ReFrame Rise Expands to Help Girls DPs Alongside With Administrators, Pronounces 2022-24 Class

ReFrame Rise, a program launched in 2019 to nurture established ladies filmmakers, is rising. From Girls In Movie Los Angeles (WIF) and Sundance Institute’s ReFrame Project and supported by Netflix’s Fund for Inventive Fairness, ReFrame Rise will now be mentoring ladies cinematographers along with administrators. ReFrame introduced the information and unveiled the 2022-24 cohort in a press release. Administrators Ally Pankiw (“Really feel Good”), Angel Kristi Williams (“Actually Love”), Ekwa Msangi (“Farewell Amor”), Mounia Akl (“Costa Brava, Lebanon”), Nijla Mu’min (“Jinn”), Terrie Samundra (“Kaali Khuhi”), and Yoko Okumura (“The Daring Sort”) have been chosen, as have been DPs Ava Benjamin Shorr (“Disclosure”), Barbie Leung (“Battleground”), Laura Merians Gonsalves (“Black Is King”), and Mariscela Mendez (“Mr. Church”).

The filmmakers will participate in “a complete and customised two-year program designed by ReFrame…to speed up high-level, sustainable development for mid-career expertise.” Every participant will even be matched with a profession coach and a mentorship workforce made up of {industry} professionals.

ReFrame Rise counted administrators Desiree Akhavan (“The Miseducation of Cameron Publish”), Haifaa al-Mansour (“Wadjda”), Patricia Cardoso (“Actual Girls Have Curves”), Hanelle Culpepper (“Anansi Boys”), Sydney Freeland (“Deidra & Laney Rob a Prepare”), Zetna Fuentes (“This Is Us”), Tina Mabry (“Queen Sugar”), and Meera Menon (“Ms. Marvel”) amongst its inaugural class, which wrapped up earlier this 12 months.

ReFrame determined to broaden ReFrame Rise to incorporate cinematographers whereas analyzing the information for its ReFrame Stamp initiative, which considers gender illustration in hiring among the many high movies and TV reveals.

“The numbers of ladies cinematographers employed on our {industry}’s largest initiatives stays stagnant – solely 7 movies within the High 100 releases final 12 months have been lensed by ladies,” stated ReFrame director Andria Wilson Mirza. “Via making use of our profession acceleration mannequin — which has confirmed to achieve success for administrators — to this proficient group of DPs as effectively, we intention to show our dedication to creating each above and below-the-line expertise, and the pressing want for a cross-industry funding in these roles during which ladies stay underrepresented.”

WIF additionally revealed it will likely be launching a fellowship for rising administrators and cinematographers subsequent 12 months. It’s going to “present contributors with a 12 months of mentorship from leisure leaders, collaboration with the Rise class by way of recommendation and shadowing on their initiatives, and entry to {industry} consultants and particular occasions,” per the press launch. Additional particulars can be introduced this fall.

“This program will construct important relationships between folks throughout completely different levels of their careers,” WIF Director of Applications Maikiko James defined. “As we deliberately deepen the neighborhood of ladies and gender non-conforming creatives we see alternatives develop, so we should nurture these connections.”

Bios for the 2022-24 ReFrame Rise class are under, courtesy of ReFrame.

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DIRECTORS:

Ally Pankiw

Author/director Ally Pankiw’s accomplishments in TV embrace directing and government producing the primary season of the Netflix comedy sequence, FEEL GOOD (which stars Mae Martin and Lisa Kudrow), and blocks of episodes on Hulu’s SHRILL and THE GREAT. Ally lately accomplished her first characteristic movie, a darkish dramedy which she wrote and directed, referred to as I USED TO BE FUNNY. It stars Rachel Sennott (SHIVA BABY, BODIES BODIES BODIES) and Jason Jones (THE DAILY SHOW, THE DETOUR). Beforehand, Ally served as a author on SCHITT’S CREEK, and he or she is now creating an authentic comedy sequence with its star and creator, Dan Levy, for Hulu and twentieth Century Fox Animation. The duo are additionally co-writing a characteristic for Common Footage. She has directed commercials for manufacturers like Amazon, adidas, Pepsi, Chanel and Nylon, and music movies for artists like Phoebe Bridgers, MUNA, Janelle Monae, and Lil Jon.

