Beyond Borders Diversity In Cannes Launches Funding Campaign To Expand Forum At Cannes Film Festival

May 2, 2012 - PRLog -- Yolonda Brinkley, CEO of YRB International Exposure announced today the launch of a crowd funding campaign in support of the Beyond Borders: Diversity in Cannes Multicultural Filmmaker Symposium, the only diversity initiative at the Cannes Film Festival.  The campaign is powered by indiegogo www.indiegogo.com/diversityincannes and runs through May 31, 2012. Donations will fund the program’s expansion in Cannes and beyond.  

In its third year, the Beyond Borders: Diversity in Cannes Multicultural Filmmaker Symposium seeks to strengthen the cross cultural network of the various ethnicities represented at the Cannes Film Festival. The objective is to enlarge their international networking territory in effort to level the global filmmaking playing field.

“During my first trip to the Festival de Cannes I felt like an outsider, concluded the festival wasn’t for Black people or others of color and vowed to never return,” comments Yolonda Brinkley, CEO of YRB International Exposure a US based entertainment marketing and PR firm. “However, after serious self-reflection I committed to dispelling that myth, changing the mindset and in 2010 Beyond Borders: Diversity in Cannes was conceived.”

Since its inception, Diversity in Cannes has grown in popularity, reaching festival goers from 5 continents and hosting panelists from Ghana, Congo, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom and the United States including Michael Rowe, 2010 Cannes Film Festival Golden Camera Award recipient and 2011 Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Award winner Alrick Brown.  

Brinkley is proud of the progress she’s made and anticipates continued growth. In March 2012, she expanded to Los Angeles, producing the first Beyond Borders: Diversity in Cannes Pre-Cannes Film Festival Information Session and US Screening Series and she hopes to award the 1st Diversity in Cannes Short Film Cash Award to the best short film by a diverse filmmaker in the 2012 Cannes Short Film Corner during the 3rd Beyond Borders: Diversity in Cannes Multicultural Symposium later this month.  

However, to continue the momentum Brinkley, who has financed the Symposium from the beginning, needs financial support.  Like many others, she has resorted to crowd funding to raise $5000 between now and June 1, 2012.  Recognizing this is no small feat, Brinkley isn’t expecting something for nothing. She’s offering personal rewards from Diversity in Cannes gift packs to Cannes Film Festival project exposure, to campaign supporters. Corporate sponsorships are also available.  With varying sponsor levels, there are packages to meet most needs. Discover the possibilities at www.indiegogo.com/diversityincannes.

Visit www.yrbinternationalexposure.com, the Beyond Borders: Diversity in Cannes Facebook fan page https://www.facebook.com/diversityincannes or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srpWvpWTsN0&feature=plcp for additional information.



Contact:
Dominique Billingsley
YRB International Exposure
Phone: (267) 259-2740