The Café Society actress is joining R29’s ShatterBox Anthology, which has committed to bringing short films from 12 female directors, writers and animators that explore the dynamic of power. The first project to result from the ethnology is Chloe Sevigny’s Kitty, which will premiere at Cannes. Stewart’s project is currently titled Water. Few other details have been released.
“It’s women training women to be directors for VR series,” says R29 content chief Amy Emmerich, explaining that it’s a way to create more opportunities for female filmmakers through a new medium. “We wanted to get women behind the lens.”
Variety : Refinery29 has inked pacts with Kristen Stewart, Gabourey Sidibe and America Ferrera to produce original programming as part of the women-focused digital media company’s new content slate.
The company announced the partnerships and unveiled more than a dozen original series at its Digital Content NewFronts presentation Monday evening. Refinery29 also announced the launch of VR29 Studios, a virtual-reality production studio, along with two dedicated YouTube channels — comedy channel RIOT and Brawlers, covering women in sports — as well as programming queued up for Facebook Live and Instagram.
Actresses Kristen Stewart (“Twilight” movies) and Gabourey Sidibe (“Precious”) will make their directorial debuts with short films for Refinery29’s ShatterBox Anthology; Stewart’s is currently titled “Water” and Sidibe’s is “A Tale of Four Women.”
“We are proud to be collaborating with award-winning talent to create a slate of female-focused content that showcases what it is to be powerful in a nontraditional way,” said Amy Emmerich, chief content officer at Refinery29.
The Wrap : A series featuring 12 engaging and inspiring short-form original scripted films created by female directors, writers, and animators that will explore the dynamics of power. The series provides the women with creative support from Women at Sundance, as well as advisory support from Killer Films’ founders Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler. A selection of ShatterBox Anthology films will also be distributed through Comcast Watchable, in addition to running monthly on Refinery29 beginning in summer 2016.
Announced today, actress Kristen Stewart will make her directorial debut as a filmmaker with a short film currently titled Water, and actress Gabourey Sidibe will make her directorial debut with a short film currently titled A Tale of Four Women. Additional filmmakers in the ShatterBox Anthology include: Academy Award nominee Jessica Sanders, Tribeca Film Festival Nora Ephron Prize winner Meera Menon, Webby Award founder and Emmy nominee Tiffany Shlain, Courtney Hoffman, Jessica Dimmock, Robin Cloud, Roja Gashtili, Julia Lerman, and Anu Valia. The first film debut backed by ShatterBox Anthology, Kitty, which is Chloë Sevigny’s directorial debut, will premiere at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