Angel Kristi Williams 

Angel Kristi Williams is an award successful filmmaker born and raised in West Baltimore, Maryland. Her characteristic directorial debut REALLY LOVE, produced by MACRO, received the Particular Jury Recognition for Performing for co-stars Kofi Siriboe and Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing at SXSW. The movie then performed as a part of AFI Fest’s Particular Shows to a lot acclaim. Angel is a Sundance Institute Momentum Fellow in addition to a Movie Impartial Challenge Contain Directing Fellow, the place she was the recipient of their Sony Footage Variety Fellowship. Angel received an NAACP Picture Award for guiding COLIN IN BLACK AND WHITE, her first episode of tv. She directed an episode of NAOMI for CW and can later helm the season 2 opener of CHERISH THE DAY for OWN.

Ekwa Msangi 

Ekwa’s award-winning and critically acclaimed characteristic movie FAREWELL AMOR premiered in competitors on the 2020 Sundance Movie Pageant, garnering 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie received the Sundance Amazon Producer’s Award, the NYWIFT Directing Award, the 2020 Durban Worldwide Movie Pageant award for Finest Screenplay, and Ekwa was awarded the 2021 Indie Spirit “Somebody To Watch” award. The movie is distributed by IFC Movies for North America, MUBI and Netflix for Worldwide. Ekwa has additionally written & directed drama sequence for broadcasters in Kenya together with THE AGENCY, MNET’s first-ever authentic hour-long Kenyan drama sequence. She is each a 2020 Sundance Momentum Fellow in addition to a 2020 BAFTA Breakthrough. Certainly one of Ekwa’s key targets as an artist is to rework our society’s photographs and relationships with African cultures, and to empower African filmmakers in telling their tales.

Mounia Akl 

Mounia Akl is a director and author from Lebanon residing between Beirut and New York. She holds a bachelor’s diploma in Structure from ALBA and an MFA in Directing from Columbia College and is a member of the Academy of Movement Image Arts and Sciences. Her first characteristic movie, COSTA BRAVA LEBANON (Sundance Labs, Cannes Residency), premiered in 2021 on the Venice Movie Pageant, Toronto Worldwide Movie Pageant (Netpac Award) and BFI London Movie Pageant (Viewers Award) amongst others. It was impressed by her brief movie SUBMARINE (Official choice on the 69th Cannes Movie Pageant, TIFF 2016). Mounia is at present creating new initiatives (TV and Movie) between Paris, Beirut and LA the place she additionally was lately a Ted Speak Girls speaker.

Nijla Mu’min 

Nijla Mu’min is a author and filmmaker from the East Bay Space. Her work is knowledgeable by poetry, images, fiction, and dance. Her debut characteristic movie, JINN, premiered at SXSW 2018, the place she received the Particular Jury Recognition Award for Screenwriting. JINN, a New York Occasions Critics decide, was launched by Orion Classics, and is at present streaming on Amazon. She acquired the Shadow & Act Rising Award, the MPAC Media Award for Braveness and Conscience, and was invited to hitch the Academy of Movement Image Arts and Sciences. For tv, she has directed on QUEEN SUGAR, HBO’s INSECURE and Hulu’s WU-TANG: AN AMERICAN SAGA. She wrote for Starz sequence BLINDSPOTTING, and each wrote and directed an episode of the Apple sequence, SWAGGER, a uncommon accomplishment in tv. She additionally wrote and directed a brief movie for Netflix, entitled BLACK PROM. She is at present creating her second characteristic movie, MOSSWOOD PARK. 

Terrie Samundra 

Terrie Samundra is a director and screenwriter whose debut characteristic, the Netflix Authentic movie KAALI KHUHI, was launched internationally in October 2020. Samundra is at present in growth of her authentic sequence THE BALLAD OF POOJA, a global co-production with US and India studios, and has lately wrapped a author’s room on an undisclosed Netflix sequence. She is an alumna of the Sundance Institute Worldwide Screenwriters Lab, the SFFILM/Kenneth Rainin Screenwriting Fellowship and the Sundance Girls in Movie Finance Intensive. Samundra is at present a mentor for the Sundance Uprise program for BIPOC artists. A multicultural artist, Samundra grew up between a rural village in India, a small farming city in Missouri, and alongside the coast of California. She is represented by the Gersh Company and Circle of Confusion.

