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On Wednesday, April 19, 2023, The Archer School for Girls presented its twelfth annual Archer Film Festival empowering young, underrepresented voices in film. The event, held at the Writers Guild Theater, included a screening of finalist films and featured a Q&A with President of One Race Films Samantha Vincent and Good Pals production company co-founder Cara Shine. Festival organizers received more than 300 student-produced film submissions from over 50 countries around the world. Event sponsors included The Kennedy/Marshall Company, the Katie McGrath & JJ Abrams Family Foundation, Mark Gordon Pictures, Paramount, Skybound, and Tara & Marc Guggenheim.

SAMANTHA VINCENT is President of One Race Films, the film, television, and video game production company that has grossed over $5 billion since 2009 under her leadership. She has produced the last two installments of the “Fast & Furious” franchise, “F9: The Fast Saga” and most recently “Fast X” releasing May 19, 2023, and executive produced “Fate of the Furious,” “Furious 7,” “Fast & Furious 6,” “Fast Five,” and “Fast & Furious.” Additional credits include “The Last Witch Hunter” (Executive Producer), “Riddick” (Executive Producer), and “xXx: Return of Xander Cage” (Producer). Vincent drove the company’s platform expansion into gaming with “The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay” and the original title “Wheelman,” representing two of the company’s most successful gaming endeavors. Beyond film and video games, Vincent shepherded the company into the digital arena with the groundbreaking micro-budget series “The Ropes.” Vincent is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences®. She is a Board Director for Private School Axis in Los Angeles and Westbeth Artists Housing in New York. She holds a master’s degree in Educational Policy from Harvard University.

CARA SHINE teamed up with friend and former colleague Rebecca Miller in 2020 to launch the production company Good Pals. Their first foray together, “The Fallout” written and directed by Megan Park and starring Jenna Ortega, Shailene Woodley, John Ortiz, and Maddie Zeigler, debuted at the 2020 SXSW Film Festival and won all the top prizes in the Narrative Feature category, including the Grand Jury Award, The Brightcove Directing Award, and Audience Award. It was sold in a lucrative deal to HBO Max and debuted on January 27, 2022.  They wrapped production recently on a Welsh-set Christmas comedy starring Brittany Snow and Lucas Bravo. In addition to this, the pair have also set up Simon Pegg’s directorial debut at Paramount, which is based on a novel by Michelle Paver and aims to shoot in 2024. In partnership with The Exchange and with Hannah MacPherson set to direct, Shine and Miller are producing the highly anticipated elevated genre film “See How They Run” by Lily Hollander, which came in 2nd on the 2021 Blacklist. Good Pals has also partnered with Architect Global in London to bring to life the romantic comedy ”Joint Custody” penned by Justin Isbell.

The Archer Film Festival is a student-run and student-led event. “We had so much fun watching all of the submitted student films. “There were so many incredible options from all around the world and we are thrilled about our final picks. We so enjoyed getting to share with the audience the amazing films that we chose,” said Archer Film Festival team member and junior Tess Hubbard. “We were so thrilled to get to talk to Ms. Vincent and Ms. Shine. For students like me who are interested in working in the industry, their insight is invaluable, and we are so grateful they took the time to talk to us.” 

The gender gap still persists in the film industry. According to a 2022 report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, women comprised only 24% of all directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 domestic grossing films, representing a slight decrease since 2021. 

The Archer Film Festival strives to bridge that divide by empowering and highlighting young filmmakers who share the goal of advancing the artform by showcasing work from students whose perspectives are rarely seen or heard. 

On Wednesday, April 20, 2022, The Archer School for Girls presented its eleventh annual Archer Film Festival empowering young, underrepresented voices in film. The event, held at the Beverly Hills Fine Arts Theatre, included a screening of finalist films and featured a Q&A with President and Founder of The Kerner Entertainment Company Jordan Kerner and screenwriter David Ronn. Festival organizers received more than 400 student-produced film submissions from 56 countries around the world. Event sponsors included The Kennedy/Marshall Company, Bad Robot Productions, Mark Gordon Pictures, Tara and Marc Guggenheim, and Gettin’ Rad Productions.

