Share Her Journey is a Canadian film program, created by theToronto International Film Festival to foster the career development and advancement of women in the film industry.
First launched in 2017 as a five-year campaign to offer residency and talent accelerator programs for emerging women filmmakers,[1] it became more widely known in 2018 when it organized a public rally onJohn Street near theTIFF Bell Lightbox to publicize and advocate for action on the issues that women in film still face, includingsexual harassment and lack of opportunity.[2]
Other initiatives sponsored by the organization include industry panels; developing and promoting mentorship, networking and career development opportunities for women in the film industry, efforts to include more films directed by women in the TIFF festival lineup, and a dedicated screening series of films directed by women at both the physical and onlineTIFF Bell Lightbox platforms,[3] as well as a program to subsidize the media accreditation fees for women and people of colour to attend the festival as film reviewers.[4]
In 2021, which would have been the final year of Share Her Journey in its original form as a five-year initiative, the festival announced that it will be continued as a permanent program.[5]
TheShare Her Journey Award, a prize to honour the best short film by an emerging female filmmaker in the festival's Short Cuts lineup, was introduced at the2020 Toronto International Film Festival.[6] The short film award was not presented at the2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
| Year | Film | Director | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Sing Me a Lullaby | Tiffany Hsiung | [7] |
| 2021 | Astel | Ramata-Toulaye Sy | [8] |
| Love, Dad (Milý tati) | Diana Cam Van Nguyen | ||
| 2022 | Nanitic | Carol Nguyen | [9] |
| 2023 | Shé (Snake) | Renee Zhan | [10] |
| Gaby's Hills (Gaby les collines) | Zoé Pelchat |
Beginning in 2022, Share Her Journey also launched the "Groundbreaker Award", presented as part of theTIFF Tribute Awards to honour a woman who has made a positive impact in improving conditions for women in the film industry.