And last month, June 25, the entertainment industry’s premiere gilt-edged industry advocacy group and (per Wikipedia) “professional honorary organization”—the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences—took further steps to better reshape itself per a more modern, inclusive Hollywood. Namely, it Academy invited 928 new members to join its ranks. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 49% of new invitees were female and 38% people of color. But wait! The most exciting part is that 13 of these new inductees are Film Independent Fellows—filmmakers who have been supported in our Artist Development labs and programs or in Global Media Makers. A (belated) congratulations to all of those Fellows who have passed through our humble indie film room on their way to the tailored-tux glamour—and attendant awards screeners—of the Academy stage. Here’s teh complete list of Film Independent Fellows joining AMPAS in 2018:
Fi FELLOWS JOINING THE ACADEMY
Sean Baker, director/writer/producer, The Florida Project
Fast Track, 2011 Grant/award winner, 2014
Anne Clements, producer, Quinceañera
Grant/award winner, 2014 Fast Track, 2016
Sara Dosa, director/producer, The Last Season
Documentary Lab, 2018
Justin Simien, director/writer, Dear White People
Project Involve, 2010
Alexandra Johnes, producer, The Witch
Fast Track, 2015
Laura Nix, director/producer, Inventing Tomorrow
Documentary Lab, 2011
Josh Penn, producer, Monsters and Men
Grant/award winner, 2014
Mohammed Siam, producer, Amal
Global Media Makers, 2017
Clay Tweel, director/writer, Gleason
Grant/award winner, 2011
Nanfu Wang, director, Hooligan Sparrow
Grant/award winner, 2017
Carey Williams, director, Emergency
Project Involve, 2017
Lana Wilson, director/producer, The Departure
Fast Track, 2015
Chloé Zhao, director/writer, The Rider
Screenwriting Lab, 2011 Grant/award winner, 2018
So, great job to all of our Fellows, past, present and future. Here’s hoping you can help make Hollywood a little less old school. Enjoy those screeners!
Upcoming Artist Development Deadlines:
Directing Lab, 2019 (Non-Member deadline: August 13; Extended Member Deadline: August 2 Project Involve, 2019 (Non-Member deadline: September 17; Extended Member Deadline: October 1)
To learn more about Film Independent’s Programs, click here. To learn about applying to our Artist Development labs and programs click here. For more information about becoming a Member of Film Independent visit our website or subscribe to our YouTube channel.
