Jackson Heights, New York
September 26, 2024
2:30 am
Police sirens are working overtime tonight and ambulances headed toward Elmhurst Hospital are racing and for a few minutes I remember life in my apartment during the pandemic. I can’t sleep. Does that happen to you when you are inspired and feel like there is still so much to do?
NYWIFT has had an incredible FinanceHER Institute today in partnership with The New School and the NYC Mayor’s Office of the Media and Entertainment. This is our 5th FinanceHer and we have partnered with The New York Times, 100 Women in Finance, Lincoln Center, and now The New School. We wish to thank all the talented, visionary, and dedicated speakers who work every day to create, fund, and distribute media that reflects our society. It takes courage to take risks to achieve, especially when it feels impossible to thrive in the current political and economic circumstances. Special thanks to our opening and closing keynote filmmakers Jennifer Esposito and Violet Du Feng: your bravery and honesty are testimonies that this work is achievable and moves our industry forward. To learn more about Jennifer, please visit freshkillsmovie.com. To learn more about Violet, visit: www.hiddenlettersfilm.com.
From left: Jennifer Esposito, MOME Commissioner Pat Swinney Kaufman, NYWIFT CEO Cynthia Lopez, The New School Dean Vladan Nikolić, and NYWIFT Board Member & New School Professor Neyda Martinez at the 2024 NYWIFT FinanceHER Institute Part 2 (photo by Avis Boone)
Stay tuned to the NYWIFT member newsletter every Thursday for funding deadlines and financing opportunities. (Not a member yet? Join us.)
We thank our incoming NYWIFT Board Chair Kim Jackson and Board Member Neyda Martinez for your vision, the entire team at The New School, and Rashiek and the NYWIFT crew of dedicated folks who make these networking opportunities beneficial for our members, the industry, and for the next generation of content makers.
It was an action-packed September for NYWIFT. I moderated a panel for the first time at Hispanic TV Week interviewing John Leguizamo, creator of PBS’s American Historia, director Ben DeJesus, and Luis Ortiz of Latino Public Broadcasting. It was riveting to hear and see clips of the series that redefines what we understand our American History and the contributions of Latinos people. Check it out on PBS.
NYWIFT CEO Cynthia Lopez and Former Board Member Christine Bragan at the Hispanic TV Summit (Photo by Mark Reinertson)
Next was our final installment of our Science in Motion six-part series presented in partnership at BAM, supported by the National Science Foundation and the NEA. (Delayed from earlier this year due to snow!) We had an exciting time with a packed theater! We showed the brilliant documentary Space: The Longest Goodbye, followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Ido Mizrahy and astronaut Cady Coleman, followed by a signing of Coleman’s book Sharing Space, available now through Penguin Random House.
Lucky me… I was a science kid and interviewing an award-winning writer and astronaut was the highlight of my career – first Dr. Ellen Ochoa at our Summit and then Cady Coleman at BAM… life is really good sometimes. The audience and I were mesmerized by all the aspects of space travel we never even thought about or could have imagined.
Next, I was asked to moderate a Listening Tour coordinated by MNN, where more than 30 organizations represented by women gave the MNN executive board members Kavery Kaul and Terry Lawler, CEO Joe Hall, and newly appointed Chief Content Officer Sharese Bullock-Bailey their thoughts on potential strategies to get the word out about partnerships, the facilities, and future curriculum-based work.
NYWIFT members at the NYWIFT Night Out at Stuart Cinema (Photo by Ise White)
If you missed it, next was NYWIFT’s Night Out in Brooklyn at Stuart Cinema – over 130 people gathered at the theatre. We were hosted by the theater’s owner, curator, and NYWIFT Board Member Emelyn Stuart. The evening was upbeat, cool, and rich with networking opportunities. We loved the tour of the facilities and the outdoor alley overlooking the Brooklyn waterfront. We screened member A. Lauren Lee’s fun short Halmoni’s Pot and enjoyed bites made by Emelyn’s mother. A true community and indie evening! Thank you so much, Emelyn, for your hospitality and vision. We can’t wait to see what your new and updated facilities will become. Adelante.
We rocked it with the NYWITT Member Screening of shorts films at the Soho Film Festival. NYWIFT Board Member Sibyl Reymundo-Santiago, who is Executive Director and Head of Programming for the fest, once again provided us with the opportunity to showcase our shorts featuring work by members Fredgy Noël, Shoshana Rosenbaum, Liz Maestri, Robin Noonan-Price, Jezabel Montero, Molly Gazay, and Eileen McQueen. Katie moderated a lively conversation with the whole group, followed by a fun reception at Sugar Mouse, replete with pizza, drinks, pool tables, and foosball!
The NYWIFT Showcase at the 2024 SOHO Film Fest (photos by Cynthia Lopez)
Last, we partnered with POV and Black Public Media to present the opening night of the New York premiere of the powerful documentary The Body Politic at DCTV last Friday. Several of the film’s subjects – including visionary Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott – were in attendance to discuss creative and positive ways to engage community to curb gun violence. The diverse audience, which included NYWIFT members, filmmakers, and even law enforcement, had an enriching conservation moderated by BPM Executive Director and NYWIFT Board President Leslie Fields-Cruz, with Mayor Scott himself joyfully running the mic through the audience.
Outgoing NYWIFT Board President Leslie Fields-Cruz at last week’s board transition dinner (Photo by Cynthia Lopez)
Be sure to catch us at the NY Greek Film Expo in the coming weeks, where we are proud to partner with the Hellenic Film Society, now headed by our own past NYWIFT Board Member Mary Miles.
And of course, we hope to see you this Saturday where we return to the Hamptons for our annual brunch and short film showcase.
Wild, informative, creative and exciting things are always happening at NYWIFT. Be part of the sisterhood and join us…
Adelante,
Cynthia Lopez
CEO, NYWIFT