Yoko Okumura 

Yoko Okumura is a genre-fluid author, director, and performer. Born in a Buddhist temple in Japan and raised within the frostbite of Minneapolis, she now lives and works in Los Angeles. Yoko is at present in submit for her directorial debut characteristic for Blumhouse and Epix. The thriller titled UNSEEN stars Jolene Purdy (THE WHITE LOTUS, WANDAVISION) and Midori Francis (DASH & LILY, THE SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS). She additionally bought a narrative pitch to Sam Raimi’s Quibi/Roku horror anthology 50 STATES OF FRIGHT and directed the episode titled “America’s Largest Ball of Twine” starring Ming-Na Wen (THE MANDALORIAN) and Karen Allen (RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK). She has additionally directed episodes of the one hour drama GOOD TROUBLE and a block of two episodes for THE BOLD TYPE.

CINEMATOGRAPHERS:

Ava Benjamin Shorr 

Ava Benjamin Shorr is a Los Angeles-based director of images raised in Portland, Oregon. A few of her most lauded work consists of DISCLOSURE, which premiered at Sundance in 2020 and was launched by Netflix, FRAMING AGNES, which received a number of awards at Sundance in 2022, and EQUAL, a four-part sequence she shot for HBO Max. Ava was included on an inventory of “Thoughts Blowing Girls Cinematographers” by actor and director Emmy Rossum and was awarded an ASC Imaginative and prescient Mentorship with Rachel Morrison, cinematographer of BLACK PANTHER and MUDBOUND. She was additionally the topic, and co-DP of the documentary brief AVA & BIANCA, about her particular connection to fellow trans cinematographer Bianca Cline. 

Barbie Leung 

Barbie Leung is a New York primarily based cinematographer with a darkish lyrical visible fashion, as showcased in Todd Bogin’s characteristic LEFT WITH ONLY RAIN and Cynthia Lowen’s BATTLEGROUND (Tribeca Movie Pageant 2022). She is a recipient of The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Imaginative and prescient Mentorship Program and AFI Conservatory’s Cinematography Intensive Workshop. She’s an Affiliate of the Society of Digital camera Operators (SOC), and a member of the Worldwide Cinematographers Guild (ICG Native 600). Different notable options embrace UNLADYLIKE which world-premiered at AFI Docs 2020, and SH*TSHOW: THE RISE AND FALL OF HQ TRIVIA for CNN Movies. Her work has screened at Sundance, SXSW, Fantasia, and Outfest.

Laura Merians Gonçalves 

Laura Merians Gonçalves is an award-winning Cinematographer behind the Darren Aronofsky produced drama PACIFIED (aka PACIFICADO), which received the Golden Seashell for Finest Movie on the San Sebastián Worldwide Movie Pageant in addition to the Jury Prize for Finest Cinematography, leading to Merians being the primary lady within the historical past of the competition to ever win this award. PACIFIED then went on to win the Cinematographers’ Debut Competitors on the prestigious Camerimage Movie Pageant. Goncalves was a cinematographer for Beyonce’s extremely anticipated movie, BLACK IS KING. Different credit embrace the musical JOHN MULANEY & THE SACK LUNCH BUNCH for Netflix and A24, and extra images on Josephine Decker’s Sundance successful movie SHIRLEY. She was chosen as one of many Rising Stars of 2020 by the ASC.

Mariscela Méndez

Mariscela Beatríz Méndez was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. Mariscela has shot quite a few types of media which have aired for Slamdance and Amazon Prime, and Tubi. Mariscela was chosen to take part in The American Society of Cinematographers Imaginative and prescient Mentor Program. She can be the recipient of The Peregrine Collective 2022 Cinematographer’s Grant for her mission MAL DE AMORES. She has a deep connection to her Mexican-American roots and infrequently works on initiatives involving LatinX id, feminine pushed movies, and magical realism. Mariscela is at present specializing in narrative characteristic size and episodic initiatives.