Coca‑Cola Refreshing Films Team Up with Geena Davis to Support the Next Generation of Underrepresented and Aspiring Filmmakers

Academy Award-winning actor Geena Davis announced that all four of the 2024 Coca‑Cola® Refreshing Films (CCRF) spots will be showcased at the upcoming Bentonville Film Festival. The two organizations’ shared mission to further support change and diversity in the film industry brought them together. The announcement took place during the Red Ribbon Panel Breakfast at CinemaCon, where the Coca‑Cola® Refreshing Films spots were debuted.

The Coca‑Cola Refreshing Films program provides opportunities for up-and-coming filmmakers to create branded spots for the big screen. This year’s spots each highlight the magic of the movies. All incorporate the delicious ritual of a warm popcorn and ice-cold, refreshing Coca‑Cola®. For the past three years, the program has showcased crews of 50% females in key roles. The program is also significantly outpacing the industry rate twofold when it comes to diversity and inclusion.

“Empowering filmmakers with a platform to exhibit their creations is crucial.” Geena Davis says, “Ensuring that diverse voices resonate is paramount.  Partnering with a program committed to this cause for 26 years fills me with excitement.”

Created by Davis in 2014, the Bentonville Film Festival is a fervent advocate for inclusion across all facets of entertainment, striving to prompt immediate strides toward greater diversity in entertainment. The Bentonville Film Festival and The Coca‑Cola® Refreshing Films program have partnered in their shared mission of supporting the next generation of creative talent.

Geena Davis first came to CinemaCon to receive the Viola Davis Trailblazer Award, but in true trailblazer form she did so much more.  She also introduced the Coca‑Cola® Refreshing Films spots at the annual Filmmaker Luncheon, one of CinemaCon’s most well-attended events.

Coca‑Cola Refreshing Films works annually with over 60+ schools across the U.S. and Canada, giving students a chance to submit scripts for entry. Some of those programs are among the most well-known film schools, and others are more underrepresented schools. The program has focused on giving underrepresented voices a real-world opportunity in the commercial film business.

“The goal of the program is to help all participating filmmakers further their careers and provide a real-world professional opportunity to work with a global brand” said Pamela Pollack, Director of Marketing at The Coca‑Cola Company. “It’s been an amazing honor to manage this program and to witness the impact it is making in so many lives.”

ABOUT THIS YEAR’S GRAND PRIZE-WINNING FILM

The program’s Red Ribbon Panel, composed of industry professionals including studio and theater executives, as well as Coca‑Cola® brand and marketing leads, judged the CCRF finalist films to select a Grand Prize Winner. This year’s panel was one of the largest the program has seen. The winning film, Signs of Friendship, by CCRF Filmmakers, Adam Sheets (Co-Writer/Producer) and Destinee Neville (Co-Writer/Director), captures how the movie theater is a magical place where anyone can belong and make memories. For its main characters, that magical moment is a younger sister getting to join her older sibling and meet her friends. While navigating the exciting rush, they both discover the warmth and joy of new friendships. Signs of Friendship will be screened in select Coca‑Cola® partnered theaters in the United States and Canada, including Cinemark, AMC Theatres, Megaplex Theatres, Cineplex and Landmark Cinemas. Additionally, both Adam and Destinee will receive a battle tested RED Komodo-X camera to jumpstart their careers. RED Digital Cinema is a technical sponsor of the program and provides state of the art filmmaking cameras to the CCRF teams. The teams also received post-production assistance from Company3, also an industry leader in professional film post production.

For more information about the Coca‑Cola® Refreshing Films program, please visit: www.cocacolarefreshingfilms.com