Dear Producer Awards $200K to Filmmakers Behind ‘The First Wave,’ ‘Fremont,’ and More

Ryan Lattanzio
·3 min read
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Dear Producer, founded by producer Rebecca Green, has announced the four recipients of its 2023 Dear Producer Award, now in its third year. IndieWire shares the recipients exclusively below.

Producers Jamie Gonçalves, Beth Levison, Leslie Norville, and Laura Wagner will each receive $50,000 to be used at their discretion as part of the 2024 Dear Producer Award. They were selected from 175 producers who applied for the unrestricted funding, which stresses the need for more producer-specific resources in the field. Along with the financial support, the receiving producers commit to mentoring another emerging producer, with monthly check-ins throughout the year as well as a retreat.

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“The award is not just about the money,” said Green, Dear Producer founder and editor-in-chief. “Of course, the money is impactful, especially when we know producers put so much of their time, energy, and personal dollars on the line to get projects off the ground — and are rarely properly compensated for their work. But this award also gives time and space to explore what producing is and could be, and how we can solidify a supportive and connected community.”

The award, in its past three years, has given more than $600,000 in support to producers and has solidified the foundation of what it means to be a producer.

The Dear Producer Award is sponsored by Facet, which was founded by Maida Lynn, a producer, filmmaker, and arts advocate.

“The goal is to continue to support and bolster producers who champion work that has the potential to expand the heart and mind, to inspire awe and wonder, and to generate more questions than answers — particularly now when the industry is teetering on uncertainty and film is being treated as a commodity by those with no particular interest in artistry or unheard voices,” said Lynn.

More about the award recipients below, with language courtesy of Dear Producer.

  • Jamie Gonçalves – Brazilian-American producer and co-founder of Sin Sitio Cine (US/ MX), a production company whose work spans documentary and fiction. Jamie was named one of Variety’s “10 Producers to Watch” in 2023. Credits include: “Dos Estaciones,” “Caballerango,” “Balloonfest.”

  • Beth Levison – Founder of Hazel Pictures, a production company that emphasizes mind-opening stories about women, artists, and those who challenge the status quo, and a co-founder of the Documentary Producers Alliance. Credits include: “Grand Theft Hamlet,” “The Martha Mitchell Effect,” “Storm Lake.”

  • Leslie Norville – Emmy Award-winning producer and Playback Magazine’s 2023 Showrunner of the year, Leslie’s work has screened at festivals around the globe and on networks including CBC, Hulu, PBS, CBC, Sundance Channel, and VH1. Credits include: “Black Life: Untold Stories,” “The First Wave,” “A Ballerina’s Tale.”

  • Laura Wagner – Spirit Award-winning producer who began her career in New York theater and whose work has premiered at more than 100 festivals. Laura is a co-founder of Cinemama, a film collective in the Bay Area. Credits include: “Fremont,” “It Felt Like Love.”

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