Jordan Kerner is president and founder of The Kerner Entertainment Company, which is committed to high-quality, value-oriented, provocative entertainment. The Kerner Entertainment Company’s films have earned over $3 Billion at the box office. Most recently, Jordan Kerner was engaged to develop and produce “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” a hybrid feature film, for Paramount Pictures, which was released in November of 2021. He previously produced the billion-dollar franchise of “The Smurfs” 1 and 2 as well as the all-animated, “Smurfs: The Lost Village,” via Columbia Pictures. Kerner’s other previous films include “Charlotte’s Web” with Paramount Pictures and “Fried Green Tomatoes,” “When a Man Loves a Woman,” “Three Musketeers,” “George of the Jungle” 1 and 2, “The Mighty Ducks” trilogy, “Inspector Gadget” 1 and 2, “Less than Zero,” “Up Close and Personal,” “The War,” “Snow Dogs,” and “Red Corner” with the Avnet/Kerner Company. Kerner’s films have received nominations for or have won Academy Awards®, Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, BAFTA Awards, The People’s Choice Award, The Critics Choice Award, NAACP Award, The Diversity Award, and more. Kerner was named a Billion Dollar Producer by Variety Magazine in July 2013 and was presented the Producer of the Year Award by the Hollywood Entertainment Museum at its 2006 Legacy Award event.

David Ronn is a television and feature film writer and producer. Along with his writing partner, Jay Scherick, Ronn served as a staff writer on “Mr. Rhodes.” From there, Ronn and Sherick segued to serve as writer/producers for three years on “Spin City.” At the same time, the duo also pursued a feature career, writing two “spec” scripts, “National Security,” and “Serving Sara” both of which were produced. While continuing to work in television, the two expanded their feature career working on a number of projects including “I Spy” starring Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson, “Guess Who” starring Ashton Kutcher and Bernie Mac, and “Norbit” again with Eddie Murphy. They’ve also written extensively in the family entertainment space, including “Zookeeper” with Kevin James, “The Smurfs” franchise, and most recently “Clifford the Big Red Dog.” The two continue to write for television, although their focus has been on feature rewriting and original feature film writing and producing.  

The Archer Film Festival is a student-run and student-led event. “After virtual festivals for the past 2 years, it was incredibly exciting to host the 11th annual Archer Film Festival in person at the Fine Arts Theatre,” Film Festival Leadership Board member and Archer senior Olivia Jarvie said. “We very much enjoyed talking with our two amazing panelists, Mr. Jordan Kerner and Mr. David Ronn, and learning more about their experiences as producers and writers in the film industry.”

The gender gap still persists in the film industry. According to a 2021 report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, women comprised only 25% of all directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 domestic grossing films. After reaching historic highs in 2020, the percentages of women working as directors on the top 250 domestic grossing films, specifically, declined slightly in 2021 from 18% to 17%.

The Archer Film Festival strives to bridge that divide by empowering and highlighting young filmmakers who share the goal of advancing the artform by showcasing work from students whose perspectives are rarely seen or heard. Throughout the development of the Festival, student filmmakers are given access to insider industry knowledge, further strengthening their foundation to effectively pursue careers in the field.

“The Archer Film Festival was created to inspire our student filmmakers, give them hands-on experience in the industry, and to help achieve gender parity in front of and behind the camera,” Head of School Elizabeth English said. “Eleven years later, we see that much still remains to be done in the industry, and I am proud of the contribution that our students are making with this festival.”

The Archer School for Girls celebrated its tenth annual Archer Film Festival empowering female filmmakers, featuring Alana Mayo, President of Orion Pictures, and Anna Heinrich, Head of Production at Reprobates, as keynote panelists. Festival organizers received more than 640 student-produced film submissions from 66 countries around the world. The virtual event included a screening of finalist films with judges including Archer alumni who founded the Festival and those who served as student leaders over the years. Event sponsors included Bad Robot Productions, CBS Entertainment Diversity, Mark Gordon Pictures, and Everywhere Studios.

Veteran industry executive and producer Alana Mayo serves as the President of Orion Pictures, where she oversees the label’s day-to-day operations, including development, acquisitions, physical, and post production. Orion Pictures, a division of MGM, is dedicated to underrepresented voices and authentic storytelling in film with a focus on developing, producing, and acquiring feature films that amplify underserved voices, both in front of and behind the camera. Prior to working at Orion, Mayo served as Head of Production and Development for Outlier Society, Vice President of Production at Paramount Pictures, and VP and head of original development at Vimeo.

