Established in 2011 to recognise the unique contribution of screen industry pioneer Natalie Miller AO, the Fellowship is open to established women working in the Australian screen industry and aims to provide an annual $20,000 grant to aspirational women in all sectors to pursue professional leadership through attachments, internships, secondments, travel and other means in order to reach their full leadership potential.
Currently festival director at the Melbourne Women in Film Festival, Mitchell is an avid lover of finding and sharing incredible stories made for the screen. A lecturer in Screen and Design at Deakin University, she revels in the opportunity to work with the next generation of screen storytellers and creative practitioners. Achieving a PhD in Film Studies and a Masters in Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies, her research in areas of Australian and women’s screen practice has been published in journals and industry blogs, including Historic Environment, Peephole Journal, NFSA and the AFI Research Collection. She also sits on the Board of Alliance Française de Melbourne and is a member of the International Advisory Committee for the Seoul International Women’s Film Festival.
Upon receiving the grant, Mitchell said: “I feel incredibly privileged to be this year’s Natalie Miller Fellowship recipient. 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. With the Fellowship, I’ll be able to strengthen my own leadership skills with my project that 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 huge thank you to the Natalie Miller Fellowship committee and judging panel, as well as Roadshow Films and Studio KOJO for their support of the Fellowship as well. I can’t wait to get started.”
In a group statement Natalie Miller Fellowship said: “Sian upholds the key values of the fellowship, both in her role as a festival director and also as a lecturer, inspiring the next generation of storytellers. 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. We’re so pleased to name her this year’s recipient.”
The Natalie Miller Fellowship is the only grant of its kind in the country and is proudly supported by co-sponsors Roadshow Films and creative studio KOJO, with each providing $50,000 over five years to support the Fellowship.
Since 2012, eleven Fellowships have been awarded to Rachel Okine (Head of Features and Development Executive, Stan); Harriet Pike (Chief Operating Officer, WildBear Entertainment); Rebecca Hammond (LJ Hooker); Courtney Botfield (Director of Industry Partnerships, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia); Sasha Close (Program Manager, Brisbane International Film Festival and Gold Coast Film Festival); Kristy Matheson (Creative Director, Edinburgh International Film Festival); Miriam Katsambis (VP Business & Legal Affairs APAC, Entertainment One); Anna Kaplan (Producer/Co-founder, Regen Studios & Co-Founder/Co-Chair, Sustainable Screens Australia); Pauline Clague (First Nations Screen Strategy Executive, South Australian Film Corporation); Bridgette Graham (Founder, Path to Audience); and Sian Mitchell (Festival Director, Melbourne Women in Film Festival).
For more information, please visit www.nataliemillerfellowship.com.
