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A coalition of high-profile LGBTQ figures has announced the launch of\u00a0The Necessary Foundation<\/strong>, a new non-profit dedicated to funding, mentoring and elevating emerging queer filmmakers at a time when industry support for diverse storytelling is under renewed political pressure.<\/p>\n The foundation – spearheaded by\u00a0Alan Cumming, Bowen Yang, Lena Waithe<\/strong>, and\u00a0Adam Goldman<\/strong>, who will also serve as executive director – was unveiled this week, with organisers stressing the urgent need to protect and nurture LGBTQ voices in film as major studios roll back diversity initiatives.<\/p>\n The move comes amid reports that entertainment companies have reduced investment in projects featuring queer representation, particularly following the political shift in the United States. Since President Donald Trump<\/strong>\u2019s return to the White House, studios have increasingly removed or sidelined LGBTQ\u2011inclusive storylines.<\/p>\n Goldman described the current climate as one defined by \u201cenormous political pressure to delete queer people from American media\u201d, warning that early\u2011career filmmakers face barriers that threaten to push them out of the industry entirely.<\/p>\n The Necessary Foundation will provide\u00a0annual grants of $20,000<\/strong>\u00a0to early\u2011career LGBTQ filmmakers creating pilots, short films or other proof\u2011of\u2011concept projects. Recipients will also gain access to mentorship from established creatives including\u00a0John Cameron Mitchell, Raphael Bob\u2011Waksberg<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Indya Moore<\/strong>, with additional industry support such as festival submission fees and curated screenings in New York and Los Angeles.<\/p>\n Bowen Yang emphasised the importance of giving queer artists not permission, but\u00a0opportunity: \u201cQueer filmmakers don\u2019t need permission, but they do need opportunity. That\u2019s what the Necessary Foundation is building.\u201d<\/p>\n Alan Cumming described the present moment as a \u201ccrisis\u201d, warning that LGBTQ representation on screen will continue to diminish unless concrete action is taken to support new queer and trans voices.<\/p>\n The foundation launches against a backdrop of decreasing on\u2011screen queer representation. According to GLAAD<\/strong>\u2019s\u00a0Studio Responsibility Report, only\u00a023.6%\u00a0of the 250 films released by major distributors in 2024 included an LGBTQ character – a\u00a03.7% drop\u00a0from the previous year. Of those characters,\u00a037% appeared on screen for less than one minute, raising concerns about the marginalisation of LGBTQ narratives.\u00a0<\/p>\n Industry experts warn that representation may fall even further as a result of long-term production timelines and the ongoing rollback of DEI programmes.<\/p>\n The founders say their aim is not just to fund filmmakers but to foster a networked community capable of resisting political and cultural pressure. The foundation also boasts an advisory board including\u00a0Bruce Cohen, Andrea Lawlor, Richard Konigsburg<\/strong>, and\u00a0Lilly Wachowski<\/strong>, further strengthening its ties to queer Hollywood.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lena Waithe underscored the collective responsibility to uplift LGBTQ storytellers \u201cWriters and storytellers need our support. I\u2019m always happy to lend it.\u201d<\/p>\n \n Scene was founded in Brighton in 1993, at a time when news stories about Pride protests were considered radical. Since then, Scene has remained proudly independent, building a platform for queer voices. Every subscription helps us to report on the stories that matter to LGBTQ+ people across the UK and beyond.\n <\/p>\n \n Your support funds our journalists and contributes to Pride Community Foundation\u2019s grant-making and policy work.\n <\/p>\nSupport independent LGBTQ+ journalism<\/h3>\n