Film Independent

Angela Lee is the Director of Artist Development at Film Independent, a non-profit that aims to foster inclusion and innovation in the world of visual storytelling. Lee not only is a successful producer in her own right, but she also leads some of the most forward and relevant fiction and non-fiction storytelling labs and programs in the USA.

Inspired by L. A.

On October 15, 2022, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) grantee community met at the offices of Film Independent, in midtown Los Angeles. Representatives from more than 60 organizations got together with HFPA members, including President Helen Hoehne, and Grants Officer Sandra Cuneo.

Multi-award-winning actor Nicolas Cage was featured as one of the speakers at Film Independent, where he discussed his career and acting philosophy. Interestingly, despite his impressive litany of films, which includes Leaving Las Vegas, for which he earned an Oscar as well as a Golden Globe award for Best Actor, he still sees himself as a journeyman actor with a lot to learn.

Doing the Work is a series profiling key recipients of HFPA Philanthropy Francisco Velasquez, the leader of Film Independent’s short film production program, has been a lover of film since childhood. A Mexican-born bicultural man, he grew up in Los Angeles with his family, watching “bad Mexican movies from the ‘70s and ‘80s” at the local drive-in while enjoying pan dulce and coffee, and big Hollywood productions every weekend at theaters downtown.

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The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has announced a new initiative in which rising filmmakers from the 2018 Venice International Film Festival and the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival will be selected for a three-week residency program in partnership with Film Independent. The announcement was made at a reception during day three of the 75th Venice Film Festival, by HFPA president Meher Tatna and Alberto Barbera, Artistic Director of the Venice International Film FestivalThree filmmakers (writers, directors, producers) from The Orizonti Section of the Venice International Film Festival and three filmmakers from TIFF's Filmmaker Lab, the Festival's flagship talent development programme, will be selected to travel to Los Angeles from January 2 – 23, 2019 for mentorship, master classes and workshops.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has announced a new initiative in which rising filmmakers from the 2018 Venice International Film Festival and the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival will be selected for a three-week residency program in partnership with Film Independent. Three filmmakers (writers, directors, producers) from The Orrizonti Section of the Venice International Film Festival and three filmmakers from TIFF's Filmmaker Lab, the Festival's flagship talent development program, will be selected to travel to Los Angeles from January 2 – 23, 2019 for mentorship, master classes, and workshops.

HFPA Grantee Project Involve (PI) is the most extensive artist development program of Film Independent (FI), a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles and designed to support as well as nurture independent cinema. PI offers 9 months of intensive free mentorship, education and career development for about 25-30 emerging filmmakers the majority of whom belong to minorities, such as women, African Americans and LGBTQ groups.