary around the film industry — revealed at the end of the first filmmakers looking to complete financing
initiative, the opening session, Making focused on the fact that it was written and Women on the Move day, were less so. for their projects. Pitches came from Queen
Your First Film a Success, featured an directed by a young woman, something For example, of the 646 films released in of Diamonds helmer Nina Menkes for her
interview with Spanish director Carla that is still regarded as exceptional in the France between May 2018 and April 2019, project Heatstroke — a thriller about
Simon, winner of the Goya Award for film industry. “I was constantly asked by 19% were directed by women, 76% by estranged sisters set in LA and Cairo. Rita
Best New Director in 2018. journalists what it was like to be a woman men and 5% had mixed direction. Film Baghdadi presented documentary Sirens,
The Award was in recognition of her making a feature film,” Simon told an critics in France are divided similarly by set in post-war Beirut, about five women
becoming thrash-metal rock stars. Tina
debut feature Summer 1993, seen as one audience at the MEDIA pavilion during gender, with 37% women, 62% men and Gharavi’s The Good Iranian, meanwhile, is
of the flagships of a young generation of yesterday’s Women on the Move opening 1% unspecified. Of the 10,602 film reviews a revenge thriller exploring horrific
Catalán filmmakers, many of whom are session. “Well I couldn’t really answer, written in this period, 31% were by sisterhood. Alumni attending the event
women. because I didn’t know what it was like to women, 58% by men and 11% included filmmaker Deva Palmier whose
Studying film and communications at a be a man in the same situation.” With unspecified. Collective 50/50 also revealed Finding Clive is one of three films from last
number of academic institutions — Valerie Delpierre (The Disinherited) that, since the Cannes Film Festival became year that have since completed financing.
including the University of Barcelona and producing, talk of the film being an all- the first festival to sign the 5050x2020 Menkes said: “As my producer Lizzy
the London Film School — Simon said it female production persisted. But for Pledge for Parity and Inclusion at Festivals Bentley (A Hidden Life producer)
was the work of Michael Haneke that Simon, it was simpler than that: “It just charter one year ago, a further 47 festivals mentioned, Terrence Malick has a lot of
inspired her to become an auteur happened that the people I wanted to have signed. Geographically, the majority of money to support his vision. As someone
filmmaker. After a few short films, she work with were women.” those festivals are in Europe (35), nine are who has received critical acclaim for my
found herself in the position of being able MEDIA backing was key to getting the in North America, one each in Latin films, I have never had the benefits that
to start work on her first full-length film made, Simon said. And being named America, Oceania and Africa, with a zero Malick has had. Lizzy is on board to get me
feature. Drawing on her childhood Best First Film at the Berlinale was “super- count so far in Asia.✦ Julian Newby those conditions and to uplift all women
that have been excluded from the
filmmaking cannon since the beginning of
time. That is now over. Goddess rules.”
VOLTAGE BANKS ON HARVEY KEITEL AND Emily Carlton, co-founder and chief
EMORY COHEN IN GANGSTER BIOPIC LANSKY operating officer of Breaking Through the
Lens said: “Cannes is the centre of the film
world. Finance, we believe, is the number-
VOLTAGE PICTURES has taken on aging crime boss Meyer Lansky is now Executive producers are Voltage’s CEO one barrier between female filmmakers
international sales on Eytan Rockaway’s living in anonymity in Miami Beach. When Nicolas Chartier and Jonathan Deckter and the top of the industry. Our initiative
Lansky, starring Harvey Keitel as the he enlists a young journalist to tell his alongside Mark Holder, Christine Holder, feels like taking the problem to the heart of
infamous gangster Meyer Lansky. Emory story, the Feds use him to track down the Lee Broda and Jeff Rice. the issue and addressing it directly.” ✦
Cohen, Sam Worthington and Austin hundreds of millions of dollars that “Eytan’s talent and unparalleled access Liza Foreman
Stowell are also starring. Alexandra Lansky has been suspected of stashing to the psyche of Meyer Lansky will
Daddario and Tony Danza are in talks to away for over half a century. As Lansky elevate Lansky to genre-best status,”
join the cast. tells his story, the journalist finds himself Deckter said. “Under his stewardship,
Rockaway wrote the script, from a story caught in the middle of a game of cat and and with the gifted Sam, Austin and
by Ido Fluk and Sharon Mashihi, which mouse, uncovering the truth about the Emory leading the charge, we can’t wait NEWS THE OFFICIAL DAIL Y
was partially based on his father Robert life of the notorious boss of Murder Inc. to share this mind-blowing story with
Rockaway’s interviews with the real-life and the National Crime Syndicate. audiences. Rob and Jeff have put JOIN
JOIN US ON US ON
Meyer Lansky, part of his research into Principal photography will begin in together another exceedingly creative
FACEBOOK
American crime figures. Rockaway is a August. Producers are Robert Ogden and commercial project,” Deckter FACEBOOK
history professor at Tel Aviv University. Barnum and Jeff Hoffman with Rainmaker added.✦
Investigated for decades by the FBI, the Films’ Russell Geyser and Clay Pecorin. Liza Foreman www.facebook.com/cannesmarketnews

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