The Archer School for Girls gets an A for A-list wrangling: Kathleen Kennedy will keynote the school’s upcoming Archer Film Festival, “dedicated to empowering female filmmakers” but open to all high school students. The uber producer, whose next film is Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Dec. 15), will walk the pink carpet and speak at the Writers Guild Theater on April 26, the midpoint of the two-day event of screenings and panels.
The tony Brentwood school’s fest is always Hollywood-heavy, with prior powerhouse keynoters including J.J. Abrams, Nina Jacobson and Fox Studios Animation president Vanessa Morrison. Among the 2016 fest panelists: Ed O’Neill, Jason Reitman, TriStar Pictures’ Hannah Minghella, Bad Moms producer Suzanne Todd and UTA’s Rena Ronson. Archer seniors Alexandra Sherman and Billie Wakeham, enjoying spring break at press time, are co-chairs of the sixth annual event, which will select 10 to 20 films out of nearly 800 submissions from across the globe.
This story first appeared in the March 29 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
More from The Hollywood Reporter
-
The Swimmers
Syrian Refugee Sara Mardini on Her Long Swim to Freedom, Netflix’s ‘The Swimmers’ and Her Trial
![]()
-
![]()
-
Heat Vision
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Star Daniel Kaluuya on Creating Spider-Punk and Catching That Surprise Character
![]()
-
Vanderpump Rules
‘Vanderpump Rules’ Star Ariana Madix Reveals First Look at Lifetime Movie Role Amid Scandoval Drama
![]()
-
![]()
-
![]()
