Kering's Cinematic Collaboration

Kering is furthering its commitment to its Women in Motion initiative, which it launched last year, by collaborating with the Sundance Institute's Women at Sundance Fellowship Programme.

"Women make up 50.8 per cent of the US population and yet only 4.2 per cent of the 100 top-grossing films are made by female directors," Francois-Henri Pinault, chairman and chief executive officer of Kering Group, told WWD. "However, each year for the past 13 years, 25 per cent of American directors at the Sundance Film Festival have been female. Empowering women to succeed and encouraging a more diverse film industry is essential when we consider the impact that films have on our ways of thinking and behaving."

The programme will pair six female filmmakers from Sundance Institute's programmes with industry leaders for a year-long, bespoke mentorship programme, which will include coaching, learning and network opportunities.

The collaboration and Pinault's comments come at a pertinent time for the film industry as the pay-gap debate and gender equality dominate the international headlines.