LATEST blogs
Secrets of Film Festival Programmers
Filmmakers who spend a lot of time submitting to festivals can have a twisted view of what programmers actually do. The surprising secret? Many of them are filmmakers and buffs just like us, sitting in a room, watching films on a computer. Sometimes 20 short films in one day. NYWIFT member Cameron Kit, founder of YOYOS, a documentary storytelling company, interviewed 4 different film festival programmers from big and small festivals to get the inside scoop. What do programmers actually do? What goes on behind the laptop screen? Here are the Top 8 Programmer Secrets she discovered!
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Johanna Tolentino
Welcome to NYWIFT Johanna Tolentino! Tolentino, whose acting journey began at just 16 with a role in the iconic film Lean On Me, alongside Morgan Freeman, has made her mark in both television and film, appearing in acclaimed shows like Orange is the New Black, Law & Order SVU, and the Creed films. With a rich background in theater, she has honed her craft at the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater in New York, bringing authenticity and depth to every character she portrays. Johanna’s latest project, the web series Whatever It Takes, reflects her personal journey as a survivor of narcissistic abuse, showcasing her resilience and commitment to sharing powerful stories. As she joins the NYWIFT community, Johanna expresses her excitement about connecting with fellow women creatives who inspire and uplift one another. Let’s dive into her remarkable journey, her approach to acting, and the impactful stories she aims to tell.
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Nicole Palermo
Welcome to NYWIFT, Nicole Palermo! Based in New York, Nicole Palermo is a producer and production manager experienced in both narrative and documentary filmmaking. After studying acting in college, she and friends launched a four-episode web series and founded their production company, Talking Back Pictures. She fell in love with producing and transitioned to full-time production in 2019, moving to documentaries with Apple TV+’s The Super Models in 2021. Known for her work in the five-time Emmy Award-winning Jim Henson: Idea Man, her documentary work emphasizes flexibility in storytelling, while her narrative projects, including Seoul Swith and Pen, Again, showcase her abilities working on meticulously executed films. This fall, she is producing the short film The Daughter by Mary Ann Anane.
NYWIFT Member Spotlight: Haroula Rose
NYWIFT Member Haroula Rose is a filmmaker and musician from Chicago, now residing in Los Angeles. She just recently completed All Happy Families, her sophomore feature film as writer, director and producer. It had its international premiere in Galway and was released theatrically in late 2024 with Freestyle and AMC. Her debut feature as writer/director, Once Upon a River, based on the best-selling novel, was “One of the Most Anticipated Films” in TIME Magazine and FILMMAKER, winning 19 awards at over 40 festivals worldwide.
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