NYWIFT Blog

Cynthia’s Picks: Emmy Highlights, NYWIFT Winners, Women #NotWorthLess, Bahamas Relief

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.

PUBLISHED BY

Cynthia Lopez

Cynthia Lopez Cynthia Lopez is the Executive Director of New York Women in Film & Television and an award-winning media strategist.

View all posts by Cynthia Lopez

Comments are closed

Related Posts

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Esther Casas Roura

Welcome to NYWIFT, Esther Casas Roura! Esther is an award-winning filmmaker known for blending metaphorical storytelling with animation. Originally from Barcelona, Spain, she began her career as a molecular biologist before moving to New York and transitioning into filmmaking, focusing on animation while working across both commercial and narrative projects. She later founded Claymaniak Studios (now ECR Films) to create emotionally resonant films across stop-motion, traditional animation, and motion graphics. Her animated shorts—Check Date: An Underdog Love Story, Creamen, and FLOCKY—have screened internationally at over 150 film festivals. FLOCKY was recently shortlisted for the Goya Awards in Spain, has received 18 international awards, and has gained international recognition for its social impact. Esther is currently developing her fourth short, The Melody Within, and her first animated feature, TAO.

READ MORE

NYWIFT at Tribeca Festival: “APART” Animated Short Explores Friendship, Courage, and the Human Cost of Division

At the 25th Anniversary of the Tribeca Festival, the Shorts Program curated by Whoopi Goldberg delivered a powerful lineup of animated storytelling that continues to expand the boundaries of the medium. One of the standout selections, APART, made its world premiere at Spring Studios, offering audiences a deeply emotional lens into apartheid-era South Africa through the eyes of two young boys whose friendship is tested by a divided world. Tammy Reese and LaKisa Renee bring us exclusive interviews with writer Spike Lee and director Pola Maneli.

READ MORE

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Christina Brennan

Welcome to NYWIFT, Christina Brennan! Christina is a New York–based filmmaker whose work explores the emotional complexity of young womanhood through bold, conversation-driven storytelling. She is particularly drawn to dystopian, psychological thriller, and comedy genres, often blending tension and humor. As a recent graduate, she made her directorial debut with the short film Dear Nora, which won first place at AGBO’s No Sleep ’Til Film Festival—marking an exciting start to her creative career. In addition to her work behind the camera, Christina is the founder of Onore Films, a community dedicated to supporting and connecting young women in film through collaboration and shared resources. With experience across multiple areas of production, she approaches filmmaking as both a creative practice and a way to foster meaningful connection. In our interview, Christina discussed her journey into filmmaking, the inspiration behind Dear Nora, and her passion for building community among emerging women in film.

READ MORE

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Anna Bick Rowe

Welcome to NYWIFT, Anna Bick Rowe! Anna is an Emmy Award-winning producer and Head of Production at Smartypants Pictures, an Academy Award-winning production company based in Brooklyn. She thrives on being “multilingual” within the industry, seamlessly navigating between commercial, nonprofit, and documentary projects. Anna has worked on a wide range of high-profile projects, including serving as Executive Producer alongside Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai on Stranger at the Gate, which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2023. In addition to her documentary work, Anna has produced content for brands such as Adidas, Delta Air Lines, The Lincoln Motor Company, Macy’s, Snapchat, Cadillac, Indeed, Cooper Tires, and Ford Motor Company, as well as films for dozens for nonprofits. In our interview, Anna shared her journey into producing, what working on the Oscar-winning documentary All the Empty Rooms meant to her, and her approach to social impact storytelling.

READ MORE
JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
css.php