Whether you’re cast in a project that shoots abroad or you’re a producer on a quest for locations and tax credits, we’re all finding ourselves traversing the globe more than ever. Getting to know (and joining) our sister Women in Film & Television organizations around the country and the world can be a resource of unending value. From the quickest route to crewing-up with talented women to taking advantage of great events and programing, WIFTs around the world expand our networks and our horizons.
By Heidi Philipsen
Is true gender parity in film on the horizon? Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI) hopes so. NYWIFT member filmmaker/journalist/actress Heidi Philipsen attended the 2019 Berlinale International Film Festival, where 10% for 50/50 was introduced: a new European initiative offering rebates to gender-equal productions, led by post production house Chimney in partnership with WIFTI and Women in Film and Television Germany.
Philipsen met up with fellow NYWIFT member Adriana Shaw, founder of the streaming platform Herflix, while in Berlin, and they discussed what this initiative means for the future of the industry.
NYWIFT member Adriana Shaw (left) with German filmmaker Tara Brenninkmeyer
Heidi Philipsen: What brought you to the WIFTI/WIFT Germany Berlinale event?
Adriana Shaw: Helene Granqvist, the new President of WIFTI invited me to Berlin to meet the Presidents of the European chapters. My company, Herflix, has an agreement with WIFTI to provide a WIFTI channel on our online movie theater platform for member filmmakers. I took the opportunity to meet the chapter Presidents in person. Also, I could see that the 69th annual Berlin International Film Festival Agenda was a meaningful time to celebrate and advocate for more gender parity. Herflix became a sponsor of the event as well.
HP: Was it meaningful?
AS: Absolutely it was. The energy in that room was amazing. WIFTI President Helene Granqvist and the Post Production company Chimney representative introduced the 50/50/10 initiative signed (up to now by 20 Post Production houses world-wide) to offer productions with 50% woman’s crew a 10% deduction. Berlinale Festival Director [Dieter Kosslick] signed a 50/50 pledge for women filmmaker participation for 2020. Gale Ann Hurd shared her life successes and challenges as a female producer. But mostly, you could feel the palpable optimism in the room. And it was fun.
HP: How long have you been a NYWIFT member and what changes have you witnessed for women in film over the years?
AS: [I’ve been] a member of NYWIFT for 11 years, I believe, and before that a member of WIF LA. My good friend and mentor, Gloria Goldsmith, was a founding member of NYWIFT.
It is amazing to experience, as I have, the changes in the film markets and festivals over the last 30 years. Because of the advocacy and persistence of NYWIFT, the various Women in Film organizations, Geena Davis’ See Jane, Melissa Silverstein’s Women and Hollywood blog, and European Women’s Institutional organizations, gender parity is now front and center at the film festivals. The markets have also changed. When I began as a distributor, women’s stories were few and drama movies were only bought by government funded stations in Europe. Now female directors are promoted as an asset to a film, at least at the film markets, and we see the new digital players, Netflix, Amazon, etc. investing in her stories. What was also encouraging to see at the European Film Market at Berlinale was a significant increase of women in the ownership and leadership of the distribution companies and sales agencies.
HP: What do you hope for the future?
AS: My company, Herflix, and several others have taken on the mission to promote women directors. Ask most people to name a woman director and they can only come up with Kathryn Bigelow. That needs to change if women are to get more opportunity for the bigger budgeted movies. 3% to 4% [women directors for big budget features] in the US is better but far from where the needle has to move. Europe is ahead of us. We also still lack the access to financial capital. I believe what we all hope for is equal opportunity for ourselves, our daughters, and our professional sisters.
HP: What has WIFT done for you and your career? What do you do that you feel will reflect upon women in film?
AS: I believe its important to have a community of women to connect and share goals and dreams. We all need a club – female or male, with the like-minded. I have made friendships and business associations that I value personally as well as professionally. My participation at NYWIFT has given me a platform to explore my business ideas and be part of a movement that’s important to me. It gives me and everyone else who participates a frame around their work. When women come to me for career advice, the first thing I say in join NYWIFT or your local WIF chapter.
Additional reporting by Katie Chambers.
Heidi Philipsen
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Kash Blagrove
Welcome to NYWIFT, Kash Blagrove! Kash is a New York City–based producer with a background in advertising and a strong commitment to authenticity, diversity, and inclusion in media. Over the past decade, she has produced campaigns for major brands including eBay, European Wax Center, Peloton, and the WNBA, working across projects ranging from small-scale productions to multi-million-dollar campaigns. As a champion of body positivity, Kash brings a thoughtful perspective to her work, advocating for greater representation both in front of and behind the camera. Her work on the WNBA’s Line ’Em Up campaign earned multiple honors at the 2025 Clio Sports Awards, reflecting the real impact the project had beyond the screen. In our interview, Kash discussed her journey into producing, her commitment to inclusive storytelling, and the projects she’s excited to bring to life next.
READ MORENYWIFT Board Member Sibyl Reymundo-Santiago on Kaya, Cultural Identity, and Its Tribeca Festival Premier
With more than three decades of experience spanning film, television, theater, and festival leadership across the United States and Asia, Sibyl Reymundo-Santiago has built a remarkable career championing diverse voices and meaningful storytelling. As President of Sitting Cat Productions, Executive Director and Head of Programming for the SOHO International Film Festival, and Board Member for NYWIFT, she has dedicated her career to creating opportunities for filmmakers and bringing impactful stories to audiences worldwide. This year, Reymundo-Santiago serves as Consulting Producer on Kaya (ᜃᜌ), a powerful film featured during the 25th anniversary of the Tribeca Festival. The story follows Nia, a half-Filipina young woman who secretly trains with queer outcast Malic in hopes of joining an elite Filipino Martial Arts team and proving she is “Filipino enough.” Through themes of identity, belonging, cultural connection, and self-acceptance, Kaya explores experiences that resonate far beyond its cultural roots.
READ MOREBecky Morrison is Championing a Better Future for Film While Bringing “Stand Clear ‘ the Closing Doors” to Tribeca
As the entertainment industry continues to evolve, producers like Becky Morrison are helping lead the charge toward a more thoughtful, people-centered future in filmmaking. A producer, entrepreneur, and advocate for safer production environments, Becky brings both heart and vision to every project she touches — including Stand Clear ‘ the Closing Doors, the powerful short film making its World Premiere at the 25th anniversary of the Tribeca Festival. Set against the backdrop of New York City’s subway system, Stand Clear ‘ the Closing Doors transforms a seemingly ordinary interaction into a gripping reflection on space, respect, tension, and human behavior. The film captures the emotional complexity hidden within everyday moments, offering audiences a story that feels distinctly New York while speaking to universal experiences of dignity and connection.
READ MORENYWIFT Member Juleyka Lantigua Brings The Lorraine to Tribeca Festival’s 25th Anniversary Celebration
For filmmaker, writer, and producer Juleyka Lantigua, storytelling has always been rooted in truth, history, and the voices too often left out of the conversation. Now, the award-winning creative and proud member of New York Women in Film & Television is bringing one of those powerful stories to the forefront as an Executive Producer and Co-Writer of The Lorraine, which will have its World Premiere during the 25th anniversary of the Tribeca Festival. Through the lens of The Lorraine, Juleyka helps illuminate the legacy of the Lorraine Motel and the Bailey family, whose impact stretched far beyond the historic events forever tied to the Memphis landmark. The documentary explores Black excellence, resilience, entrepreneurship, music history, and the enduring fight for justice during one of America’s most turbulent eras.
READ MORE
2 Comments