Cannes: Outlyer Group, Backed by Chris Martin, Seeks to “Showcase” and “Empower” Differently-abled Talent
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There’s always a reason to raise a glass during the Cannes Film Festival, but Emmanuel Kelly offered up one more on Friday with the launch of the Outlyer Group.
Billed as the first IP-based development and production company created to “showcase, empower and enable differently-abled talent across the world,” Outlyer’s content mission focuses on true inclusivity in film, television and music and helping end stigmas around people with disabilities. Outlyer will rep talent through three divisions: Outlyer Talent Agency, Outlyer Record Label and Outlyer Film and TV Production House.
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Kelly, a differently-abled singer, actor, speaker and entrepreneur, is partnered in the vision with blind film director, actor, writer and co-founder Adam Morse and public relations and communications expert Tim Lucas Allen, an Outlyer co-founder.
The Outlyer Group has received endorsements from a list of boldfaced names including Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who is heading up the advisory board. The board also includes superstar DJ Paul Oakenfold, NCIS writer and producer Scott Williams, Coach CEO Rhett Power, former president of DKNY and FUBU Bernt Ullmann, Global Citizen Forum CEO Talimka Yordanova, Deekay Music co-founder Lars Jensen and Columbus Children’s Foundation’s Laura Hameed.
The team actually did raise many glasses of Bodvar House of Roses in Cannes on Friday during a launch celebration event that hosted stars Jimmy Akingbola, Louis Pisano and Nanna Blondell. Groove Armada’s Tom Findlay handled the music.
Martin, appearing virtually, offered, “I’d like to say thank you to all of you who have so generously helped to make this event come together and we’re so proud to be able to launch it here today with all of you in Cannes. We feel super excited to have this opportunity to highlight the incredible talent that differently-abled and disabled people bring to the entertainment industry and to proactively work to create a more diverse industry for people.”
On the launch, Outlyer partnered with Think-Film Impact Production, an impact media organization founded by Danielle Turkov Wilson. The firm will deliver strategic impact value assessments for Outlyer’s media projects, as well as impact distribution, marketing and partnerships.
As for Kelly, he kept a busy schedule during Cannes, appearing at this week’s Global Gift Gala hosted by Eva Longoria. At the event, he received a humanitarian honor.
The Hollywood Reporter served as the media sponsor for Outlyer’s launch event in Cannes.
Credit: Bini Nandra of #WeAreRealmless/Courtesy of Outlyer Group
