HFPA Philanthropy

“Diversity can mean more than one thing. Diversity can be an injury, diversity can be the color of your skin, diversity can mean standing up for yourself,” actress and activist Sharon Stone said at The Hollywood Reporter’s second annual “Raising Our Voices: Setting Hollywood’s Inclusion Agenda” luncheon gala which was held in partnership with the Golden Globes, East West Bank and the Wallis Annenberg GenSpace, the event’s venue.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) began supporting journalism and freedom of the press in 2021. Since then, more than 20 journalistic organizations and institutions have been added to the pool of more than 90 grantees.

Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) members Barbara Gasser, Gerardo Prat and this writer recently spoke on a panel at the Cartagena International Film Festival (Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias or FICCI), in its 62nd edition at Cartagena, Colombia. The festival, which is presented from March 22 to 28 this year, was also attended by HFPA members Barbaros Tapan and Ruben Nepales.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) was founded with the mission of advancing the art of film. Over the last 28 years, the association has donated more than $55 million to organizations related to the entertainment industry as well as to humanitarian causes, has offered more than 2,200 scholarships to film students, and has funded the restoration of 138 films.

On October 15, 2022, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) grantee community met at the offices of Film Independent, in midtown Los Angeles. Representatives from more than 60 organizations got together with HFPA members, including President Helen Hoehne, and Grants Officer Sandra Cuneo.

For Samuel Douek, director and founder of the Hola México Festival – which celebrates films made in the tricolor country – it was a great opportunity for the Los Angeles audience in these post-pandemic days to experience current, rebellious, romantic cinema, full of opportunities and characters with dilemmas and dreams of our times with a Mexican stamp and flavor. “We are very pleased to be able to count on the support of an association like the HFPA, which has done wonders for international cinema in the United States and around the world,” Douek stressed.

After a long absence due to the pandemic, California State University, Northridge (CSUN) senior undergraduate students of class 2020 were finally able to share their works on Wednesday night, September 14, at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts’ Samuel Goldwyn Theater. By the time the young and diverse crowd had settled into their seats, at least half an hour after the scheduled start time, the large venue was nearly full, overflowing with eager anticipation.

“This is to say goodbye and thank you,” said Gwen Deglise, the longtime head programmer of the American Cinematheque, from the stage of the Aero Theater in Santa Monica on Friday, September 9th, 2022. The audience, patrons, and team members responded with an emotional standing ovation and “Thank You, Gwen” shout-outs.

The AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) hate crimes which spiked at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to occur all over the country. The victims are usually the most vulnerable – the elderly or women.

The first Forum launched by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the World Bank Narrating Behavior Change Program had the headline “Global Challenges Require Global Solutions,” and centered on innovative partnerships between the entertainment and development sectors. Several crucial questions were asked, and several profound answers were given, challenging Hollywood and global content creators to join forces and expand their focus on edutainment – immersing audiences in engaging stories while providing useful information.