New Media Pioneer Pplpleasr and Brut to Launch Cannes NFTs and Fundraiser for USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentBrut, an official media partner of the Cannes Film Festival, is breaking new ground by partnering with Emily Yang, a celebrated digital artist known as Pplpleasr, to release 75 Cannes-themed non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on May 2.

The proceeds will benefit the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative.The values-driven digital startup, whose backers include James Murdoch and François-Henri Pinault, is building the operation, named “75 Producer Pass NFTs,” to help make the film industry more inclusive to young female creators.“After teaming with the global video game franchise Fortnite to put Cannes in the metaverse, we’re excited to have the Cannes Film Festival brand activated for greater good and launch this pioneering NFT-fundraiser with Pplpleaser who share the same values as us,” said Guillaume Lacroix, who co-founded Brut with veteran producer Renaud le Van Kim in 2016.

Pplpleasr, a hugely popular multidisciplinary artist based in New York who has been involved in philanthropy, is creating the 75 NFT’s which will feature visuals tied to the Cannes Film Festival. “Philanthropy is a big part of my work,” said Yang, who pointed out her NFTs have previously helped raise millions of dollars to support a wide array of initiatives, fighting against Asian American hate crime, as well as supporting small businesses and free journalism.