NYWIFT Blog

Christine Vachon and Sheila Nevins

If you’ve ever attended a NYWIFT Power Player Breakfast you know what a unique experience it is – a crack of dawn opportunity to absorb the sage advice of a seasoned industry professional over a cup of coffee and croissant.

Our most recent Power Player Breakfast speaker Christine Vachon, the power behind Killer Films, will received a life time achievement award from the Stony Brook Film Festival. She recently joined the faculty of Stony Brook Southampton Arts on Long Island. She is quoted as saying on becoming a teacher,

“The road that I traveled isn’t really the right road anymore,” Vachon said in an interview at Stony Brook. “What does stay constant is to tell the stories that you want to tell and really stick to that. And these days there’s so much opportunity. I would tell [students] to be platform agnostic and be life agnostic. There are so many ways to get your story out there, don’t become obsessed with a theatrical release.”

And on winning the award she jokes, “Aren’t I too young to be getting this?” With over 70 films made in 20 years we think she deserves it.

If you missed the Spring Power Player Breakfast with Vachon, make sure to sign up for the Fall Power Player Breakfast with Sheila Nevins, the power behind HBO documentaries. Famous for sending the Taxicab Confessions’ Emmy to Commissioner of the NY Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment (MOME) Katherine Oliver, Nevins and HBO Documentaries is at the center of the thriving NY documentary scene.  And by the way, Katherine Oliver is a NYWIFT member as well.  Are you?

Visit the NYWIFT website to learn more about Power Player Breakfasts or to apply to become a member.