We were thrilled to announce at the 2018 Screen Forever Conference that Miriam Katsambis, Legal Counsel at Entertainment One, has received the Natalie Miller Fellowship for 2018.
Established in 2011 to recognise the unique contribution of screen industry pioneer Natalie Miller AO, the Fellowship is open to all women working in the Australian screen industry and aims to provide financial assistance to pursue professional development in their fields through attachments, internships, secondments, travel and other means in order to reach their full leadership potential.
This year’s recipient, Miriam Katsambis, has extensive experience in the Australian screen industry, having worked for over 12 years in various legal, advocacy and policy development roles across state and federal government screen agencies, guilds and industry bodies, and most recently as Legal Counsel at Entertainment One Films Australia, the Australian/New Zealand subsidiary of Entertainment One.
Said Natalie Miller AO, “Miriam has a successful background working in distribution, the AWG and a strong interest in business. She is clearly a leader with great potential in screen industry policy and direction going forward. Miriam was chosen from a strong field of applicants, but the judging panel felt that what set her apart was that her vision to become a leader in an area of growing importance to the Australian screen industry was clear and her proposal to do the 2019 Asialink Leaders Program was timely and strategic. Congratulations to Miriam!”
The Natalie Miller Fellowship is the only grant of its kind in the country and offers up to $20,000 for a professional development program that will deliver significant benefits to the applicant and the wider Australian screen community. Earlier this year, Village Roadshow came on board as a co-sponsor, which sees the global entertainment company provide $50,000 over five years to support the Fellowship.
Upon receiving the grant Miriam Katsambis said: “I am absolutely thrilled and very grateful to be selected as the recipient of 2018 Fellowship, it is an incredible privilege to be connected to the spectacular work and legacy of Natalie Miller in this way. Past recipients are outstanding in their fields and to be given an opportunity to join this community is especially humbling. I look forward an enriching experience which will enhance my ability to lead cross-cultural teams and play a key role in the industry’s presence in the Asia region.”
Since 2012, seven Fellowships have been awarded to Rachel Okine (Vice President of Acquisitions STX international), Harriet Pike (Head of Production & Development, WildBear Entertainment), Rebecca Hammond (Post Production Manager Beyond Productions), Courtney Botfield (Film Distribution and Marketing Consultant/Producer), Sasha Close (Film Programming Manager, Wallis Cinemas), Kristy Matheson (Director, Film Programs, ACMI) and Miriam Katsambis (Legal Counsel, Enterntainment One).
We’ll be sharing more about Miriam’s proposal and the work she’ll undergo with the support of the Fellowship in the coming months. Follow along on social media – find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.