Valencia, CA, June 3—The Academy Foundation of the Academy Foundation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences continues its support of California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) and REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater). The Jack H. Skirball Screening Series at REDCAT is among the 47 recipients of its 2019 FilmCraft and FilmWatch grants.
“The Academy’s Grants Committee is honored to continue to provide support and inspire generations of filmmakers new and old to connect the world through motion pictures,” said Marcus Hu, chair of the Academy’s grants committee. “We are confident that the organizations chosen to receive this year’s grants will leave a lasting impact on our society through their diverse and fresh perspectives.”
For 15 years, Bérénice Reynaud and Steve Anker have brought their considerable knowledge to this distinctive screening program, drawing enthusiastic audiences from across Los Angeles to screenings and discussions of rare and experimental films. Reynaud and Anker are dedicated to showing thought-provoking, innovative artists who are committed to exploring new directions in the moving image. As curators, they expose audiences from across Los Angeles to works which cannot be experienced at other venues in the region.
Featuring some of today’s most adventurous independent filmmakers and media artists, each year the Series presents 24 to 28 screenings by experimental international and U.S.-based artists, with the artists themselves attending the majority of screenings. Promoting diversity in filmmaking by drawing on cultural perspectives from around the world, the Skirball Series advocates for expanded definitions of the moving image. It champions underrepresented artists working in the full range of film genres and offers unique approaches to film and video ranging from experimental animation to ethnographic approaches and performance-based film works.
The Academy’s FilmWatch and FilmCraft Grants program provides financial support to qualifying film festivals, educational institutions and film scholars, and supports the Academy’s mission to recognize and uphold excellence in the motion picture arts and sciences, inspire imagination and connect the world through the medium of motion pictures.
California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) has set the pace for educating professional artists since 1970. Offering rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs through six schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theater—CalArts has championed creative excellence, critical reflection, and the development of new forms and expressions. As successive generations of faculty and alumni have helped shape the landscape of contemporary arts, the Institute first envisioned by Walt Disney encompasses a vibrant, eclectic community with global reach, inviting experimentation, independent inquiry, and active collaboration and exchange among artists, artistic disciplines, and cultural traditions.