Melbourne Women in Film Festival director Sian Mitchell will consult with her international counterparts on how to build opportunities for women and gender diverse creatives as the recipient of this year’s Natalie Miller Fellowship (NMF).
Mitchell was announced as the 11th winner of the fellowship – open to established women working in the Australian screen industry – at the Independent Cinemas Australia Conference this evening, where she outlined her plans for the $20,000 grant.
“The fellowship is such an important initiative not only because it acknowledges and supports the hard work of women in our national industry, but also because it advocates for women in positions of leadership across the sector,” she said.
“With the fellowship, I’ll be able to strengthen my own leadership skills with my project which includes visiting some established international women’s film festivals and learning from their directors on ways to strengthen the networks and opportunities between identity-focused festivals and the national film industries for the benefit of early career women and gender diverse practitioners.”
A lecturer in screen and design at Deakin University, Mitchell carries a PhD in film studies and a Masters in cultural heritage and museum studies, with her research in areas of Australian and women’s screen practice having been published in journals and industry blogs, including Historic Environment, Peephole Journal, NFSA, and the AFI Research Collection.
She also sits on the voard of Alliance Française de Melbourne and is a member of the international advisory committee for the Seoul International Women’s Film Festival.
In a statement, NMF representatives said Mitchell upheld the key values of the fellowship, both in her role as a festival director and also as a lecturer.
“Throughout her career she has demonstrated a wealth of passion for the growth and advancement of the film industry, continually championing the role of women,” they said.
“We’re so pleased to name her this year’s recipient.”
Established in 2011 to recognise the contribution of screen industry pioneer Natalie Miller, the initiative is supported by sponsors Roadshow Films and KOJO.