Cannes Lions has unveiled the participants chosen for the 2023 See It Be It female talent acceleration program. In total 16 female creatives, from 14 countries, have been selected to take part in a unique development experience at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, in partnership with Verizon, taking place from June 19-23.
The See It Be It talent program was founded in 2014 by Cannes Lions with the mission to achieve equal gender representation of creative directors and leaders across the global industry. The 16 creatives selected to make up the 2023 class will receive an all-access Festival pass, travel to and from Cannes, accommodation courtesy of the Festival, and will attend an exclusive program of events and mentoring workshops with some of the most respected leaders in the industry today. This year an alumni tutor has been introduced to the program for the first time, to support the women throughout the week and take the programme experience to the next level. Selected from last year’s cohort through an application and interview process, Steph Cajucom, creative director, Translation, has been appointed to take on this role. She will work closely with program chairperson and ambassador, Madonna Badger, to elevate the program and further the impact See It Be It has on the industry well beyond the Festival week.
Commenting on the 2023 See It Be It cohort, Badger, who is also founder/CEO/COO, BADGER AGENCY, shared, “I am so grateful to have been chairperson of See It Be It over the last six years, and this year I am super excited to be the ambassador to the 16 women making up the 2023 class of See It Be It.
“The theme for this year is ‘Know your power.’ Creative women have a power unlike any other as they use their strengths and vulnerabilities to know their own power and express their talents. This is very true for the 2023 Cannes See It Be It group. The group this year is fantastic and from so many places around the world. It is inspiring and encouraging to meet so many exciting creative women who are dedicated to our craft in all its forms.”
The 2023 sixteen finalists are named as follows:
- Ángela Pacheco, Creative Director, El Ruso de Rocky, Spain, Europe
- Arah Kim, Creative Director, The Juju, Mexico, North America
- Bernice Chao Head of Integrated Creative, Zambezi, USA, North America
- Binaifer Dulani, Creative and Founding Member, Talented, India, Asia
- Çağla Büyükkoç Sütlüoğlu, Founder & CEO, Walrus Creative Works,Turkey, Europe
- Daniela Varela, Creative Director, TBWAChiat Day New York, USA, North America
- Esosa Osagiede, Deputy Creative Director, Leo Burnett Lagos, Nigeria, Africa
- Heloísa Ribeiro, Creative Director, FCB, Brazil, South America
- Huei Yin Wong, Senior Art Director, Clemenger BBDO, Australia, Oceania
- Huma Mobin, Co-founder & Creative Director, Contentory Inc., Pakistan, Asia
- Lauren Mitchell, Creative Lead – Art Director, King James Group – Part of Accenture Song, South Africa, Africa
- Lex Remalante, Global Art Director, The Barn at Arla Foods, Denmark, Europe
- Sabrina Henry, Creative Director, DDB Centro, Guatemala, South America
- Sarah Olicker, Senior Creative, Mojo Supermarket, USA, North America
- Sollin Sæle, Senior Creative, Accenture Song, Norway, Europe
- Tung Wang, Senior Copywriter, TBWA Media Arts Lab, Taiwan, Asia
Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, added, “See It Be It was established in response to the gender imbalance that exists within the global creative community. To date, over 100 women have taken part in See It Be It, and many alumni members have progressed into leadership positions, won Lions Awards and served as Cannes Lions Jurors. We’re delighted to welcome yet another talented group of women to the Festival and the See It Be It network for a ninth year. Congratulations to all those selected and a huge thank you to our 40 Jurors for their time in selecting our 2023 cohort.”
See It Be It is open to all women, trans-identifying and non-binary people.
Japan Celebrates Record 18 Emmy Wins For “Shogun”
Japan erupted with joy Monday as the samurai series "Shogun" won a record 18 Emmys for its first season.
It took home prizes including Outstanding Drama Series, as star and co-producer Hiroyuki Sanada became the first Japanese actor to win the Emmy for best lead actor in a dramatic series. Co-star Anna Sawai won best actress in a dramatic series, also a first for Japan.
"You did it. You did it. Congratulations," Takashi Yamazaki, director of " Godzilla Minus One," wrote on social media.
People followed the awards live as the wins made national headlines. Entertainment media Oricon proudly reported that a work whose spoken lines were mostly in the Japanese language "made Emmy history."
"The grand scale of Hollywood combined with the high quality of the production, including costuming, props and mannerisms; the collaboration between the Japanese professional team, headed by producer Sanada, and the local production team; as well as the acting that delivered a strong sense of reality, all came together," the report said.
Actor Kento Kaku, who starred in the 2024 series "Like a Dragon: Yakuza," said he was feeling inspired to pursue Hollywood dreams.
"After seeing how cool that was, who's not going to want to take up the challenge," he wrote on X.
Actress Tomoko Mariya said she broke into tears the moment Sanada's win was announced.
"What hardships you must have endured, choosing to leave your entire career behind in Japan and going to America alone. But it has borne fruit," she wrote, referring to Sanada's move to Los Angeles 20 years ago.
The accolades for "Shogun" reflect not only the growing diversity in American entertainment, but also the legacy of Japan's "jidaigeki" samurai films, which have... Read More