Written by Kianna Best on May 20, 2024. Posted in Awards and Festivals

Diversity in Cannes celebrate 15 years

Yolanda Brinkley led Diversity in Cannes has returned for its 15^th year to champion for increased diversity across the whole landscape of the Cannes Film Festival. With a number of events held during the festival period, including their in partnership with BFI Black Women’s Lunch and Diversity Day held today, the independent global film movement are only growing year by year.

Diversity Day will take place at the Hilton in Cannes, produced by Diversity in Cannes founder Brinkley, and sponsored by Julius Stennon and Viola Davis led JuVee Productions, the British Film Institute’s Mel Hoyes, head of inclusion, and Screen Australia. The day will be jam packed with activities, including a series of short film screenings from underrepresented filmmakers, Cannes conversations, a filmmaker question and answer session and an awards reception. The short film showcase will bring 28 projects from a diverse array of filmmakers to the attending audience.

Built on the foundation of collaboration, the organisation held a lunch for Black women in the industry, creating a space for creatives of shared backgrounds to come together and share their passions, projects and plans for the rest of Cannes. From producers, directors, writers and actors, and everything in between, the event brought together industry leaders and changers from the UK, US, Europe and the Caribbean.

The Festival de Cannes has made some strides in diversity and equality during its 77 editions, including Iris Knobloch as first female president of the festival, Spike Lee as the first Black jury president in 2020, and 54% of the festival and Marché du Film team made up of women. But with only one black woman selected in competition during the long standing existence of the festival, and 29% of this year’s official selection made by women, the journey still continues to reach complete diversity across the annual event.