Anna Heinrich graduated from The Archer School for Girls in 2003 and is Head of Production at Reprobates, producing for a roster of celebrated directors and film houses including Carlos Lopez Estrada, Pulse Films, and BASA. After receiving a B.A. in Film & Digital Media from UC Santa Cruz, Heinrich became a freelance producer, developing and executing a wide variety of projects ranging from narrative films and music videos to editorial and commercial shoots. She has produced for AFI’s prestigious DWW program and corporate clients including Google, Disney, Youtube, and Columbia Records.

The Archer Film Festival is a student-run and student-led event. “We were so thrilled to have Ms. Mayo and Ms. Heinrich share such a vast range of experience from production to music videos and diversifying the industry,” Film Festival Leadership Board member and Archer senior Addison Lee said. “It was such an exciting way to celebrate our tenth Festival as we learned so much from these two incredible leaders in film.”

Over 20 years later, the gender gap continues to persist. According to a 2020 report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, women comprised only 23% of all directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 domestic grossing films. This represents an increase of 2 percentage points from 21% in 2019 and a recent historic high, but is only 6 percentage points higher than the percentage achieved in 1998. Only 18% of last year’s top grossing movies had a female director.

The Archer Film Festival strives to bridge that divide by empowering and highlighting young filmmakers who share the goal of advancing the artform by showcasing work from students whose perspectives are rarely seen or heard. Throughout the development of the Festival, student filmmakers are given access to insider industry knowledge, further strengthening their foundation to effectively pursue careers in the field.

“The Archer Film Festival was created to encourage our student filmmakers, give them hands-on experience in the industry, and to help achieve gender parity in front of and behind the camera,” Head of School Elizabeth English said. “Ten years later, we see that much still remains to be done in the industry. This year also being Archer’s 25th anniversary, I am proud of how Archer students have run with the idea over the years, making the Festival their own and bringing exposure and attention to a problem that affects the way young girls see themselves and their place in the world; and alumni who have paved new ways in their careers.”

Archer hosted its 8th annual Archer Film Festival, empowering female filmmakers and featuring Marvel Studios Executive Vice President of Production Victoria Alonso as the keynote speaker. Festival organizers received over 700 student-produced film submissions from 57 countries.

Celebrities, media, and the public viewed screenings of finalist films at The Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills after a pink carpet reception. Event sponsors included The Kennedy/Marshall Company, Mark Gordon & Sally Whitehill, CBS Entertainment Diversity & Inclusion, Atlas Entertainment, Pearl Street Films, Everywhere Studios, Ptarmigan Films, and Dinky Pictures.

As a Latina and a female senior executive, Victoria Alonso has become a strong voice in Hollywood and a tireless advocate for progress. She was the Executive Producer of “The Avengers” in 2011 and has since served in that role for many major Marvel movies, including “Captain America,” “Black Panther,” and the recently released “Avengers: Endgame.” Alonso opened the event with a keynote and interview led by students from Archer’s Institute for Film and Video Literacy program.

“Art strives to inspire, educate, and influence its audiences, and filmmaking might be the most powerful medium within that landscape,” Alonso said. “Watching a film can give you an opportunity to walk in someone else’s shoes and learn about someone else’s story, even if it’s only for a little while. Because of this, it is imperative that all voices are heard, all people are represented, and all stories are told – both in front of and behind the camera. I’m proud to support Archer’s Film Festival and their vision to build the next generation of diverse leadership in the industry.”

The Archer Film Festival is a student-run and student-led event.

“There are many reasons why we are incredibly excited to include Victoria Alonso in this year’s festival, but what stands out to me most is her fearless commitment to inclusivity on both sides of the camera,” Film Festival Leadership Board member and Archer senior Zoë Appelbaum-Schwartz said. “In shaping the Marvel cinematic universe, Ms. Alonso has become a ‘superhero’ in her own right, tirelessly advocating for progress while demonstrating an exceptional commitment to her art. As a remarkably well-respected and influential Hollywood producer, Ms. Alonso is a fantastic role model for any aspiring female filmmaker.”

