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Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey<\/strong>, Co-Heads of TIFF, today announced director Mati\u200b Diop\u200bas<\/strong> the inaugural recipient of the Mary\u200b Pickford Award\u200b supported by MGM, to be presented at the TIFF Tribute Gala on Monday, September 9. The award, named in honour of Toronto native Mary Pickford, recognizes an emerging female talent who is making groundbreaking strides in the industry.<\/strong> Pickford was the pioneering actor, producer, and Co-Founder of United Artists, and the award is being launched in conjunction with United Artists\u2019 centennial this year. The creation of the award follows TIFF\u2019s continued commitment to championing women and diverse voices in front of and behind the camera.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to honour the incredible Mati Diop as our inaugural Mary Pickford Award recipient, as United Artists marks its centennial year,\u201d<\/strong> said Vicente, Executive Director and Co-Head of TIFF. \u201cShe is a vibrant and important new voice within the industry and one to watch closely.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMati Diop’s film Atlantics is a profound and unsettling work of art,\u201d<\/strong> said Bailey, Artistic Director and Co-Head of TIFF. \u201cWe know this is just the start for such an original and authentic voice, and we\u2019re delighted to celebrate her success at this year\u2019s TIFF Tribute Gala.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cLike Mary Pickford, Mati Diop has demonstrated her trial-blazing influence both in front of and behind the camera, making her the ideal inaugural awardee. We look forward to partnering with TIFF to honor Pickford\u2019s legacy and United Artists in celebration of their 100th year,\u201d<\/strong> said Jonathan Glickman, President of MGM Studios\u2019 Motion Picture Group.<\/p>\n She has directed the short films Atlantiques\u200b\u200b , Big\u200b in Vietnam<\/strong>\u200b, and the documentary A\u200b Thousand Suns\u200b<\/strong>\u2014 all of which played the Festival \u2014 as well as Snow\u200b Canon\u200band Liberian\u200b Boy<\/strong>\u200b. A\u200b Thousand Suns\u200bwas presented by Claire Denis in 2013 as part of TIFF\u2019s year-round Cinematheque programme. In 2019, Diop became the first Black female director to screen a film in competition at the Cannes Film Festival with her debut feature \u200bAtlantics\u200b, which was based on the short Atlantiques\u200b\u200b and went on to win the prestigious Grand Prix at the festival.<\/strong> The film, written by Diop and Olivier Demangel, stars Mama San\u00e9, Amadou Mbow, Ibrahima Traor\u00e9, Nicole Sougou, Amina Kane, Mariama Gassama, Coumba Dieng, Ibrahima Mbaye, and Diankou Sembene<\/strong>. \u200bAtlantics\u200b will have its North American Premiere at TIFF and will be released by Netflix later this year. The film is produced by Les Films du Bal, Cinekap and FraKas.<\/p>\n Of all Festival titles in this year\u2019s lineup, 36% are directed, co-directed, or created by women, and women comprise half the Festival\u2019s programming team. Following the organization\u2019s signing of the 50\/50×2020 pledge at last year\u2019s Festival, TIFF has steadfastly worked to integrate responsible data management and practices to understand the diversity and inclusion of its film programming. TIFF gave filmmakers the opportunity to self-identify to inform gender representation in the Official Selection. As part of TIFF\u2019s Share Her Journey campaign, the organization will continue to provide over 120 female creators free access to TIFF\u2019s Industry Conference and year-round programming. The overall number of speakers at this year\u2019s Conference represents a 50\/50 gender split, as do TIFF Talent Development initiatives such as TIFF Studio, Filmmaker Lab, and TIFF Rising Stars.<\/p>\n Mary Pickford was the highest-paid actor \u2014 male or female \u2014 during the late 1910s and was a savvy businesswoman who helped shape the industry as we know it today. In 1919, she revolutionized film distribution by partnering with Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, and D.W. Griffith to form United Artists. Pickford, who also went on to co-found what is today the Motion Picture & Television Fund and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, continued to be a part of United Artists through the early 1950s. The award will be supported by MGM Studios, whose retains the United Artist library as part of its global film and television library of content.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.blackfilm.com\/read\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Joana-Vicente-and-Cameron-Bailey-250x300.jpg\")
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