Sarah Gertrude Shapiro, co-creator and executive producer of Lifetime’s groundbreaking series Unreal, delivered candid remarks on the state of women in Hollywood to a packed house of filmmakers and industry executives at the 2016 AFI Conservatory Directing Workshop for Women (DWW) Showcase. Sponsored by Lifetime, the standing-room-only event took place Tuesday, April 12, at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles, and served as an introduction to the 10 DWW Class of 2015 graduates and their original work in episodic and short film storytelling.
Shapiro (AFI DWW, Class of 2012) gave advice to female directors looking to break into the industry — and highlighted the value of the DWW program, which is supported by the Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation, NBCUniversal and Google.
“I had a better chance of becoming an underwater welder, statistically,” Shapiro said, “than a working female director. It’s basically like becoming a really rare radical warrior.” She urged the female filmmakers in the room to “take Hollywood hostage. Bend it to your will.”
As announced in December 2015, Lifetime made a groundbreaking commitment through its Broad Focus initiative to guarantee employment to DWW filmmakers, starting with the Class of 2015 featured in the Showcase: Amy Barrett, Christine Boylan, Dime Davis, Claire Fowler, Mia Lidofsky, Erica Liu, Bella Monticelli, Rebecca Murga, Philiane Phang and Chelsea Woods.
DWW also announced director/producer/writer Angela Robinson (How To Get Away With Murder, The L Word, True Blood) as the program’s new Artist-in-Residence, as well as the following grants and awards:
Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation Grants:
Tannaz Hazemi (AFI DWW, Class of 2016)
Manjari Makijany (AFI DWW, Class of 2016)
Jean Picker Firstenberg Award:
Amy Barrett (AFI DWW, Class of 2015)
Nancy Malone Award:
Mia Lidofsky (AFI DWW, Class of 2015)
Rebecca Murga (AFI DWW, Class of 2015)
Art Directors Club of Europe sets finalists for ADCE Awards 2024
The Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE) has announced the finalists for the 33rd ADCE Awards, highlighting top creative talent from 22 countries.
An international jury gathered in Barcelona on October 29 and 30 to evaluate the best work of this year in European design and advertising, ultimately selecting the 2024 finalists entries.
Winners of the Gold Awards, along with Special Awards and the Grand Prix, will be unveiled at the ADCE Awards Gala Ceremony on November 22 during the ADCE Festival, while Silver, Bronze, and Shortlisted entries will be published immediately following the Gala on the ADCE website.
A total of 370 entries across 22 European countries have been selected as finalists. Final distinctions will include Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners, as well as special recognitions like the following:
European Star – honoring projects that reflect core European values such as democracy, freedom, justice, and peace.
Genius Loci – celebrating work that captures the spirit of specific places within Europe’s cultural heritage.
Green Star – recognizing projects that advance the circular economy, sustainability, or environmental protection.
Equal Star – rewarding creativity that challenges discrimination and stereotypes, promoting inclusivity.
This year’s ADCE Awards continue to celebrate the creativity, innovation, and values that characterize Europe’s artistic landscape.
The leading countries contributing to this selection include Germany with 108 finalist entries, Spain with 48, Austria with 33, Portugal with 30, Italy with 23, Switzerland with 21 and the U.K. with 20.
The finalists for the ADCE Awards 2024 can be accessed