The Australian International Screen Forum, in partnership with the American Australian Association, has awarded its annual scholarship to Sydney-based filmmaker Charlotte Mars.
With the scholarship designed to support support an emerging filmmaker in
breaking into the international market, Mars has been awarded $US10,000, facilitating travel to the US in early 2022 for a development program that has been designed and managed by Australian International Screen Forum through industry networks.
A filmmaker working across fiction and documentary, Mars’ work has a focus on stories exploring queer identity and the lives of women. They have been a mentee to director Cate Shortland, their recent short Girl and Body premiered In Competition at Berlinale 2020, and they were a 2016 Women’s International Film & Television Society Honouree for producing and co-writing Gayby Baby.
In 2019, Mars was awarded the SheDoc Fellowship by Documentary Australia Foundation for upcoming feature doc Muscle.
Mars said: “I’m stoked and incredibly honoured to receive this award. In these unsettling times, to be supported to continue telling stories feels really powerful and grounding. My deepest gratitude to everyone at AISF and the American Australian Association – thank you for this opportunity. I can’t wait to come to the US. It’s a dream!”
Australian International Screen Forum industry programs manager Laura D’Augello said: “Our mission at the Aussie Screen Forum is to support emerging filmmakers through industry contacts and mentors to create new global opportunities to activate goal based outcomes of creatives. We are delighted to award Charlotte Mars the Screen Scholarship and look forward to supporting their career development.”