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Meryl Streep Has Funded A Screenwriting Group For Women Over 40

Meryl Streep Has Funded A Screenwriting Group For Women Over 40
Meryl Streep Has Funded A Screenwriting Group For Women Over 40

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Meryl Streep has put her money where her mouth is, funding a screenwriting hub for women over the age of 40 – one of the most underrepresented groups in Hollywood, Vanity Fair reports. Only 19 per cent of the Oscars’ screenwriting branch are women. When you cast the net wider and look at the proportion of women who write the scripts for blockbuster movies, the number falls to 11 per cent.

Prevailing wisdom suggests that the more women who are working behind the camera, making female stories – whether that's directors, writers, producers or cinematographers – the more women will end up appearing on screen in front of the camera.

Streep’s group – called the Writer’s Lab – has also drafted a few high-profile names to serve as mentors to this new wave of female writers. These include producer Caroline Kaplan, who was behind last year’s Oscar-nominated Boyhood and writers Kirsten Smith (Legally Blonde) and Jessica Bendinger (Bring It On). The Lab will start accepting applications on May 1, with fellowships announced on August 1.

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