The Voice of a Woman (VOW) Launches 'Made By Her' at Cannes Lions

Today, The Voice of A Woman (VOW), the non-profit organisation that champions women filmmakers, artists and thought leaders, has celebrated 10 years by launching 'Made by Her'. It brought the best ‘directors-cut’ commercials, branded content and short films made by women directors from around the world to the heart of Cannes Lions.

The Voice Of A Woman - Made By Her Award will be awarded for the best commercials, branded content, music videos, animation, art/experimental short films. The inaugural award winner, chosen by industry professionals internationally, will be announced towards the end of the year.

VOW, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, was established in 2009 to address the lack of women film directors being hired and the low, to at times no, films by women directors available in the mainstream for public view. Its aim is to bring the works of female filmmakers to greater public and industry attention, and for 10 years it has done this through an annual festival, awards, and series of talks internationally.

VOW has run The Voice of A Woman Festival since 25th November 2011 at such venues as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), The Paley Center for Media and Spring Studios. And, in London, at the National Portrait Gallery, Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), Curzon Soho and Ham Yard Hotel, attracting industry leaders and decision-makers as well as public audiences.

The Voice of a Woman also organises The Voice Of A Woman Talks Series at the Cannes Film Festival. And, for now three years, it has shown the best work by women directors of commercials and other communications from around the world at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity – part of its work to address the dismal number of women hired to direct commercials in the advertising and communications industry.

The programme launched in Cannes earlier today with the Made By Her curated screening, comprised of a selection of the best short films – commercials, branded content, animation, art/experimental and short films – featuring works by such filmmakers as: Academy Award nominated director Dee Rees, MJ Delaney, Jaci Judelson, AV Rockwell, Karen Cunningham, Georgia Hudson, Alex Prager, Rachel McDonald, Sasha Rainbow, Adi Halfin, Laerke Herthoni, Nina Holmgren, Autumn de Wilde, Joanna Nordahl, Michelle Coomber, Rose Hendry, Molly Manning Walker, Diana Olifirova, and others (we have sprinkled a small selection of the beautiful reel below). 

This year’s Cannes Lions event will be the first in a series of cinematic screenings in London, New York and Los Angeles to provide industry professionals, unable to attend VOW’s events in Cannes, an opportunity to view and cast their votes on the best work for the new Made By Her Audience Award.

Maureen A Bryan, founder and chief executive officer of VOW, said: “The Voice Of A Woman – Made By Her Award will launch this year to celebrate VOW’s ten years, marking a significant milestone in the number of women being hired to direct films and commercials, more than ever before. The Made By Her screenings will be a great way to bring further visibility to the work of women directors and a great way to engage the industry by having industry professionals actively participate in an Audience Award vote. Our aim is to bring more exposure to women and their work and to normalise the idea of women behind the camera. I also think there’s nothing better than viewing great cinematic work in a theatre on a cinematic screen, which is why we’re launching Made By Her at the Palais des Festivals, during Cannes Lions, on one of the best cinematic screens in the world. Thank you to Cannes Lions for making this possible and for their support of creative women this year and to our sponsors, Whitehouse Post and Accenture Interactive.”

International screening dates for the VOW – Made By Her Award will be confirmed shortly.

Check out a selection of the films featured today in Cannes below.