LOS ANGELES: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has launched a new program called 'Action: The Academy Women's Initiative', with an aim to create opportunities for female filmmakers to connect, share their stories and celebrate inclusion.
The program is an extension of the Academy's A2020 initiative to promote inclusion and increase representation within the greater film community.
The program consists of the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women, the Academy Directory and annual events, which this year will take place October 15 in London and October 30 in Los Angeles, and will see the announcement of the first two recipients of the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women.
The Los Angeles Women's Lunch, in partnership with E! Entertainment and with the support of Swarovski, will bring together female filmmakers and will feature an on-stage conversation with comedian Hannah Gadsby and writer-actor-producer Lena Waithe.
The Women of the Academy Lunch in London will feature a keynote by the Academy's directors branch governor Susanne Bier and the presentation of an Academy Gold Fellowship to a UK-based filmmaker.
It will mark the second year the Academy and Swarovski have hosted a gathering of female filmmakers in the UK.
"As we continue to advocate for inclusion, we are honored to bring Academy members and the filmmaking community together to support women in all stages of their careers, especially emerging Academy Gold filmmakers.
We are grateful that E! and Swarovski support our commitment to a more inclusive film community," Academy CEO Dawn Hudson said in a statement posted on the official website.