Below are just a few of the most recent accomplishments of our talented members! If you want to join this dynamic community, we hope you will consider applying for NYWIFT membership.
NYWIFT members, do you have an upcoming screening, event, campaign or other news to share? Tell us! Contact communications@nywift.org.
A mother. A daughter. A teacher. A revolutionary. And an untimely, unsolved murder. Vow of Silence: The Assassination of Annie Mae premieres November 26, only on Hulu. Former NYWIFT Board Member Yvonne Russo directed all episodes.
This true crime docuseries examines the murder of Annie Mae Aquash – a Mi’kmaq woman from Nova Scotia, Canada, a mother of two daughters, a teacher, and a revolutionary who fought for Indigenous rights in the 1970s whose death went unsolved for almost 30 years. Set between the sweeping landscape of American politics in the volatile 70s and the present-day investigation by Annie Mae’s daughter to uncover secrets from the past, this is a fascinating story of murder, intrigue, love, and betrayal that contextualizes Annie Mae’s story within the larger story of the struggle of Native and First Nations women in their own communities that continues even today. Watch the trailer!
Sandi DuBowski’s latest feature documentary film Sabbath Queen , executive produced by NYWIFT Board Member Audrey Rosenberg kicks off the US theatrical release in NYC November 22 at IFC Center in New York. Sabbath Queen is a feature documentary filmed over 21 years that follows Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie’s epic journey as the dynastic heir of 38 generations of Orthodox rabbis including the Chief Rabbis of Israel. He is torn between rejecting and embracing his destiny and becomes a drag-queen rebel and the founder of Lab/Shul—an everybody-friendly, God-optional, artist-driven, pop-up experimental congregation. SABBATH QUEEN joins Amichai on a lifelong quest to creatively and radically reinvent religion and ritual, challenge patriarchy, champion interfaith love and stand up for peace. The film interrogates what Jewish survival means in a difficult rapidly changing 21st century.
A number of screenings have prominent moderators including director/actor and NYWIFT Muse Award honoree Kyra Sedgwick who will moderate the Q &A following the 4:20P screening on Sunday November 24, author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters Priya Parker who will moderate the Q&A following the 6:50PM screening on Monday November 25, and Krista Tippett of On Being Tuesday November 26 @ 6:50PM. Buy tickets!
NYWIFT member Laura Israel and Alex Bingham, the creators of MoMA’s recent exhibit Robert Frank’s Scrapbook Footage, join Dean Hurley, a sound designer best known for his collaborations with David Lynch, to discuss Frank’s creative process as well as their own. Their installation bridges the worlds of Frank’s artistic production: the gallery, the cinema, and the printed page. It serves as a vital link between the exhibition Life Dances On: Robert Frank in Dialogue, its accompanying catalogue, and a complete retrospective of Frank’s films and videos. Moderated by MoMA curators Joshua Siegel, Lucy Gallun, and Kaitlin Booher, the conversation also features a premiere screening of Life Dances On (1980) in a new digital restoration. Watch the screening followed by a panel discussion with Laura Israel, Alex Bingham, and Dean Hurley Friday November 22 at 6:30 PM. Get tickets.
NYWIFT member Rosanne Limoncelli invites fellow members to apply to a new, innovative degree program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts—the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree in Virtual Production. Students will learn at the innovative Martin Scorsese Center for Virtual Production, opening in Fall 2024. This 9 month (September-May), full-time program will provide students an immersive, hands-on education in the emerging field of storytelling through Virtual Production. Applications close December 15, 2024. Learn more.
DELA: The Making of El Anatsui is coming to Barcelona, Spain. The biographical documentary directed by NYWIFT member Oyiza Adaba – in her feature debut – delves into the life of world-renowned Ghanaian sculptor, El Anatsui. His inner musings find vivid expression in art that defies borders and limitations, reshaping the very concept of sculpture. The documentary also emphasizes the importance of Africa’s rich artistic and cultural heritage in the pantheon of global contemporary art. Cinemes Girona will show the documentary on November 30. Get tickets.
The Premiere, the mockumentary about a documentary about a musical about a movie, will screen at 3 PM on December 15 at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor. The Premiere is the directorial debut from Sam Pezzullo and Christopher Bouckoms and the screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. You just may catch a glimpse of yourself in his film if you’ve been at a past NYWIFT Hamptons Brunch – Sam shot a whole segment featuring several NYWIFT members mingling at Mulford Farm! You can purchase tickets here.
Zen Dot is the NYWIFT member and multihyphenate (writer, lead actor, co-editor, and co-producer) behind the short film RSVP, which will screen at the Big Apple Film Festival on November 18. The premise: After the death of their family patriarch, a mother and daughter grapple with the ways in which we grieve loss, and try to move forward. Get tickets.
The Greenwich Village Film Festival is back at the Quad Cinema for its 10th edition, November 11 – 14. The festival showcases short films from all over the world. Founded by NYWIFT member Alessia Gatti, the festival extends a discount code to all NYWIFT members. Each screening is followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and an after party at the Quad Cinema Bar. Use code GVFF40 for 40% off when you get your tickets.
