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The Crown and Pieces Of A Woman star Vanessa Kirby has joined the jury of the fourth edition of Wscripted’s Cannes Screenplay List presented in collaboration with global streaming platform Mubi.

The initiative, launched in 2021, supports screenplays by women and non-binary writers and writer-directors. The list is pitched to producers during the Cannes Film Market to expand deal opportunities for the nominated talents.

“It is a pleasure to join Wscripted on this brilliant initiative. There is still such a clear disparity between the number of male and female led projects, and I am so pleased to unite with Wscripted to support and elevate the next generation of formidable female talent that I know are going to shape the cinema of the future,” said Kirby.

Alongside her acting career, Kirby co-founded production company Aluna Entertainment in 2021, alongside former Film4 exec Lauren Dark, with the mission of championing female creatives and stories.

Wscripted, the talent platform sourcing women and non-binary writers, has unveiled the nominees for its third Cannes Screenplay List, an initiative launched in partnership with Mubi.

The final selection was curated by an inaugural jury of international female filmmakers, including Mounia Meddour, Funa Maduka (“Waiting for Hassana”), and Camille Griffin (“Silent Night”).

The list features 10 English-language and two French-language film projects by women and non-binary screenwriters and celebrates original projects from development to early financing stages.

“The task of selecting the final list was nothing short of challenging as each script possessed its own unique brilliance,” said Maduka, a Nigerian filmmaker who is the former head of international original films at Netflix. “On behalf of the jury, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all entrants and sincerest congratulations to the finalists, who represent the bold and brave voices our industry needs. It’s an especially important time to highlight writers- they are the architects,...

Exclusive: The BFI and BAFTA have set the 2023 cohort of the BFI Flare x BAFTA mentoring scheme, which provides support to six Lgbtqia+ filmmakers working towards their debuts in film and television.

The programme runs in partnership with BFI Network and is in its ninth year. Alums include Aleem Khan (After Love), Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor, Georgi Banks-Davies (I Hate Suzie), Kayleigh Llewellyn, and Georgia Oakley (Blue Jean).

This year’s programme will support writer Dylan Brady, writer/director Phoebe Brooks, writer Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini, writer/director Sarah Grant, writer Bethan Marlow, and writer/director/producer Shiva Raichandani.

As part of the initiative, the participants are matched with industry mentors and invited to attend a two-day lab of events during BFI Flare, the BFI’s Lgbtqia+ film festival. The festival runs this month from March 15-26. They will also receive access to wellbeing...

Industry stalwarts including director Cheryl Dunye (“Bridgerton”), actor, writer, director Romola Garai, producer Elizabeth Karlsen (“Mothering Sunday”) and Sky Comedy commissioning editor Tilusha Ghelani have joined the illustrious roster of mentors at The Writers Lab U.K. & Ireland.

Now in its second year in the territory, the lab, which supports women and non-binary writers over 40, is set up to discover new writing voices from across Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The initiative is produced by Untamed Stories’ Julia Berg and Ruth Spencer and Twl co-founders Elizabeth Kaiden and Nitza Wilon.

It is presented with support from Dirty Films, the independent production company headed by Cate Blanchett, Andrew Upton, Coco Francini and Georgie Pym. The Writers Lab U.K. & Ireland is in association with Birds’ Eye View, Dancing Ledge Productions, Curzon Cm Development Fund, Maisie Williams’ production company Rapt, London-based film and TV agency Dench Arnold, Screen Scotland, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland,...

Intermission Film also signs up to support the award, aimed at UK-based filmmakers with non-English scripts.

The Mother Tongues Award, a new development initiative backed by UK distributor Curzon and French sales agent Charades, has unveiled its inaugural shortlist and secured further support from creative agency Intermission Film.

The award, which is focused on feature film projects by UK-based filmmakers in which the dialogue is in a language other than English, has selected a shortlist of 10 projects from 112 entries that spanned 47 languages and dialects. All will attend a workshop and subsequently a panel interview for the development award of £10,000.

The...

Intermission Films also signs up to support the award, aimed at UK-based filmmakers with non-English scripts.

The Mother Tongues Award, a new development initiative backed by UK distributor Curzon and French sales agent Charades, has unveiled its inaugural shortlist - and secured further support from creative agency Intermission Films.

The award, which is focused on feature film projects by UK-based filmmakers in which the dialogue is in a language other than English, has selected a shortlist of 10 projects from 112 entries that spanned 47 languages and dialects. All will attend a workshop and subsequently a panel interview for the development award of...

Intermission Films also signs up to support the award, aimed at UK-based filmmakers with non-English scripts.

The Mother Tongues Award, a new development initiative backed by UK distributor Curzon and French sales agent Charades, has unveiled its inaugural shortlist - and secured further support from creative agency Intermission Films.

The award, which is focused on feature film projects by UK-based filmmakers in which the dialogue is in a language other than English, has selected a shortlist of 10 projects from 112 entries that spanned 47 languages and dialects. All will attend a workshop and subsequently a panel interview for the development award of...