The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced a returning initiative in which rising filmmakers from the 2019 Venice International Film Festival and the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival will be selected for a three-week residency program in partnership with Film Independent.

For the second year in a row, the HFPA and Film Independent will host a three-week program geared at emerging and mid-career filmmakers selected from the Orizzonti section of the Venice International Film Festival and the TIFF Filmmaker Lab.  The six filmmakers selected will travel to Los Angeles in January 2020 to participate in the Film Independent Residency, featuring an intensive schedule of sessions focusing on both the business and creative aspects of film, with multiple networking opportunities, cultural engagement activities, workshops, field trips, master classes, one-on-one mentoring, and an opportunity to attend the official HFPA Golden Globe® Awards Viewing Party. In addition, the program includes public screenings of select Fellows’ films at Film Independent’s screening room to share the Fellows’ work with industry professionals and the broader film community.

“We were thrilled with the success of the Residency program in its inaugural year and are excited to build on that momentum as we embark on another year of this important partnership,” said Lorenzo Soria, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.  “We look forward to serving as a resource to the next generation of aspiring filmmakers and continuing to provide them with unprecedented access and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.”

The President of the Biennale di Venezia, Paolo Baratta, stated: “We highly appreciate the initiative of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. It’s an example of an effective promotion policy to the advantage of new talents.’

‘Equipping up-and-coming filmmakers with the resources to further their craft at the Filmmaker Lab is an ongoing point of pride for us at TIFF,” said Geoff Macnaughton, TIFF Industry Director. ‘Year after year the Lab supports these fresh voices during the festival and our Industry team is delighted to see three of the participants from the 2019 group going on to Los Angeles to deepen their industry understanding and continue their creative journeys.’ 

“We’re excited to partner with the HFPA for the second year to bring to Los Angeles esteemed international filmmakers for the Film Independent Residency, where they will engage in a dialogue with the best professionals in our industry to share ideas and compare notes on both the creative and business aspects of filmmaking today,” said María Raquel Bozzi, Senior Director of Education & International Initiatives at Film Independent.

Over the last 25 years, the HFPA has donated $37.5 million to entertainment-related nonprofit organizations, academic programs and humanitarian organizations, provided more than 1,500 scholarships to college students, and funded the restoration of over 125 classic films. This year, licensing from the Golden Globe Awards has allowed the HFPA to donate over $6 million to 74 nonprofits and colleges that assist diverse filmmakers and students interested in filmmaking, film preservation, journalistic organizations committed to free speech, and humanitarian organizations worldwide that support refugees and that provide critical aid when natural disasters occur.

Film Independent is the nonprofit arts organization that produces the Film Independent Spirit Awards, Film Independent Presents screening series and Artist Development Labs.  The organization champions creative independence in visual storytelling and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry.