Producer, head of NBCUniversal Studio Group, she is the recipient of the 2024 Kering Women In Motion Award at the Cannes Film Festival. And talked about his career, vision of the film industry and his projects.
As a child, Donna Langley never really dreamed of becoming a part of the world of cinema. “I grew up on a small island in the south of England (the Isle of Wight, Editor’s note), where we knew nothing about this environment.” And yet. today she is one of the most powerful women. Producer, head of NBCUniversal Studio Group, she is the recipient of the 2024 Women In Motion Award, which Kering Group presents annually at the Cannes Film Festival to a woman who has made a significant impact in the film industry. And it was on May 18 during a speech given within the framework of this program that he spoke about his career, his successes and his perspectives on the ever-evolving world.
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Finding your way to the cinemas
If Donna Langley never dreamed of movies when she was a child, it was her taste for stories, nurtured by a family of great readers, that led her down this path. An appetite that, when he later moved to Los Angeles, drove him to the Hollywood studios, where he climbed the ladder one by one; You find something suitable, you put your foot down, and you work hard.”
Today, Donna Langley’s position gives her a unique insight into the film industry. A market that has been hit by the Covid pandemic and has been hit by the screenwriters’ strike in Hollywood. “The less things we have to see, the more we lose the habit of getting off the couch to watch a movie,” he notes. said: Also, there are many streaming options… So we need more movies and we are working on it. Donna Langley believes in the power of “great cinematic experiences,” ambitious films that will keep audiences coming back to theaters. how Oppenheimer Against all expectations, it became one of the great successes of 2023. “When NBC bought it, there were rumors that it was going to be an industrial disaster,” the producer recalled. We had a world-class director, but it’s a 3-hour historical drama. Proof that there are no rules when it comes to cinema. And that’s why we love him. »
Strong movies
Among the films she helped make a success of, Donna Langley also spoke about the saga Fast and gassy “We might be cynical about this franchise, but we treat it with the utmost respect. We love the characters, we believe in this family, we are sure that Don Toretto is a real person, he emphasized, not without humor. In part 5, we developed the saga into another genre, a heist movie that takes us around the world. This made it possible to significantly expand the audience. »
Another feat of arms. He said (2022), Maria Schrader’s film about two journalists New York TimesMegan Toohey and Jodi Kantor, who exposed the Weinstein affair, igniting the Me Too movement; The idea of immortalizing it on film seemed urgent to us, it was work we wanted to do. Just like the fact that the film is not focused on Harvey Weinstein, but on two journalists. This is a film about their courage, determination, honesty. And it is indelible. »
Feminize platforms
Dedicated to issues of inclusion and equality in film, Donna Langley helped launch a department dedicated to these issues at Universal in 2017. She realizes that it is still difficult for women to build a career at the same time as a family. But it remains certain that here too the latter are the key to changes. “When a film is directed, scripted, produced by women, the set becomes a warm environment for everyone, which allows for a better balance to be found. I’m not saying that’s not the case in male-led films, but having a really deliberate approach to these themes helps a lot.” The one who significantly contributed to the filmmaking career of actress Elizabeth Banks (for the films Pitch Perfect 2: And Crazy Bear) therefore wants to support female directors. Including a certain Salma Hayek, in the audience for a Women In Motion talk, who may soon be behind the camera…
Her advice to young women who want to make it in the film industry. Striving to “break the mythology”. “It’s really a business, an industry, but it has multiple entry points. If you want to become a director, screenwriter or actress, it’s a bit more difficult because it’s very competitive, but there are programs and initiatives that can help you depending on your skills and experience. Everything is always possible. ” Including act.
Source: Le Figaro
