Producers Guild of America Announces 2024 Debra Hill Fellowship Recipient Karen Madar

Madar Was Presented with the Award by Producers Deniese Davis and Lucienne Papon at the Annual Reception in Honor of the Legacy of Debra Hill

LOS ANGELES (October 18, 2024) - Last night, the Producers Guild of America announced Karen Madar as its 2024 Debra Hill Fellowship recipient. Madar was honored during a reception at UTA in Beverly Hills, where she was presented with the Fellowship by producers and Debra Hill Fellowship Committee Chairs Deniese Davis and Lucienne Papon.

Debra Hill was best known for her groundbreaking work producing and co-writing Halloween, which remains one of the most profitable independent films of all time. Hill was passionate about uplifting and mentoring the next generation of aspiring producers. She was also an advocate for producers’ creative rights, female representation in entertainment, and environmental issues. After her passing in 2005, the Producers Guild of America Foundation established the Debra Hill Fellowship to honor her legacy by inspiring emerging producers.

“Since 2005, the PGA has been committed to honoring Debra Hill’s legacy by encouraging and cultivating the next generation of producers and executives,” said Producers Guild of America CEO Susan Sprung. “Throughout her career, Debra was dedicated to mentoring producers. We are incredibly proud that Deniese and Lucienne, who previously received the Fellowship and have gone on to have successful producing careers, are carrying on her legacy by chairing the selection process of the Debra Hill Fellowship.”

Karen Madar is a dual MBA/MFA graduate from NYU Stern and Tisch. Prior to moving to New York, she graduated with a BSc in Politics and History from the London School of Economics. In 2022, she received the Media Services Producing Award for her graduate film portfolio, which included SKIN CAN BREATHE by Chheangkea (HBO's Asian Pacific American Visionaries winner and streaming on Max) and LET by Alyssa Loh (SXSW Official Selection). She is currently in post-production for Chheangkea's next short, supported by the Fonds Image de la Francophonie, while developing his first feature, LITTLE PHNOM PENH (HamptonsFilm Screenwriters Lab, NYU Purple List). She is also in post-production for Pepi Ginsberg's upcoming short, WASSUPKAYLEE, made with the support of ARTE, the CNC and the Region of Normandy. Madar is driven by the creative goal of making films that deeply resonate on a human level while introducing audiences to unfamiliar people, places, stories, and societies. She got her start working at a film production company in Paris and as an associate producer on SISTERS IN ARMS by Caroline Fourest.

As the recipient of the Debra Hill Fellowship, Madar will receive a $5,000 grant to support her filmmaking. She will also receive a $2,500 travel certificate from Delta Air Lines, a valued sponsor of the PGA, and a complimentary pass to the 2025 Produced By Conference.

The Debra Hill Fellowship is awarded annually to individuals completing an accredited graduate degree in producing. The grant varies in size and is meant to aid in the advancement of the recipient’s career in producing. Past recipients of the Fellowship include:

• Maggie M. Bailey, Director and Producer, Moving Together (2023 Dance on Camera Festival at Lincoln Center)
• Asia Coleman, Development Executive for Narrative Feature and Episodic Entertainment at Rodger Dodger Studios
• Rob Cristiano, Founder of Inside Voices, The Miseducation of Cameron Post (Co-Producer), Blue Boy (Producer)
• Eleonore Dailly, Owner, Autopilot Entertainment, Dangerous Liaisons (Producer), Mixte (Executive Producer)
• Jessica Daniels, Jessica Daniels Casting and former Vice President of Casting at Walt Disney Television
• Deniese Davis, Founder/CEO of Reform Media Group, Producer, Insecure, A Black Lady Sketch Show, Rap Sh!t
• Ashleigh Foster, Writer/Producer/Head of Development at Honora Productions
• Montserrat Gomez, Vice President of Drama Development at NBCUniversal
• Jacob Jaffke, MaXXXine (Producer, p.g.a.), Pearl (Producer, p.g.a.), X (Producer, p.g.a.), Dream Scenario (Producer)
• Monique Keller, Head of Development at Dreamchaser
• Diego Najera, Producer, Please Hold, Liberty
• Lucienne Papon, President/Producer, Loopdilu Ventures
• Zofia Sablinska, Production Coordinator at The Match Factory GmbH
• Rachel Vine, Film/TV/Fiction Writer

For additional information on supporting the Fellowship, please contact pgaadmin@producersguild.org.