HFPA Philanthropy

From the upcoming comedy Easter Sunday to various TV series including Pachinko, Fargo, Grey’s Anatomy, and Billions, these productions share something in common – some of their creatives are alumni of the New Writers Fellowship of CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) of which the HFPA is one of the major supporters. “Together we have launched so many careers and I hope you all are as proud as I am,” said Michelle Sugihara, CAPE’s executive director.

A steady, years-long, and fairly targeted campaign aimed at maligning the work of a free press, both within the United States and internationally, has yielded consequences. We have seen a significant deterioration of factually held societal common ground and, indeed, the very notion of representative democracy has been imperiled.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) announced its sponsorship of The American Pavilion, the center of business and hospitality for the American film community at this year’s 75th Cannes Film Festival, kicking off its year-long celebration of the upcoming 80th Annual Golden Globe® Awards. “We are pleased and honored to sponsor this year’s American Pavilion at such a historic time with the 75th Cannes Film Festival and the upcoming 80th Golden Globes.

The non-profit organization Women’s Voices Now, founded in 2010, was established to drive positive social change with the purpose of advancing girls’ and women’s rights globally. The organization was built on the idea that women’s voices and their struggle for equality around the world should be supported.

Venice Arts, founded in the early 90s, is one of the most important organizations in fostering young talent in California. With eight full-time staff and around 10 part-time employees, it serves to ignite, expand, and transform the lives of LA’s low-income youth through photography and film.

Outfest is one of the few LGBTQIA+ arts, media, and entertainment organizations created to empower and encourage developing artists to achieve their dreams in telling their stories to the world. It produces two film festivals, a streaming platform, and runs educational services for filmmakers in Los Angeles.

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What do Joseph Lopir, a student of FilmAid´s Media Training Program at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya; Abdiqathar Keinan, of the Media Training Program at Dadaab Refugee Camp; and Lismari Machado, a member of the Communication Network that serves the Wayuu Community, the largest indigenous community in Colombia, have in common? They share the passion and willingness to tell stories that reflect the reality of their own communities. FilmAid is a non-profit organization founded by film producer Caroline Baron in 2001 with the mission of empowering refugee communities to strengthen their ability to access high-quality, lifesaving information, as well as advocate for themselves through filmmaking and visual storytelling.

Easterseals Disability Film Challenge Founder and Director, Nic Novicki, who presented at the Golden Globes this year, kicked off the 2022 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge at the Sundance Film Festival.    He was joined by Karim Ahmad, Director of Outreach and Inclusion for the Sundance Institute; and eight-time film challenge participants.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) is using its charitable arm to assist in two major crises on opposite sides of the planet – Haiti and Afghanistan. Last week, the HFPA sent $125,000 each to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Direct Relief to help in their emergency response efforts in Haiti.