NBCUniversal Studio Group’s Chief Content Officer Donna Langley has officially been unveiled as the 2024 Women In MotionAward honoree for the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
Kering and the Festival de Cannes will present the title to the studio chief on Sunday, May 19, with François-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of Kering, and Iris Knobloch, president of the Festival de Cannes, and Thierry Frémaux, director of the Festival de Cannes, hosting the ceremony.
In presenting the Women In Motion Award to Langley, Kering and the Festival de Cannes wish to celebrate a lifelong career committed to steadfast leadership and the fostering of a more inclusive industry that has helped shape diversity both in front and behind the camera, per the press statement.
Langley serves as an ambassador for Vital Voices and sits on the organization’s Board of Directors since 2013. She is also a key founder of The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Film Mentorship program, in addition to her leadership at NBCUniversal. A native of the United Kingdom, Langley is the first British woman to run a major Hollywood studio and was awarded a Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the Queen’s 2020 New Year’s Honour List.
“Receiving the Women In Motion Award is an immense honor, and to be recognized amongst such remarkable recipients is a testament to the work Kering, the Festival de Cannes and our industry peers do to propel women forward, amplify their voices, create opportunities, and push boundaries,” Langley said in an official statement.
Pinault added, “It is an honor to be presenting the 2024 Women In MotionAward to Donna Langley, recognizing her both as one of Hollywood’s most influential leaders, and as someone who has dedicated herself to demonstrating on and off-screen that gender equality and diversity are absolutely essential. It highlights the collective effort of people working behind the scenes, tirelessly confronting and knocking down gender barriers and racial prejudice.”
Frémaux said, “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to honor Donna Langley’s leadership and unwavering commitment to challenging the status quo, paving the way for women in this industry and beyond. We are proud to recognize the importance of the tireless work of women behind the scenes to shape a more equal, inclusive, and therefore creative cinema.”
Knobloch stated, “Donna Langley’s brilliant career and commitment to a better representation of women in all their diversity make her a natural choice for this award, which holds very significant meaning for the Festival de Cannes and for Kering. We are delighted to celebrate her and the evolutions she embodies in the seventh art. A change that we will continue to support through Women in Motion.”
The Women In Motion award has been bestowed to industry titans such as Jane Fonda, Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Isabelle Huppert, Patty Jenkins in 2018, Gong Li, Salma Hayek, and Viola Davis. Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh was feted in 2023.
The 77th annual festival will take place May 14 through 25. See the full lineup here.
