*Berlin, Germany – The Me Too Movement, a grassroots campaign against sexual harassment and assault, has spread around the world to faraway places including Germany, Norway and parts of Africa. Film industry organizations in these and other countries converged on Berlin, Germany last week at the International Film Festival to pledge their support of gender equality initiatives by offering money for production funds.
Called the Ten Percent for 50-50 gender equality initiative, this funding package is available through Women In Film & Television, International. WIFTI has 44 chapters across the world with 10,000 global members on five continents.
Using a point system to qualify, projects that have women as producers, or women of color or women who identify as LGBTQ members and half of their production team is comprised of women, can apply for the 10 for 50-50 grant. While applicants don’t have to be WIFTI members to quality for the grant, affiliation offers extra consideration.
WIFTI president Helene Granqvist said most film projects never are completed due to money woes. She said offering production dollars in exchange for hiring more qualified women on a production team is the solution to getting past two of the film industry’s biggest problems. Go to 10percentfor5050.com for details about this grant.
What started as a handful of women in Hollywood who accused then Miramax movie executive Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault turned into a onslaught that led to his dismissal from the company he founded and rape charges against him in New York state. Although most women in attendance at Berlinale never have worked in Hollywood, they say their experiences of gender bias on movie sets is a worldwide problem. Having a conversation about it on this international stage will bring the respect for their skills and experience they deserve.
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