LGBTQ Filmmakers Get Assist With New Foundation Launched By Alan Cumming, Bowen Yang & Team
“The Necessary Foundation” will provide financial support, mentorship and on-set experience to the next generation of queer filmmakers.
Featured Images: via The Necessary Foundation
Attacks on DEI show no signs of retreating. This is true across a spectrum of industries, with entertainment being no exception. Now a team of concerned industry professionals has come together to address what they see as a heightened risk of LGBTQ+ stories landing on the chopping block. Alan Cumming, Bowen Yang, Lena Waithe and Adam Goldman are founding board members of a new non-profit, “the Necessary Foundation,” which will provide financing and other opportunities to help queer filmmakers establish themselves in the entertainment industry.
“There is, in this moment, enormous political pressure to delete queer people from American media, and that includes young filmmakers who are being shut out of the industry,” executive director Adam Goldman said, per Hollywood Reporter. “Now it’s time to push back.”
“Right now we need to lift each other up. Writers and storytellers need our support. I’m always happy to lend it. I’m excited about what this organization will become,” said Lena Waithe.
The mentorship program will be powered by a team of directors, producers, writers, executives and technical experts. The list includes actor/model Indya Moore, writer/comedian Julie Klausner, actor/playwright John Cameron Mitchell and others. The org’s advisory board consists of Lilly Wachowski, Richard Konigsberg, Bruce Cohen, and Andrea Lawlor.
Related: Quinta Brunson, Bowen Yang And Matt Rogers Among Top Honorees At 37th GLAAD Media Awards
“Queer filmmakers don’t need permission, but they do need opportunity. That’s what the Necessary Foundation is building. I’m so honored to be a part of supporting new artists at the starting line,” Yang said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. Cumming offered, “This really is a crisis. If we don’t act now to support young queer and trans filmmakers, LGBT+ people will disappear from American film and television screens. It’s as simple as that.”
Despite the challenges faced by creatives in today’s hostile political climate, there’s no shortage of media that has served to uplift with affirming narratives and to promote our visibility. Last night’s 37th annual GLAAD Media Awards – with its oustanding showcase of 291 nominees – says it all: queer makers and their stories are here to stay.
Related: 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Nominees Announced – Gains Seen In Mainstream Visibility
In addition to mentorships, the Necessary Foundation will award grants of $20,000 to early-career LGBTQ+ filmmakers to produce a pilot, short film or other proof-of-concept. It will also sponsor festival submission fees and assist with setting up screenings in New York and Los Angeles. Interested applicants are encouraged to keep an eye on the website, and sign up to be notified when applications open.
