Emmy Highlights: Kudos to both Alex Borstein and Michelle Williams, who used their Emmy platforms to remind us all – especially women – how advocating for yourself can contribute to the greater good and lift others up in the process.
NYWIFT Winners: Congrats to the NYWIFT members who won Emmys last week: Lydia Tenaglia (Executive Producer, Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown – Outstanding Informational Series or Special); Julie Cohen and Betsy West (Producers) and Amy Entelis (Executive Producer, RBG – Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking); Amy Entelis (Executive Producer, United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell – Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program); and Deborah Wallach (Sound Supervisor, Free Solo – Outstanding Sound Editing for a Non-fiction Program, Single or Multicamera).
Women #NotWorthLess: Last week, women writers, producers and assistants across Twitter started the trending hashtag #NotWorthLess, sharing their personal stories of pay inequality. It was sparked by screenwriter Adele Lim’s recent decision to walk away from the Crazy Rich Asians sequel in protest of being paid less than her male co-writer.
Bahamas Relief: The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) is a community event that brings Hollywood to The Bahamas December 9-15th, surrounding audiences with a complete film experience, rubbing shoulders with film professionals and the opportunity to network with the who’s who of cinema. This year, BIFF will contribute all revenue after expenses towards Hurricane Dorian Relief for Hope Town, Abaco. In addition, proceeds from BIFF ticket sales will go directly to assisting students affected by Hurricane Dorian with school uniforms, supplies and assistance with school tuition. To donate to BIFF Hurricane Relief please feel free to provide your donation to “Friends Of BIFF” non-profit: EIN 47-2255914.
Cynthia Lopez
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Stephanie Mishelle Ard
Welcome to NYWIFT, Stephanie Mishelle Ard! Stephanie Mishelle Ard is a Texas-born, Brooklyn-based, multi-hyphenate storyteller, who works both in-front-of and behind the camera. Her work as a Director, Producer, Writer, and Actress spans narrative film, unscripted series, documentary, music videos, and branded content. Her debut short film, That Day, premiered at Berlinale 2016 and her most recent work, Shelly Belly, had its New York premiere at the Greenwich Village Film Festival this past November. In Stephanie's branded work, she has had had the opportunity to work with major brands and entertainment clients like HBO Max, DC Comics, State Farm, Travel Channel, and Warner Bros. Stephanie’s highest career aim is to tell impactful stories that unify us around the human spirit and spread empathy, while continuing to create opportunities for women and underrepresented groups to work in this industry and tell their stories through film and television. In addition to creating film magic, Stephanie loves to spend her time cooking, doing home-improvement DIY activities or crafts, and snuggling her cat Swayze (that is, when Swayze allows the snuggles 😼). Get to know her in our latest interview!
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Cecilia R. Mejia
Welcome to NYWIFT, Cecilia R. Mejia! Cecilia R. Mejia was born and raised in Brooklyn, a first-generation Filipino-American. She has worked in development for several non-profit organizations, including NGOs affiliated with the United Nations. She’s worked with several grassroots organizations focusing on underrepresented communities, which lead to her working on a short documentary about the struggles of detained undocumented families, jumpstarting her film career. Cecilia has produced a number of short films focusing on critical social impact issues like mental health and gender inequality. She’s won several awards as the lead producer for the upcoming Yellow Rose and as Social Impact Producer for the award-winning doc Call Her Ganda. She currently serves as the creative lead on several other projects working on the creative, funding and social impact components of films. Now, she is Vice President of External Affairs, American Documentary | POV. Cecilia is combining her love of film with the goal of focusing on social impact stories that inspire change, most specifically with under-resourced youth through her non-profit organization Art of Me as creative director, helping students turn their stories into high-quality short films. Get to know her in our latest interview!
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Emily Bennett
Welcome our new NYWIFT member, Emily Bennett! Writer/Director Emily Bennett is an Academy-recognized screenwriter and award-winning director, notably winning a Fangoria Chainsaw Award for her debut horror/thriller Alone With You. Her films have screened at festivals such as Sitges, Fantasia, Fantastic Fest, Brooklyn Horror and BIFAN. Bennett's debut feature Alone With You was produced with Andrew Corkin’s and Theo James’ Untapped Productions (Martha Marcy May Marlene) and premiered at Fantastic Fest in 2021. As an actress, audiences can see Bennett in Chris Stuckmann’s NEON acquired debut feature film Shelby Oaks, produced by horror legend Mike Flanagan. Bennett is repped by Antonio D’Intino at Spectrevision and former CAA agent/entertainment lawyer Marc Von Arx of Nelson Davis LLP. Emily sat down with us to discuss her directing philosophy and her love of genre.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Safiya Songhai
Welcome to NYWIFT, Safiya Songhai! Safiya's cinematic journey is a blend of inspiration, resilience, and the drive to bring authentic stories to the screen. Raised by a pioneering mother in the television industry, Safiya's work as a director is deeply influenced by her upbringing and her commitment to telling stories that highlight love, unity, and the power of Black families. As a television anchor, award-winning director, and university professor, she brings a wealth of experience and passion to both her creative endeavors and her mentorship of aspiring filmmakers. In this article, Safiya shares the themes that shape her storytelling, the challenges she’s overcome, and how she empowers the next generation of filmmakers to tell impactful stories.
READ MORE
Comments are closed