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5th March 2025
Lexus International and The Weinstein Company announce Patty Jenkins and Antoine Fuqua to join Taylor Sheridan as members of the Lexus Short Films Season 4 selection committee
After an exciting launch in June 2017 at ‘Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia’ (SSFF & ASIA) in Tokyo for Season 4 of Lexus Short Films, Lexus International and The Weinstein Company have now announced Patty Jenkins, best known for directing Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Comics’ Wonder Woman and her debut feature Monster, and Antoine Fuqua, best known for directing the films The Magnificent Seven, The Equalizer and Training Day, to join Taylor Sheridan for the film program’s selection committee.
The selection committee will be analyzing these aspiring filmmakers’ work to find the best of the best to move forward and bring their new films produced by The Weinstein Company to life. As a part of the selection committee, Patty Jenkins, Antoine Fuqua, and Taylor Sheridan will be reviewing submissions and recommending the top four films collected on Withoutabox, the premier submission service for film festivals and filmmakers. The selected finalists will also get the opportunity to meet with Jenkins, Fuqua, and Sheridan during the course of their short film production. Lexus International and The Weinstein Company hope to cultivate and transform the next wave of filmmakers by connecting them with the very best in the industry.
The film selection committee will be looking to identify which filmmakers took this year’s theme of TRANSFORMATION to heart to illustrate that amazing things happen when you transform the ordinary into extraordinary. Submissions will be accepted worldwide through Withoutabox until August 31st, 2017.
Harvey Weinstein, Co-Chairman, The Weinstein Company, said, “We are thrilled to bring such incredibly talented filmmakers into this year’s program. We are excited to see which films resonate with our committee as they bring their world-class experience to the Lexus Short Films program.”
To accompany Jenkins, Fuqua, and Sheridan, top executives of The Weinstein Company and Lexus International will also be reviewing these filmmakers’ commendable work to narrow down the four finalists. Joey Horvitz with The Weinstein Company will again be producing the films.
“We are opening doors for young talent that will help guide them in the right direction for their film careers,” added David Glasser, COO and President, The Weinstein Company.
The Lexus Short Films program supports the new generation of emerging filmmakers. With the help of Lexus International and The Weinstein Company, the program helps these filmmakers bring their imagination to life and realize their dreams.
“Our esteemed selection committee and The Weinstein Company bring an enormous amount of filmmaking expertise, so we are confident that Season 4 of Lexus Short Films will be even more successful than the award-winning Season 3,” said Spiros Fotinos, Global Head of Brand Management & Marketing at Lexus.
Takayuki Yoshitsugu, Chief Representative, Middle East and North Africa Representative Office, Toyota Motor Corporation, said, “The Lexus Short Films series is an incredible opportunity for a new generation of emerging filmmakers to demonstrate their talent and make their presence felt in the creative industry. We are delighted with the appointment of prominent industry personalities for this prestigious program, as they will not only bring their valuable expertise to the selection committee but also give aspiring filmmakers a chance to learn and improve their craft.”
Yoshitsugu added: “I thank all the participants and the international film community for supporting this project, and I also extend my warm gratitude to customers and fans from across the world who have been following the progress of Lexus Short Films and supporting us in this journey.”
To find out more about The Weinstein Company and Lexus International’s Lexus Short Films, please visit www.LexusShortFilms.com.
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About Patty Jenkins:
Patty Jenkins is a writer/director best known for directing Warner Bros. and DC Comics’ Wonder Woman, her debut feature Monster, based on the life of convicted serial killer Aileen Wuornos, and helming the pilot episode of AMC’s hit show The Killing.
About Antoine Fuqua:
Antoine Fuqua is one of the most sought-after filmmakers of his generation, effortlessly blending action and character-driven storytelling. Most recently, Fuqua helmed The Magnificent Seven, a remake of the 1960 western of the same name and an homage to Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai.
About Taylor Sheridan:
In 2012, Taylor Sheridan sold his original screenplay for HELL OR HIGH WATER (fka COMANCHERIA) to Sidney Kimmel Entertainment. The film, a drama set in the struggling rural areas of West Texas, was released by CBS Films in August 2016 and stars Chris Pine, Ben Foster, and Jeff Bridges.
About Harvey Weinstein (Co-Chairman, The Weinstein Company):
Harvey Weinstein launched The Weinstein Company (TWC), a multi-media company, with his brother Bob on October 1st, 2005. Since its inception, TWC has released such acclaimed films as THE KING’S SPEECH; THE ARTIST; SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK; DJANGO UNCHAINED and THE IMITATION GAME.
About Lexus Short Films:
In 2013, Lexus Short Films was launched with the goal of supporting and nurturing a new generation of emerging filmmakers. These aspiring directors and writers have received a unique opportunity supported by Lexus to collaborate with acclaimed film studio The Weinstein Company to produce and showcase their work on an international stage. For more information, visit www.lexusshortfilms.com and follow #LexusShortFilms.
About Lexus:
Since its U.S. market debut in 1989, Lexus has earned a worldwide reputation for high-quality products and exemplary customer service. Renowned for the superior reliability of its vehicles, Lexus is the luxury hybrid leader, offering hybrids that combine innovative technology and premier luxury. To date, Lexus has grown into 90+ markets worldwide. The evolution of Lexus is not only reflected in the progressive designs of its latest vehicles, but also in the brand’s mission to captivate the next generation of luxury consumers with consciousness, products, and services that are visionary, original and exciting. www.lexus-int.com.
About The Weinstein Company:
The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October 2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979. TWC also encompasses Dimension Films, the genre label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein. During Harvey and Bob’s tenure at Miramax and TWC, they have received 351 Oscar nominations and won 82 Academy Awards.
Since 2005, TWC and Dimension Films have released such films as VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA; THE READER; INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS; SCRE4M; SPY KIDS: THE KING’S SPEECH; UNDEFEATED; THE ARTIST; THE MASTER; SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK; DJANGO UNCHAINED; SCARY MOVIE 5; LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER; PHILOMENA; THE IMITATION GAME; PADDINGTON; WOMAN IN GOLD; SOUTHPAW, CAROL and THE HATEFUL EIGHT. Upcoming releases include SING STREET, THE FOUNDER, HANDS OF STONE, and LION.
TWC boasts an active television production division which garnered twelve Emmy nominations in 2015. TWC Television produces the reality powerhouse Project Runway, with its spin-off series Project Runway All Stars, hosted by Alyssa Milano, Project Runway Jr, featuring supermodel Hannah Davis and fashion critic Kelley Osbourne, Under the Gunn, and Threads. Scripted series include John Fusco’s Marco Polo with Netflix, going into its second season, and War & Peace, which debuted on Lifetime, A&E and HISTORY in 2016. Scripted projects in development include Ten Commandments, Daniel Stashower’s The Hour of Peril and military drama Six. TWC will also launch several new projects in 2016 across several networks, including MTV, Lifetime, and AMC. For more information on The Weinstein Company, please visit:
Official Website
About Withoutabox:
Withoutabox (https://www.withoutabox.com) is the premier submission service for film festivals and filmmakers. Since 2001, Withoutabox has enabled nearly 3 million festival submissions to the leading film festivals in the world, and more than 150 of these titles went on to receive an Academy Award® nomination, with dozens eventually winning an Oscar®. To learn more about Withoutabox or to sign up, visit https://www.withoutabox.com. Withoutabox is owned and operated by IMDb, the #1 movie website in the world.
