Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad and Indeed announce Rising Voices’ next class of BIPOC filmmakers
Indeed will award Season Four finalists with a budget of $100,000 to produce 10 short films slated to premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival.
Lena Waithe and her Hillman Grad production house have returned with the fourth installment of its Rising Voices initiative. In partnership with the job site Indeed and 271 Films, Rising Voices aims to uncover, invest in and amplify filmmakers nationwide who are Black, indigenous and people of color. It has been doing so since launching in 2020 with its first selection of 10 storytellers.
Indeed announced its next class of filmmakers, who will produce 15-minute short films to showcase their talents and unique perspectives about the future of work.
“The idea behind this program is that we want people to think differently about what work means and what the future might hold,” Chris Hyams, CEO of Indeed, said at a filmmaker retreat where the new cycle of winners was unveiled.
“It could be something bright, exciting, moving and beautiful,” Hyams continued. “It could be a cautionary tale or all of those things combined. We want to bring as many distinct voices and lived experiences.”
Each participant was awarded a production budget of $100,000 to bring their stories to life over the next few months, leading up to the projects’ debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City in June 2024.
Indeed’s mission to connect talented filmmakers with opportunities remains at the core of Rising Voices’ initiative.
“Hollywood’s excuse is always, ‘We can’t find talent of color,’ or ‘We can’t find women,'” said LaFawn Davis, senior vice president of environmental, social & governance (ESG) at Indeed. “They are here. We were able to find them, and this is not our business … The hope is that Hollywood changes their thinking of where to find talent because talent is everywhere. They are just only looking in specific places.”
Since the program’s inception, more than 2,000 jobs have been created, according to a press release.
Resurging at the tail end of Hollywood’s historical longstanding writers’ and actors’ strikes, where the Times reported that 17% of employment decreased in the greater Los Angeles area, Season Four of Rising Voices arrives at a time in which financial support and mentorship are crucial for the future generation of diverse storytellers and the inclusion of more BIPOC representation across Hollywood films.
“When you’re talking about the quality of storytelling, part of it is showcasing different points of view on things,” Rishi Rajani, CEO of Hillman Grad, told theGrio. “Hollywood is not going to change unless we are helping usher in that next generation of filmmakers that do have that different point of view.”
Justin Riley, senior vice president of operations & business development at Hillman Grad, emphasized the importance of Rising Voices’ determination to champion underrepresented voices with multicultural experiences who can reflect the intersectionality of untold stories onto the big screen.
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“If we are continuing to greenlight stories told by individuals who fit very traditional demographics, then we cannot know the world in a very real way,” Riley said. “In general, Hollywood does such a great job shining light on the world. But if you are only showing those pictures under one particular light, it is actually not an accurate reflection of the world that we live in.”
Sisters Constanza and Doménica Castro, co-founders of the creative production company 271 Films, both agreed that witnessing the program’s lasting impact is the most rewarding aspect of the partnership.
“The [film industry] path is hard and lonely,” Constanza Castro said. “Finding those resources and collaborators that champion each other is challenging when you do not have a community or access to a school. Seeing how far their careers accelerate from ending this program and what happens within a year keeps me going.”
Doménica Castro noted that the program’s structure acts as a catalyst that accelerates each filmmaker’s confidence in their abilities and skill set as they land jobs after finishing.
“That is most rewarding because I know that we are creating the change we want to see in the generation going forward,” she said.
Rising Voices’ recognition extends beyond national exposure and has earned worldwide attention from distinguished film festivals such as Sundance, AFI Fest, Outfest and others. Filmmakers who have completed the program have reportedly won awards, become Netflix staff writers, directed episodes of “The Chi” and “Chicago Fire,” earned film grants and other achievements. Participants will also be mentored by Waithe and film industry heavy-hitters like Destin Daniel Cretton, Diego Velasco, Anthony Hemingway, Tiff Johnson and Naima Ramos Chapman.
This year’s selected group — four of whom are Black — include Anndi Jinelle Liggett, Omar Kamara, Wes Goodrich and Winter Dunn.
“I had no idea when I was going to be able to make a movie again,” Kamara said. “…This program is giving us $100,000, which is very hard to come by, especially for people who look like us and do not always have those connections. It means the world to me that I get the opportunity to tell another story amongst other talented filmmakers.”
Jean Liu, Kelly Yu, Kevin and Kelly Luu, Manuel Del Valle, Mercedes Arturo and Robin D’Oench were the other Rising Voices finalists selected.
The financial award, coupled with mentorship from veteran filmmakers and a designated community of supporters, serve as a career game-changer for these independent filmmakers eager to share their stories with audiences.
“I’m completely ecstatic,” Liggett said. “Having the resources to make a film is most of the battle. To have not only the financial resources but the emotional, physical and everything at our disposal to create the art we want to put out into the world is invaluable.”
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