TIFF launches $3 million campaign to support female filmmakers

The Toronto International Film Festival kicks off in about two months, but before that party gets started, TIFF announced a new fundraising campaign that aims to support female filmmakers.

Over the next five years, TIFF will aim to raise $3 million that'll go towards a range of programs, including a three-month residency program for female creators, a speaker series on gender equity and gender identities in film and a new producers' accelerator program. 

Of the 250 highest grossing films in 2016, only 7 percent had female directors and among the top 100 films of the year, only 29 percent had female protagonists. TIFF wants to bring attentions to issues of gender disparity.

💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻Guess who just got announced as one of @tiff_net's ambassadors for the 'Share Her Journey'… https://t.co/tmNfCbnJQG

— Omoni Oboli (@Omonioboli) July 10, 2017

“Inclusion, accessibility and diversity are central to our work at TIFF. We acknowledge that gender inequity is systemic in the screen industries, so change has to happen at every level. That includes getting more women into key creative roles,” said TIFF artistic director Cameron Bailey in a news release.

Today, we're launching #ShareHerJourney: a 5-year campaign to champion female storytellers. Here's how you can help: https://t.co/NshvP6cdql http://pic.twitter.com/ftH0ps82lQ

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) July 10, 2017

“We plan to seek out, develop and showcase top female talent in the industry through our Festival and year-round initiatives. Our mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. One of the most powerful ways to do that is to foreground the perspectives of women," he continued.

Me upon seeing #TIFF's 5 year plan to empower female filmmakers. #ShareHerJourney #Donate https://t.co/ItKNiK65PY http://pic.twitter.com/ucmYY1UkVC

— Courtney Small (@SmallMind) July 11, 2017

TIFF launched its Share Her Journey fundraising campaign yesterday and partnered with film industry heavyweights Omoni Oboli, Deepa Mehta, Jennifer Baichwal and Carol Nguyen.

by Amy Grief via blogTO