A Decade In, The Writers Lab for Women and Nonbinary Screenwriters Aged 40+ Expands Its Reach with Canada Lab, Guest Speakers, and New Industry Alliances
New York, NY – July 31, 2024 – The Writers Lab today announced that renewed support from steadfast champion Meryl Streep will enable 14 writers across 12 projects to attend its tenth annual lab. With Labs now operational in the US, Canada, UK and Europe, The Writers Lab is still the only program in the world dedicated exclusively to elevating the work of women and nonbinary screenwriters over forty. In an industry that systematically excludes creators based on age and gender, their continued support opens doors for writers in the prime of their skills and insights.
New alliances include Canadian partners Firecracker Department and the Female Eye Film Festival, alongside US industry jurors, including Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor and director Kyra Sedgwick, and production companies Hyde Park Entertainment (Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance) and Tinygiant, Executive Producers of Good One, the only film that played both Sundance and Cannes Directors Fortnight in 2024.
The Lab has an impressive success rate, proving the value of experience, expertise and script development to generate quality content. Three Lab projects have been produced and released, with another twenty-six currently in various stages of pre-production. Of the program’s 179 alumnae, 37 have been signed by representation and 33 hired to write – numbers that far exceed the industry average, confirming the curatorial skills and program value of the endeavor.
“Out-of-touch gatekeepers and reductive algorithms narrow the range of stories and ignore the interests and appetites of women over 40—who are 25% of the world market and control $19 billion in household spending. That’s short-sighted and bad business, and it diminishes social discourse,” said co-founder Elizabeth Kaiden.
“Congratulations to this year’s cohort, who join an esteemed group of women storytellers who have become part of The Writers Lab’s legacy. These talented artists offer a unique perspective we can’t wait to share with the rest of the world.” said Cynthia Lopez, CEO, New York Women in Film & Television
The 14 selected women screenwriters over 40 (listed below) will gather in early November in Saugerties, NY, and will focus on tools and strategies to navigate the ever-shifting landscape of professional opportunities and build sustainable careers. Writers will work with accomplished women creatives to elevate their craft.
Charmaine Colina, Booked (Half-Hour)
Yvonne Condes, Hacienda del Sol (One-Hour)
Johanna Factor, Metamorphosis (One-Hour)
Angelle Gullett, Cumberland Gap (One-Hour)
Claire Ince, Night Catch (Feature)
Eliza Kennedy & Nicole Newnham, Control Your Wife, Mr. Wilson (Feature)
Tiffany Lo & Ethel Lung, Mom Died (One-Hour)
Thato Mwosa, Rati (Feature)
Heidi Nyburg, Fab Girls (One-Hour)
Molly Rydzel, Skin Contact (Half-Hour)
Cathriona Slammon, Eater (One-Hour)
Cheri Steinkellner, Betwixtmas (Feature)
TWL Mentors and Guests include Susan Cartsonis (What Women Want), Lisa Cortés (Little Richard: I Am Everything), Anya Epstein (The Affair), Amy Fox (The Conners), Pamela Gray (Megan Leavey), Rita Hsiao (Mulan), Meg LeFauve (Inside Out, 1 & 2), Mary Jane Skalski (American Animals), Robina Lord-Stafford (Moonshine), Shelby Stone (The Chi), Robin Swicord (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Pat Verducci (True Crime), Anna Winger (Unorthodox) and Jamie Zelermyer (Boys Don’t Cry). Mentors for the Canada Lab include Morwyn Brebner (Coroner), Jessie Gabe (Hudson and Rex), Allana Harkin (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee,), Wendy Litner (How to Buy a Baby), Shannon Masters (The Sticky), and Carolyn Taylor (Baroness von Sketch, I’ve Got Nothing).
The Writers Lab is produced by cofounders Elizabeth Kaiden and Nitza Wilon, with partners New York Women in Film & Television, the Writers Guild of America, East, The Black List, Falco Ink, Film Fatales, Roadmap Writers, and Untamed Stories. The only lab in the world devoted exclusively to script development for women screenwriters over the age of 40, The Writers Lab is grateful to supporters Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, the Lynch Hall Charitable Foundation and the Alex & Meg Weidner Family Foundation.
ABOUT THE WRITERS LAB
Cofounded by Elizabeth Kaiden and Nitza Wilon, The Writers Lab is dedicated to developing and promoting narrative scripted content written by diverse women over the age of 40. With industry veterans, the Lab elevates the work of women screenwriters in their prime through mentorship, advocacy and exposure. Alumni have been staffed in writers rooms, signed with managers and agents, landed deals and moved their scripts into production. In addition to the flagship US Lab, TWL now produces Labs for women writers over 40 in Canada, the UK and Europe. The Writers Lab is grateful to supporters Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, the Cornelia T Bailey Foundation, The Lynch Hall Charitable Fund and the Meg & Alex Weidner Family Foundation, and is presented in partnership with New York Women in Film & Television, in collaboration with the Writers Guild of America, East, and with allies Falco Ink, Film Fatales, Roadmap Writers, and The Black List. The Writers Lab is a nonprofit 501c3 public charity.
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