Nearly 20 years later, the gender gap remains unchanged. According to a 2018 report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, women comprised 20% of all directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 domestic grossing films. This represents an increase of 2 percentage points from 18% in 2018 and is virtually unchanged from the percentage achieved in 1998. Only 8% of last year’s top-grossing movies had a female director, down 3 percentage points from 11% in 2017.

The Archer Institute for Film & Video Literacy program strives to overcome these gaps by encouraging the new generation of female filmmakers through its film classes and the Archer Film Festival. Each year, participants get the rare opportunity to screen their films at the festival and learn from high-level industry professionals. Throughout the development of the Festival, student filmmakers are given access to insider industry knowledge, further strengthening their foundation to effectively pursue careers in the field.

Archer hosted its 8th annual Archer Film Festival, empowering female filmmakers and featuring Marvel Studios Executive Vice President of Production Victoria Alonso as the keynote speaker. Festival organizers received over 700 student-produced film submissions from 57 countries.

Celebrities, media, and the public viewed screenings of finalist films at The Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills after a pink carpet reception. Event sponsors included The Kennedy/Marshall Company, Mark Gordon & Sally Whitehill, CBS Entertainment Diversity & Inclusion, Atlas Entertainment, Pearl Street Films, Everywhere Studios, Ptarmigan Films, and Dinky Pictures.

As a Latina and a female senior executive, Victoria Alonso has become a strong voice in Hollywood and a tireless advocate for progress. She was the Executive Producer of “The Avengers” in 2011 and has since served in that role for many major Marvel movies, including “Captain America,” “Black Panther,” and the recently released “Avengers: Endgame.” Alonso opened the event with a keynote and interview led by students from Archer’s Institute for Film and Video Literacy program.

“Art strives to inspire, educate, and influence its audiences, and filmmaking might be the most powerful medium within that landscape,” Alonso said. “Watching a film can give you an opportunity to walk in someone else’s shoes and learn about someone else’s story, even if it’s only for a little while. Because of this, it is imperative that all voices are heard, all people are represented, and all stories are told – both in front of and behind the camera. I’m proud to support Archer’s Film Festival and their vision to build the next generation of diverse leadership in the industry.”

The Archer Film Festival is a student-run and student-led event.

“There are many reasons why we are incredibly excited to include Victoria Alonso in this year’s festival, but what stands out to me most is her fearless commitment to inclusivity on both sides of the camera,” Film Festival Leadership Board member and Archer senior Zoë Appelbaum-Schwartz said. “In shaping the Marvel cinematic universe, Ms. Alonso has become a ‘superhero’ in her own right, tirelessly advocating for progress while demonstrating an exceptional commitment to her art. As a remarkably well-respected and influential Hollywood producer, Ms. Alonso is a fantastic role model for any aspiring female filmmaker.”

Nearly 20 years later, the gender gap remains unchanged. According to a 2018 report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, women comprised 20% of all directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 domestic grossing films. This represents an increase of 2 percentage points from 18% in 2018 and is virtually unchanged from the percentage achieved in 1998. Only 8% of last year’s top-grossing movies had a female director, down 3 percentage points from 11% in 2017.

The Archer Institute for Film & Video Literacy program strives to overcome these gaps by encouraging the new generation of female filmmakers through its film classes and the Archer Film Festival. Each year, participants get the rare opportunity to screen their films at the festival and learn from high-level industry professionals. Throughout the development of the Festival, student filmmakers are given access to insider industry knowledge, further strengthening their foundation to effectively pursue careers in the field.

Archer hosted its 8th annual Archer Film Festival, empowering female filmmakers and featuring Marvel Studios Executive Vice President of Production Victoria Alonso as the keynote speaker. Festival organizers received over 700 student-produced film submissions from 57 countries.

Celebrities, media, and the public viewed screenings of finalist films at The Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills after a pink carpet reception. Event sponsors included The Kennedy/Marshall Company, Mark Gordon & Sally Whitehill, CBS Entertainment Diversity & Inclusion, Atlas Entertainment, Pearl Street Films, Everywhere Studios, Ptarmigan Films, and Dinky Pictures.

