Cate Blanchett and Lily Gladstone are working together. Don’t get excited, as it is not for a movie, but for a project that works for a greater cause.
The two great actresses will be working on the Proof of Concept, a program that has been initiated by Ocean’s 8 star.
Lily Gladstone about Proof of Concept
Proof of Concept is an accelerator program that aims to support the women, trans, and non-binary people in the film industry by financially backing their projects.
While naming the selection committee of the program, Cate Blanchett, chose a team of great actors and directors. Amongst these stars is this year’s, Academy Award nominee, Lily Gladstone.
Talking to Variety during the Women In Motion Dinner At Cannes Film Festival 2024, the Killers of the Flower Moon actress stated, “It’s such an honor. I think organizations like this, initiatives like this, have definitely paved the way for artists that we may not have gotten a chance to see otherwise.”
Talking about the struggles women usually face, Gladstone added that women have to “Hustle a little, little harder. You have to do better.”
She went on to say that this initiative, helps the women in the industry lift each other, adding, “Coz who else is gonna do it?”
Calling the Thor: Ragnarok actress, the “queen of all queens,” Gladstone stated that she appreciates someone “so intensely talented and creative is committed to uplifting other people along that journey.”
Along with Lily Gladstone, the other members of the selection committee are, Chloé Zhao, Emma Corrin, Eva Longoria, Greta Gerwig, Jane Campion, Janicza Bravo, and Lilly Wachowski.
What is Proof of Concept?
Proof of Concept is an initiative that was announced last December. It was launched by Cate Blanchett, along with Coco Francini, her Dirty Films partner as well as with Dr. Stacy Smith. They all were supported by the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity which aims to fight the current disparities faced by the stated communities in the entertainment business.
Dr. Stacy Smith, who happens to be the founder of the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, stated in his report that amongst the 1,700 top-grossing movies, only 6% of its directors were women, between the years 2007 and 2023, while only 2 were transgender.
The selection committee will select 8 filmmakers, who will then take part in this program.
The chosen directors will also receive $50,000 as support for their short films. Along with that, they will even be guided by industry experts, while having their movies screened at a showcase later this fall.
