Madeline Di Nonno joins LSX's "Innovative Ways to Communicate the Science of Early Learning" | What roles like Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther mean for Hollywood | Gina Prince-Bythewood to direct "Women of the Movement"
Does Onscreen Representation Impact Audience Composition? The Institute has partnered with Movio, the world's most comprehensive source of moviegoer data, to answer this question. Join us for our September Virtual See Jane Salon as we present a comprehensive analysis across hundreds of film titles to produce a macro view of the correlations between what is depicted on screen and audience demographics. Current See Jane Members can RSVP to Jazmin at jazmin@seejane.org.
The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media's CEO Madeline Di Nonno was part of the Learning Sciences Exchange (LSX), a fellowship, which brought together professionals from the entertainment, policy and research industries to share how their innovative projects help further childhood development. "We believe media can have a positive effect. We use the data as our advocacy, and we've been very successful because we really been striving for cultural equity and inclusion. We have been able to achieve this in children's television and family films," said Di Nonno.
Chadwick Boseman, who passed away on Aug. 28 after a four-year battle with colon cancer, helped bring a Black hero to the big screen in his "Black Panther" role and showed the blockbuster potential of a Black action film. Research from The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media underscores the importance of presenting these positive, diverse role models, a trend that the entertainment industry will hopefully continue to expand on, writes Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj.
Gina Prince-Bythewood is set to direct the first installment of ABC's "Women of the Movement" series, with the first episode focusing on the civil rights work of Mamie Till Mobley, the mother of 14-year-old Emmett Till who was brutally murdered 65 years ago. "The story of Emmett Till and Mamie Till is not one I want to tell. It is a story I need to tell," says Prince-Bythewood.
CBS All Access' "Star Trek: Discovery" is making franchise history with the introduction of the first non-binary and transgender characters. Ian Alexander and Blu del Barrio will make their debut as Gray and Adira, respectively, in the third season of the series, which premieres on Oct. 15.
Turner Classic Movies is airing "Women Make Film," a 14-part documentary that explores the importance of women directors throughout the history of filmmaking across the globe. "That's why I love the title of this -- 'Women Make Film.' It's a statement of fact, and even though they're not always well-represented in the film canon, women have been doing this for decades," says Pola Changnon, TCM's general manager.
Film critic Peter Debruge backs up his accolades of Mark Cousins, director of "Women Make Film," noting his ability to curate exceptional bodies of work that span nearly half a century of cinema. Debruge also gives gratitude for being introduced to obscure female creators through Cousins' 14-part series.
When women succeed, the world succeeds. When women and girls thrive, entire societies thrive. Just as women's rights are human rights, women's progress is human progress.
Hillary Clinton, former candidate for US president, via Quotabelle
LEARN MORE ABOUT Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media:
the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media at Mount Saint Mary's University
Founded in 2004 by Academy Award-Winning actor Geena Davis, the Institute works collaboratively
with the entertainment and media industries to reduce negative stereotyping and to achieve cultural
equity and inclusion on screen. We are the only research based organization examining representation
of six identities: gender, race, LGBTQ+, disability, age, and body size. For more information on our
research, training and impact visit
www.seejane.org.
Mount Saint Mary's University
Mount Saint Mary's University, Los Angeles is the only women’s university in Los
Angeles and one of the most diverse in the nation. We offer a dynamic
learning experience in the liberal arts and sciences, enhanced by an
emphasis on building leadership skills and fostering a spirit to serve
others. For more information, visit
www.msmu.edu.
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