Donna Langley, President, NBCUniversal Studio Group. shadow star at Cannes

She’s the woman behind it Oppenheimer and her 7 Oscars, the first Englishwoman ever to head a major American studio, a fervent activist for inclusion and equality in the film realm. Presenting its Women In Motion Award this year to Donna Langley, president of NBCUniversal Studio Group, the Kering Group’s program for female arts and culture professionals selects visionary leadership.

“It is an honor to present her with the 2024 Women on the Move Award, recognizing her as both one of Hollywood’s most influential leaders and as someone who has shown, both on and off screen, that gender equality and diversity are absolutely essential.” This award highlights the collective efforts of people who work behind the scenes, tirelessly breaking down barriers between gender and racial prejudices,” explains François Henri-Pinault, CEO of the luxury group.

Little known in France, this super businesswoman is a hint and an exception across the Atlantic. She didn’t carve out her place in the Hollywood industry, climbing one rung after another on sheer skill alone. When he left England for Los Angeles in 1991, he did not yet imagine himself in the paradise of the powerful, but he hoped to one day tell or carry stories. “It was my love for literature that gave birth to my love for cinema. My family and I were avid readers, borrowing books from the library, swapping books… I read a lot of classics from a young age and quickly realized how good stories make and the most interesting characters,” she says. While he was working in a trendy restaurant in Los Angeles, fate knocked on his door. attracted by his eloquence and quick wit, producers hired him.

It was my love of literature that gave birth to my love of cinema

Donna Langley

Universal Pictures integration

One of them becomes his mentor. “The master class itself. It was very harsh, but fair. He taught me how the industry works, taught me to recognize good scripts…” After serving as vice president at New Line Cinemas, the Briton joined Universal Pictures in 2001, working his way up to overseeing the franchise. Fast & Furious, Jurassic World, Jason Bourne, Fifty Shades of Grey, Despicable Me, and brings out young auteurs, including genre film newcomer Jordan Peele. the director’s talent no And Get out undeniably unique, but the super-producer also wants to champion otherness. “We support films that are timely and represent the diversity of human experience. The filmmakers we work with have our full trust and through their stories and characters, they present a mirror to the world,” assures the woman, whose political sensibility echoes her personal history.

Feminist beliefs

Donna Langley was born in Egypt in 1968, then adopted by a British couple, raised on the Isle of Wight; faces of diversity were rare there, harassment and ridicule were common… He had no role models. In life and on screen. His professional career will allow to restore the balance. In 2017, under her leadership, Universal launched a division dedicated to issues of inclusion and equality. His influence and struggle expanded when two years later he took over the management of the entire group (Universal Pictures, DreamWorks Animation, Universal Television). Among her feminist exploits, she gives the green light He saidMaria Schrader’s film, produced by Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner, and centered on Megan Toohey and Jodi Cantor, the reporters who exposed the Weinstein affair at the New York Times. “Although the film didn’t have the public reception we were hoping for, it needed to exist. We must never forget this story. Our industry needs to remember the unacceptable behavior it has tolerated for years. MeToo and other movements have forced our manufacturing companies and our sector to undergo a real transformation.”

If this revolution has reshuffled the cards for representing the female experience on the big screen, it has also opened up more opportunities for female film professionals. Sorority solicitor, Dame Donna Langley, who was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2020, develops many programs to teach, learn and promote the talents of women in her firm. She is also one of the ambassadors of Vital Voices, founded by Hillary Clinton, which supports women leaders so that their voices are heard in all spheres of society. “I’ve had rejection along the way, and a number of people have told me why I won’t make it in Los Angeles,” says Donna Langley. There are many obstacles. Obviously, gender is one thing in a male-dominated industry, but the tides are positively turning. There are more and more women in Hollywood leadership, they received a record number of Oscar nominations in 2024, and made a big noise at the global box office. We have reached a point where we can no longer deny the value of women.”

Fight against prejudice

And the Hollywood boss also fights against prejudices related to women’s leadership with full knowledge of the facts. “Stereotypes are inevitable and often associated with unconscious bias; it is important to deconstruct them. I have never accepted that they condition my leadership. I care about leading with compassion and have never felt like I have to be the loudest to listen. First listen, then react. For me, this is the key to success. I am also convinced that kindness is not a weakness,” she says before clarifying that she intends to be a role model for her two children. Attitude: Not at all, according to the very serious Sunday Times, which describes him thus in a documentary portrait:

His achievements speak much better than a thousand words and leave no doubt about his talent and talent. The animated film Super Mario Bros., OppenheimerBy Christopher Nolan and Fast & Furious: they placed themselves respectively at No. 2 (after barbieby Greta Gerwig), 3rd and 5th at the global box office in 2023. A success he enjoys rather discreetly. Naming the winner of its prestigious award after Jane Fonda, Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon, Isabelle Huppert, Patty Jenkins, Salma Hayek Pino, Viola Davis and Michelle Yeoh, Women In Motion offered her international recognition on May 19. “I am honored to be recognized by Kering and the Cannes Film Festival. I am impressed with what the Women in Motion program has accomplished since its inception in 2015. Adding my name to all these remarkable and creative women is my greatest pride.”