American Pavilion Announces Colin Higgins Ambassador Scholarship for LGBTQ Students

The American Pavilion, www.ampav.com, celebrating 31 years as the epicenter of American hospitality and communication at the Cannes International Film Festival, will debut the first ever Colin Higgins Ambassador Scholarship for LGBTQ students interested in participating in The American Pavilion'sWorldwide Student Program at the world renowned Cannes International Film Festival, announced TODAY Julie Sisk, The American Pavilion founder/director and a champion for an inclusive film world.

The Colin Higgins Foundation is proud to partner with such a prestigious organization as The American Pavilion to announce its first ever Colin Higgins Ambassador Scholarship for LGBTQ students interested in participating in The American Pavilion's Worldwide Student Program at the world-renowned Cannes International Film Festival.

The Colin Higgins Foundation is dedicated to supporting LGBTQ youth in underserved communities and the programs and organizations that foster and build their leadership and empowerment. In addition to their grant making activities, the Foundation annually awards the Colin Higgins Youth Courage Awards for bravery in the face of discrimination, intolerance and bigotry based on sexual orientation and/or gender. Since 1993, the Foundation has awarded over 341 grants totaling over three million dollars to further the humanitarian vision of its founder, filmmaker, Colin Higgins.

Colin Higgins wrote and produced the beloved cult classic, Harold and Maude. He also wrote Silver Streak, wrote and directed Foul Play, 9 to 5 and Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. He passed away from HIV related illnesses in 1988.

"We are thrilled to partner with such a preeminent LGBTQ humanitarian organization as the Colin Higgins Foundation, who are dedicated to an underserved youth not only in our country, but in the world. We look forward to welcoming the first two Colin Higgins Ambassadors to the American Pavilion this year," states AmPav founder Julie Sisk.

Since 1989, The American Pavilion has been the de facto hospitality and communications HUB for American independents at the Cannes Film Festival, which takes place over two weeks every May in the beautiful city of Cannes on the French Riviera. Alongside unparalleled programming and other events hosted by The American

Pavilion, AmPav also hosts 200 students from schools all over the world who come to Cannes as part of the only student program officially recognized and sanctioned by the festival.

Alumni from The American Pavilion's programs include not only prominent directors such as Jeff Nichols and Ryan Coogler, but also successful executives now working at such firms as CAA, Netflix, CBS, Magnolia Pictures, and FilmNation Entertainment, all of whom credit AmPav's Worldwide Student Program as an educational game changer. You can read more about AmPav's various student programs here, and see some recent student testimonials in this brief video.

For some students, however, the program fee to participate, which includes housing and festival accreditation, is out of reach. The Colin Higgins Ambassador Scholarship aims to level the playing field by providing financial assistance to LGBTQ students who would otherwise be unable to experience this unique exclusive, industry-only opportunity.

Please join us in our search for the next deserving LGBTQ recipients of the Colin Higgins Ambassador Scholarship. If you are interested in this opportunity please contact Michael Bremer, our Director of Student Programs, for more information: mbremer@ampav.com