Women in Film Finishing Fund

Posted on 01. Jun, 2008 by Administrator in Film/TV

There are so many layers involved in getting a film made. It’s not just assembling a crew and a script; it’s about color correcting, onlining, and music composition as well. All these little things have a tendency to add up to big bucks – something small films don’t necessarily have. Furthermore in the film world, women still only make up for a small faction of the film industry. Women In Film, which has been around for 35 years, is all about supporting and mentoring the endeavors of

women in the arts.

“I know that the good work of Women In Film is making a difference by empowering female filmmakers through funding, training, and support,” says Jane Fleming, WIF President. “We can see progress. This year four of the ten Oscar nominees for writing were women and three of the five Best Picture Oscar nominees were produced by women, so women are starting to make inroads. I believe that success breeds success, and if we continue to support each other.”

Within the foundation is the Film Finishing Fund which offers grants to films made by or about women. Films can be in long or short formats and any genre is allowed – documentary, dramatic, and narrative. These grants offer not just financial assistance but in kind services, (things like the aforementioned color correcting). Previous Film Finishing Fund recipients’ films have won many major awards including Emmy and Academy Awards. Last year’s Oscar for Documentary Short went to director Cynthia Wade, a previous recipient of the Film Finishing Fund. Actress Sharon Lawrence (Dirt, NYPD Blue, Desperate Housewives) who is the current Chair, sat down to discuss with h the latest on the Women in Film Foundation.

h: How is your group funded?
SL: Well, beyond the foundation itself, we just enlisted our first corporate partners in Netflix. They wanted to give back and they are giving money that we give directly to the filmmakers. Plus they are offering the possibility of distribution to these films, should they not get picked up, so these films will have a chance to be seen no matter what.

h: Does that mean Netflix has first dibs?
SL: No, Netflix does not have a first look. It’s just offering a helping hand, so these films will see the light of day. So for example, if Philadelphia is a movie that has touched you, Freeheld would be one of the films that they would recommend to their customers. They will give recommendations based on subject matter that you have chosen before. These movies will find an audience that resonates from this material.

h: How did this foundation come to pass?
SL: It was created by the founders of Women In Film 23 years ago. They really wanted to give access to people that didn’t necessarily have it. We service outside the membership – you don’t have to be members to apply. Last year we got around 150 submissions from around the world. We want people to know these films are available and out there.

h: Who makes up the film foundation?
SL: We have a really great combination of women – creative people, publicists, marketing people, money people – every facet of the industry, and therefore women who are familiar with what it takes to get films made.

h: Does the film have to be about women?

SL: It doesn’t. It has to include women – propelling the women who need to get the film made. It’s a pretty detailed and elaborate judging system – everything from if this film makes up a great story, if it’s structurally sound. I realized early on what a gift it was to see these films that I normally would never get a chance to see. WIF Academy Award Winners and Nominees

Academy Award Winners:

Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision (1994; Dir: Frieda Lee Mock)

Freeheld (2007, Dir: Cynthia Wade)

Academy Award Nominees:

Las Madres De La Plaza De Mayo (1986, Dir: Lourdes Portillo And Susan Muňoz)

Beyond Imagining (1991, Dir: Wendy Weinberg)

Regret To Inform (1993, Dir: Barbara Sonneborn)

The Fragile Promise Of Choice (1995, Dir: Beth Seltzer And Dorothy Fadiman)

Speaking In Strings (1999, Dir: Paola Di Florio)

The Collector Of Bedford Street (2002, Dir: Alice Elliott)

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