Ava DuVernay – producer, writer, director and pioneer – launches a new diversity initiative for entertainment industry at a time where the industry is showing signs of real change for the first time. With Black Panther opening next week and A Wrinkle in Time opening on March 9, there has never been a better time to open doors and encourage filmmakers to step forward and get their films made. From the LA Times:
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and filmmaker Ava DuVernay launched a diversity program on Monday that will fund internships in the entertainment industry for young people from underserved communities.
The new program, which kicks off this summer, will also provide production gap financing to feature projects made by filmmakers and crews who don’t have sufficient funds to get through post production.
The Evolve Entertainment Fund will assist 150 interns for the coming summer, with the goal to increase the number to 500 by 2020 and beyond. The $5-million initiative won’t be financed with tax dollars but rather through fundraising, according to a city spokesperson.
The program will dispense grants to entertainment companies and organizations around L.A. The first grant recipient will be the Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program, a joint venture between Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles and the Hollywood Reporter.