As a Latina and a female senior executive, Victoria Alonso has become a strong voice in Hollywood and a tireless advocate for progress. She was the Executive Producer of “The Avengers” in 2011 and has since served in that role for many major Marvel movies, including “Captain America,” “Black Panther,” and the recently released “Avengers: Endgame.” Alonso opened the event with a keynote and interview led by students from Archer’s Institute for Film and Video Literacy program.

“Art strives to inspire, educate, and influence its audiences, and filmmaking might be the most powerful medium within that landscape,” Alonso said. “Watching a film can give you an opportunity to walk in someone else’s shoes and learn about someone else’s story, even if it’s only for a little while. Because of this, it is imperative that all voices are heard, all people are represented, and all stories are told – both in front of and behind the camera. I’m proud to support Archer’s Film Festival and their vision to build the next generation of diverse leadership in the industry.”

The Archer Film Festival is a student-run and student-led event.

“There are many reasons why we are incredibly excited to include Victoria Alonso in this year’s festival, but what stands out to me most is her fearless commitment to inclusivity on both sides of the camera,” Film Festival Leadership Board member and Archer senior Zoë Appelbaum-Schwartz said. “In shaping the Marvel cinematic universe, Ms. Alonso has become a ‘superhero’ in her own right, tirelessly advocating for progress while demonstrating an exceptional commitment to her art. As a remarkably well-respected and influential Hollywood producer, Ms. Alonso is a fantastic role model for any aspiring female filmmaker.”

Nearly 20 years later, the gender gap remains unchanged. According to a 2018 report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, women comprised 20% of all directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 domestic grossing films. This represents an increase of 2 percentage points from 18% in 2018 and is virtually unchanged from the percentage achieved in 1998. Only 8% of last year’s top-grossing movies had a female director, down 3 percentage points from 11% in 2017.

The Archer Institute for Film & Video Literacy program strives to overcome these gaps by encouraging the new generation of female filmmakers through its film classes and the Archer Film Festival. Each year, participants get the rare opportunity to screen their films at the festival and learn from high-level industry professionals. Throughout the development of the Festival, student filmmakers are given access to insider industry knowledge, further strengthening their foundation to effectively pursue careers in the field.

Dern Opened The Archer School for Girls’ Annual Event with Keynote to be Followed by Student-Moderated Panels of Industry Leaders

The Archer School for Girls hosted its seventh annual Archer Film Festival, empowering female filmmakers and featuring award-winning actress Laura Dern as the keynote speaker. Festival organizers received over 680 student-produced film submissions from 65 countries around the world. Celebrities, media, and the public viewed screenings of finalist films at The Writers Guild Theater in Culver City after a pink carpet reception. Event sponsors included The Kennedy/Marshall Company, Bad Robot Productions, CBS Entertainment Diversity, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and The Mark Gordon Company.

Three-time Golden Globe® winner and two-time Academy Award® nominee Laura Dern’s film credits include Jurassic Park, The Master, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, The Fault in Our Stars, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Her experiences in the industry have impelled her to become an outspoken advocate for women’s empowerment. Dern opened the event with a keynote and interview led by students from Archer’s Institute for Film and Video Literacy program.

The Archer Film Festival is a student-run and student-led event. “Our mission has always been to inspire and empower women in the entertainment industry, and Laura Dern’s unmitigated confidence – both onscreen and off – has made her a fantastic role model for girls everywhere,” Film Festival Leadership Board member and Archer junior Zoë Appelbaum-Schwartz said. “Regardless of the role she is portraying, Ms. Dern commands respect and admiration – a gift that can be attributed to her strength and expertise. Additionally, her advocacy for race and gender equality has made her a powerful force in the fight for change. We are very excited to feature such a bold and multi-talented actor in this year’s Film Festival.”

The second day of the Festival on Thursday, April 27 will be held on the Archer campus and feature three panels for its Industry Day. Panelists include producer-director Irwin Winkler (Rocky, Raging Bull, The Right Stuff, De-Lovely), writer-director Lisa Cholodenko (The Kids Are All Right, Laurel Canyon, The L Word, Six Feet Under), and TriStar Productions President Hannah Minghella (Baby Driver, American Hustle, The Amazing Spider-Man 1 and 2, Skyfall). Panelists will address questions from students after discussing topics in filmmaking and their firsthand experiences related to women in film.

