Help Jaden Lee go to Cannes Film Festival

UPDATE: THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED! FUNDRAISING ENDS MARCH 1!

Hello,

My name is Jaden Henderson. I am currently getting my master's degree in Arts and Entertainment Management at Pace University. Since I was younger, I have wanted to work in the entertainment industry. I have been working towards this dream since I was a child, and being in college has only heightened this goal. I got my bachelor's degree from Rhodes College, where I graduated cum laude in International Business and Theatre. During my senior year, I interned for the film commission in Memphis, focusing primarily on location scouting and contacting local businesses. This internship was a wonderful experience that helped me realize how much I enjoy exploring new areas, meeting new people, and working more behind the scenes in the film and television industry. My internship also increased my interest in working internationally.

As I was finishing up my first semester of grad school, receiving a 4.00 GPA, I was given the fantastic opportunity to be a part of the American Pavillon's student program at the Cannes Film Festival. This program invites students from the country to spend two weeks of the festival in Nice, France. We will work inside the festival to get hands-on experience and network with industry professionals.

The festival's student program is put on by the American Pavillion, which is an organization that serves as a hospitality and communications hub for the thousands of Americans attending the Cannes Festival. The American Pavillion student program is also the only student-based program recognized by the festival, which provides the students that are going a once-in-a-lifetime experience with unlimited access to events happening during the festival. All students get job placements either inside the pavilion, where one could be working in the service industry and assisting with round table events, or outside the pavilion, where students could work in different marketing departments for various studios, between the networking opportunities with industry professionals and practical job-like placements that could lead to actual work experience. The possibilities of what could come from working at this festival are endless. I knew going into undergrad that I wanted my business degree to be internationally based because I believe there are more stories to be told internationally. Cannes Film Festival is the best place to see these stories and work with the business departments that help them reach a wider audience. The Cannes Film Festival Student Program will significantly impact my academic interest as I can learn more about the industry's business side and see how different departments work together to prepare films for international releases.

Looking at cost and expenses, it will cost about $6,500 to go. The program is $4,000, including our breakfast, housing, and the festival's cost. On average, plane tickets are about $1,600 (time to start building those frequent flyer miles). Then an additional $900 for food and toiletries for the rest of the two weeks. Any amount given would be greatly appreciated, and thank you for being a part of my journey or, should I say, the start of my career!

Thanks for being a part of my village,

Jaden Lee