DCIFF’S Founder, Carol Bidault de l’Isle, recently announced the $1,000 MediaFusion Entertainment Women’s Filmmaker Award for the best feature film at DCIFF2023 to honor and inspire more women to pursue their passion for filmmaking.  It is essential for industry professionals to help expand the space in which women are supported and acknowledged and build a community of strong, independent, and successful women. 

We recently had an inspiring conversation with Carol Bidault de l’Isle, an award-winning producer with over thirty years experience, who specializes in international motion picture/television financing, distribution, media asset acquisitions, and management. She is President of MediaFusion Entertainment, LLC,  which aims to make the independent film vision a reality around the world by providing producers, investors and distributors with a full range of services to ensure the success of each project, be it an individual project to libraries of films. 

Check out the conversation below: 

DCIFF: Can you tell us about the Women’s Fund Award that your company, Media Fusion is offering? 

CAROL: MediaFusion Entertainment is proud to offer this award in recognition of women filmmakers that have shown excellence in storytelling in Narrative or Documentary Formats. We champion these voices to encourage them to continue gifting audiences with their vision. 

DCIFF: What challenges do you think women still need to be overcome in the film industry?

CAROL: Women represent 51% of the US population, yet women directors represent 17% of the top 250 films distributed. Women are not given the financing, the sales projections or the distribution support that their counterparts received. Women need to be given an opportunity to have their vision seen. To quote the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, “If she can see it, she can be it.” Thank you DCIFF for the opportunity to present the MediaFusion Award.

DCIFF: What are some upcoming projects that we can expect from MediaFusion? 

CAROL: MediaFusion is a production and finance company that seeks to support under-represented voices in finding new audiences with their unique vision. We are developing a series of films written and directed by women for the new National Lampoon brand. 

DCIFF: What do you think makes a film festival like DCIFF impactful? 

In creating the MediaFusion Award, it was important to find an organization that champions independent voices. DCIFF is an impactful, inspiring organization that brings bold filmmakers together to celebrate their work in front of a live or virtual audience in our nation’s capital.   I am so proud that DCIFF has prevailed for almost a quarter of a century, and, to paraphrase Lorelei Lee, “It makes a girl think.” DCIFF was born in 1999 to celebrate local and other independent filmmakers in our nation’s capital. I want to thank Deirdre  Evans Pritchard and the volunteers that have continued to support this festival throughout the years for continuing to organize it annually. MediaFusion wishes DCIFF continued success and hopes to see more of the unconventional, fresh, and new filmic language that pushes the envelope and gives audiences the opportunity to open their hearts and minds. We look forward to the films, seminars and festival events, and hope that they continue to bring together various entities, including congressional meetings, embassies, and diverse organizations such as Women in Film and Television U.S.