Nearly 20 years later, the gender gap remains unchanged. According to a 2017 report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, women comprised 18% of all directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 domestic grossing films. This represents an increase of 1 percentage point from 17% in 2016 and is virtually unchanged from the percentage achieved in 1998. Only 11% of last year’s top-grossing movies had a female director.

The Archer Film Festival strives to bridge that divide by empowering and highlighting young filmmakers who share the goal of increasing the number of women in the film and television industry and to participate in the conversation about women’s representation onscreen. Throughout the development of the Festival, student filmmakers are given access to insider industry knowledge, further strengthening their foundation to effectively pursue careers in the field.

“The Archer Film Festival was created to encourage our student filmmakers, give them hands-on experience in the industry, and to help achieve gender parity in front of and behind the camera,” Head of School Elizabeth English said. “Archer students have run with this idea, making the Festival their own and bringing exposure and attention to a problem that affects the way young girls see themselves and their place in the world.”

Kennedy opened The Archer School for Girls’ annual event with a keynote to be followed by moderated panels of celebrities and industry professionals.

The Archer School for Girls hosted its sixth annual Archer Film Festival, empowering female filmmakers and featuring Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy as the keynote speaker. Festival organizers received over 800 student-produced film submissions from around the world. Celebrities, media, and the public viewed screenings of finalist films at The Writers Guild Theater in Culver City after a pink carpet reception. Event sponsors included The Kennedy/Marshall Company, Bad Robot Productions, Amblin Partners, The Mark Gordon Company, Mandeville Films, CBS, Comcast NBCUniversal, and Relativity School.

Eight-time Academy Award ®-nominated producer, Kathleen Kennedy, is one of the most successful and respected filmmakers and executives in the industry today. Kennedy opened the event with a keynote and interview led by students from Archer’s Institute for Film and Video Literacy program.

“Gender equality has been slow in coming but there has definitely been progress. It is now up to women in leadership positions to bring more women along,” Kennedy said. “The stories we tell must reflect the society we live in and one of the best ways to do that is to have those in charge mentor and bring women and minorities into the business, both in front of and behind the cameras. I’m proud to support Archer’s Film Festival and vision to build the next generation of female leadership in the industry.”

The Archer Film Festival is a student-run and student-led event. Archer’s Film students pitched the Festival to bring Kennedy and panelists including producer Betsy Beers on board. “Although there were many reasons we were so thrilled to involve Kathleen Kennedy, I think what stands out most for me is how she has modeled determination and grit for other female filmmakers,” Film Festival co-chair and Archer senior Billie Wakeham said. “She is a true leader in the entertainment industry who has made immense progress for women in film. She has blazed a path that I hope aspiring female filmmakers everywhere feel inspired to follow.”

The second day of the Festival on Thursday, April 27 will be held on the Archer campus and feature a master class by producer Betsy Beers (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal) along with a moderated panel of industry experts speaking on “Women and Film in TV”. Panelists include director and writer Millicent Shelton (Supergirl, Scandal, Empire), Virginia Katz (Beauty and the Beast, Twilight: Breaking Dawn), producer Gail Mutrux (The Danish Girl, Kinsey), Lindsey Springer, President of Carlton Cuse Productions (Bates Motel, The Strain), and more. Panelists will address questions from students after discussing topics in filmmaking and their firsthand experiences related to women in film.

There still remains a dearth of women in film. According to a 2016 report from the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, only 17% of the top grossing films had a female lead, even though films led by women grossed 15.8% more on average than films led by men. Two males appear onscreen in speaking roles to every one female, and female characters fill only 28.4% of speaking roles in film. In films with a male lead, male characters appeared and spoke nearly three times more often than female characters.

The Archer Film Festival’s mission is to bridge that divide by empowering and highlighting young filmmakers who share the goal of increasing the number of women in the film and television industry, and to participate in the conversation about women’s representation onscreen. Throughout the development of the Festival, student filmmakers are given access to insider industry knowledge, further strengthening their foundation to effectively pursue careers in the field.

“The Archer Film Festival was created to encourage our student filmmakers, give them hands-on experience in the industry, and to help achieve gender parity in front of and behind the camera,” Head of School Elizabeth English said. “Archer students have run with this idea, making the Festival their own and bringing exposure and attention to a problem that affects the way young girls see themselves and their place in the world.”