ReFrame, the coalition that helps female filmmakers in their careers, has begun a new initiative. Titled ReFrame Rise, this two-year program will provide a sponsorship to experienced female directors to advance their careers to higher levels. Eight directors were chosen as the first group to participate in the program. Each woman has either helmed a major television series or has been involved in one or more award-winning indie film. The initial applicant pool contained 175 filmmakers who were invited to apply.

ReFrame’s main issue will be addressing the difficulty faced by female directors getting involved in larger scale projects. The sponsorship portion of the program will help change this reality. Three sponsors will be matched to each director, which include top executives like producers, filmmakers and production company presidents. The director will discuss their goals with their sponsor, which will help the sponsor understand their current objectives and how to best work with them in order to achieve these end goals. Through these partnerships, the sponsor’s well-versed knowledge in their Rise director’s work could open the door for future connections in the industry.

In the future, ReFrame is looking to help other underrepresented individuals beyond directors, including composers and cinematographers. This year’s class of Rise directors includes Tina Mabry, Sydney Freeland, Patricia Cardoso, Zetna Fuentes, Meera Menon, Hanelle Culpepper, and Haifa Al-Mansour.

This news was reported by The Hollywood Reporter.