Emerald Fennell to Receive Mind the Gap Award for Filmmaker of the Year Award at 46th Mill Valley Film Festival

Oscar-winner Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman, MVFF43) will be the recipient of the MVFF Mind the Gap Award for Filmmaker of the Year, announced today by Mark Fishkin, Founder/Director of the Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF), along with Zoë Elton, MVFF & Mind the Gap Director of Programming. The 46th Mill Valley Film Festival runs October 5-15, 2023.

Emerald Fennell is a renowned writer, director, actress, and author who has firmly established herself as a prolific multi-hyphenate across film, television, and theater, garnering many accolades. Among her achievements are two British Academy Film Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, three Primetime Emmy Award nominations, three Golden Globe Award nominations, and an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for her stunning directorial debut in 2020 with “Promising Young Woman.” Beyond her cinematic accomplishments, Fennell has published three novels; the first two, “Shiverton Hall” and its sequel “The Creeper,” captivated readers with their narrative prowess, and her third novel, “Monsters,” a nominee for the 2017 Carnegie Medal, garnered widespread acclaim, drawing comparisons ranging from Ronald Dahl to Bret Easton Ellis. These novels have showcased her narrative finesse and earned her a fervent following, firmly establishing her as a multifaceted creative force.

A screening of Fennell’s new film Saltburn, which just world premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, will take place on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 and will be followed by an engaging on-stage conversation with Fennell, who will also accept the Mind the Gap Award. This award is in celebration of the incredible inspiration she has provided through her remarkable work and unwavering dedication to her craft. 

Saltburn will be released in select theaters on Friday, November 24 by MGM.

The MVFF Spotlight program honors and celebrates exceptional work by film artists in their most current work. Honorees may be in early, mid, or late career. The MVFF Mind the Gap Award honors creatives, leaders, and craftswomen whose work has helped close the gender gap in the film industry and in our lives. Recognizing talents above and below the line, the Award celebrates their groundbreaking achievements and acknowledges their importance as role models. Previous Mind the Gap Award recipients include Chinonye Chukwu, Danielle Deadwyler, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Jane Campion, Viola Davis, Dawn Porter Céline Sciamma, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Carrie Mulligan, to name a few.