Gucci, in collaboration with the Venice International Film Festival, is pleased to announce a new annual award that will celebrate an outstanding artistic achievement by a woman in filmmaking: the Gucci Award for Women in Cinema. The Florentine House has joined forces with one of the world’s most prestigious and glamorous film festivals to spotlight and acclaim the unique contributions that women make to the film industry in a wide range of capacities, from director to actor, cinematographer to set designer, screenwriter to costume designer.
This new accolade will follow on from the Gucci Group Award which, for the past four years beginning in 2006, honoured artists who made a remarkable contribution to film. The Gucci Award for Women in Cinema will be inaugurated at the 2011 Venice International Film Festival, but thanks to Gucci and Martin Scorsese’s non-profit organization, The Film Foundation, will be preceded in 2010 with the world restoration premiere of Wanda, the highly regarded independent film directed by Barbara Loden which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
“Women have had an indisputable impact on filmmaking since the very early days of the industry,” says Frida Giannini, Gucci Creative Director, “both onscreen and behind the camera, in all aspects of the art. The American film director Barbara Loden is a shining example, having written, produced, directed and starred in Wanda in 1970. It is a memorable example of breakthrough independent cinéma verité, which 40 years ago won the International Critics’ Prize at the Venice Film Festival. It is achievements such as Barbara’s that we hope to acknowledge and highlight through this new award.”
Marco Mueller, Artistic Director of the Venice Film Festival adds, “The Venice Film Festival is delighted that Gucci is taking on the mantle from the Gucci Group, which has supported the art of film for the past four years. Cinema has also played a vital part in Gucci’s 90-year history and we particularly appreciate the theme of women as their work and contribution to the industry should receive greater recognition.”
The award winner will be selected through an Advisory Committee led by Marco Mueller, which will provide Frida Giannini, serving in the role of Jury President, with a list of nominees. The jury itself, composed of leading representatives from the film industry, will then evaluate and rank these nominees in order to select a winner. The first recipient of the Gucci Award for Women in Cinema will be announced at an inaugural event during next year’s Venice Film Festival. A US Dollar 25,000 scholarship fund will then be awarded by Gucci to a leading Film School in the name of the honoree.
This new accolade will follow on from the Gucci Group Award which, for the past four years beginning in 2006, honoured artists who made a remarkable contribution to film. The Gucci Award for Women in Cinema will be inaugurated at the 2011 Venice International Film Festival, but thanks to Gucci and Martin Scorsese’s non-profit organization, The Film Foundation, will be preceded in 2010 with the world restoration premiere of Wanda, the highly regarded independent film directed by Barbara Loden which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
“Women have had an indisputable impact on filmmaking since the very early days of the industry,” says Frida Giannini, Gucci Creative Director, “both onscreen and behind the camera, in all aspects of the art. The American film director Barbara Loden is a shining example, having written, produced, directed and starred in Wanda in 1970. It is a memorable example of breakthrough independent cinéma verité, which 40 years ago won the International Critics’ Prize at the Venice Film Festival. It is achievements such as Barbara’s that we hope to acknowledge and highlight through this new award.”
Marco Mueller, Artistic Director of the Venice Film Festival adds, “The Venice Film Festival is delighted that Gucci is taking on the mantle from the Gucci Group, which has supported the art of film for the past four years. Cinema has also played a vital part in Gucci’s 90-year history and we particularly appreciate the theme of women as their work and contribution to the industry should receive greater recognition.”
The award winner will be selected through an Advisory Committee led by Marco Mueller, which will provide Frida Giannini, serving in the role of Jury President, with a list of nominees. The jury itself, composed of leading representatives from the film industry, will then evaluate and rank these nominees in order to select a winner. The first recipient of the Gucci Award for Women in Cinema will be announced at an inaugural event during next year’s Venice Film Festival. A US Dollar 25,000 scholarship fund will then be awarded by Gucci to a leading Film School in the name of the honoree.
