VOWSS Showcase Launches to Put Women's Amazing Creative Work in the Spotlight

 SheSays and The Voice of a Woman are launching the VOWSS showcase, a global collaboration during the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity on 21 June 2017, and an annual addition to the creative calendar.

The VOWSS will screen a selection of the best short films – commercials, branded content, dramas, documentaries, art/experimental-films and music-videos – created by women internationally. A jury of some of the world’s best advertising and film creatives will select one winner, which will be awarded a prize at the end of the showcase. In addition to the showcase event, five new directors selected by the jury will also be screened during Lions Entertainment during the Cannes Lions Festival. 

Independent creative agency Mr. President, based in London, creative media group Rise and Facebook Creative Shop are the headline sponsors with additional support from WAVE Studios and Digital Doughnut.

Laura Jordan Bambach, founder of SheSays and Chief Creative Officer of Mr. President, explained, “We created The VOWSS as a forum to celebrate incredible creative work led and directed by women. We believe that women need to be seen as creative superstars as much as agents of change. There’s more to senior women’s voices than talking about women in the industry or the way they are represented in advertising. We’re done just talking about the issues, now we want to show off the great creative work we make too.”

The esteemed international jury includes rockstars of advertising and leaders in film, virtual reality (VR) and Hollywood, and include:

Maureen Bryan, US/UK, Founder at The Voice of a Woman

Colleen DeCourcy, Chief Creative Officer at Wieden + Kennedy

Laura Gregory, Founder & CEO of Great Guns

Lizi Hamer, Creative Director, Octagon

Laura Jordan Bambach, Chief Creative Officer at Mr President and Co-founder SheSays

Nils Leonard, former Chairman/CCO, Grey

Charney Magri, Founder, RISE

Katie Puris, Facebook Creative Shop

Fernanda Romano, Strategy and Creative Partner, Malagueta Group

Andy Sandoz, past president D&AD and former ECD Havas

Tista Sen, Senior Vice President & National CD at JWT

Resh Sidhu, Virtual Reality Creative Director, Framestore

Sarah Watson, Global Chief Strategy Officer, BBH

Maureen A. Bryan, Founder of The Voice of A Woman, commented that, “Of the top 250 grossing films in 2016, only 9% of directors were women. Since 2009, The Voice of A Woman has celebrated authentic voices of women rarely seen in the mainstream. We’re proud to partner with SheSays to feature the works of women internationally, works rarely seen or acknowledged, and work with She Says globally to help to develop and nurture new and emerging voices within the communications sector.”

Colleen DeCourcy, CCO of Wieden + Kennedy, said: “We can talk about gender equity in our business and how important it is to promote women, but creativity is a proof-based business.  Equity is never going to happen until we promote the WORK of women. If you want to see great work by women in Cannes, en masse, that'll blow your mind and make you wish you didn't have a penis, you'll want to find time for The VOWSS this year.”

The VOWSS takes place from 2:00-6:00pm local time on 21 June 2017 at Cinema Les Arcades in Cannes, France. Film screenings will be followed by live interviews and panel discussions. It will close with an award given for the best work of an individual or team at the launch party. 

The following day, 22 June 2017, The VOWSS will present a showcase of new directors’ work at 1:00-1:30pm local time at Lions Entertainment event at Cannes Lions.

Submissions are open now for any piece of work directed or creatively directed by a woman until the deadline of 11 May 2017. There is no cost to submit an entry.