New York Women in Film & Television is excited to share that 4 of our members have been nominated for the 40th Artios Awards for Casting in theatre, commercials, and television. Winners will be announced on February 12, 2025. Congratulations to Liz Lewis, Destiny Lilly, Angela Mickey, and Deborah Schildt on your nominations! See the list of their nominations.
Everyone deserves to be able to see themselves on screen, in the media, and in our society as a whole. NYWIFT board member Okema T. Moore is moderating a post-screening panel at The Diversity and Inclusion Film Festival (DIFF), which aims to discover emerging storytellers and give them the opportunity to present their fresh perspectives. We believe in using film to inspire social change and connect creatives for a more equitable future. We are a resource for talent discovery and supporting filmmakers. DIFF proudly screens filmmakers of all walks of life. DIFF is here to celebrate diversity and inclusion in front of and behind the camera. NYWIFT members can attend the event for free with the discount code DIFFNYWIFT RSVP.
The “Independent, Jewish and frankly Feminist” publication Lilith Magazine recently interviewed award-winning filmmaker and NYWIFT member Roberta Pyzel following the release of her recent documentary, Dworkin. Learn more about Roberta’s process of creating the documentary about writer-activist Andrea Dworkin and read the interview.
NYWIFT member Frances McGarry sat down with actor Alyssa Simon for her podcast First Online with Fran. Alyssa Simon is an award-winning theatre and film actor, who has performed modern works, classics, cabarets and musicals in the U.S., U.K., Argentina and the Caribbean. She was selected as A Person Of The Year by Martin Denton of nytheatre.com for her acting work and she was also a Master Mason at Brick Theatre. Learn more and listen here.
Award-winning short film, Keepers of the Flame, co-produced by NYWIFT members Messeret Stroman Wheeler, Shari L. Carpenter and Tia Dionne Hodge, will be screening in NYC. Keepers of the Flame, a drama about the impact of African-American sororities, Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta, as they fight for women’s suffrage and against exclusionary practices within the suffrage movement. This film will be followed by an inspiring conversation with filmmaker, Messeret Stroman. See the film on November 2 at Von King Cultural Arts Center’s Freedom Series Movie Screening here or on November 10 at the Diversity and Inclusion Film Festival at Lincoln Center here.
NYWIFT members are invited to a conversation with Tony Award-winning producer Robin Gorman Newman moderated by NYWIFT Member Judith Balkin, Chairwoman of the NYU Alumni in Arts and Entertainment Network. During the virtual panel on November 21 at 6:30 PM, Robin will share her insider knowledge and experience, including her unexpected path to producing, what it takes to become a producer, how she chooses projects. She will also discuss how shows make it to Broadway, what theatre investors look for, the upcoming show season, theatre incubators, and more. She will also be happy to answer questions. Reserve your seat.
Have you ever wanted to produce a film but don’t know where to start? Have you ever been discouraged by the thought of all the money you would need to raise and the complexity of the process? Whether you’ve already produced a few projects or are just getting started, NYWIFT member Kara Ford‘s book How To Produce Your No/Low Budget Film, is a resourceful guide on managing a production from script to screen. The book is available to order on Amazon.
NYWIFT Board Member Gretchen McGowan‘s memoir Flying In – My Adventures in Filmmaking hits shelves on Oct 29! It’s the grit and glam of 1990s New York City—a heyday for independent movies. Wall Street throws money at indie films and big stars flock to them for prestige. Everyone wants to be a producer. Eyewitness to it all is Gretchen McGowan, a budding producer, here to relay her often humorous and absurd stories from the inside out.
From the scrappy freelance work on location in Vietnam, Costa Rica, Spain, and Buffalo in the ’90s to the seasoned studio executive jobs in Jordan, Germany, and New York City in the ’00s, Flying In is a ride-along from script discovery through premiere night. Follow McGowan as she produces films with directors like Jim Jarmusch, Brian De Palma, Mary Harron, and James Ivory with the gamut of stars from Mickey Rourke and Shelley Winters to Cate Blanchett and the Wu Tang Clan. Watch the book trailer and pre-order the book now!
NYWIFT Board Member Gretchen McGowan also produced the feature documentary 64 Days. From the filmmaker embedded with the Proud Boys, and who was called to testify before the January 6th Committee with his exclusive footage, this is a firsthand account of the conspiracy to steal the election. Through never-before-seen footage, exclusive access to the proud boys, eyewitness reports, unreported emails, videos, social media posts, interviews with politicians on both sides of the aisle, and unprecedented access to the investigators supporting the January 6 Committee, 64 DAYS chronicles the most important period of our modern republic—the 64 democracy-bending days between the election and the devastating January 6th insurrection. Stream now on Vimeo, check out select in-person screenings, and learn more here.
NYWIFT member Eldonie Mason is hosting Your Life, Your Estate, Your Legacy, a FREE informative webinar on estate planning on October 30 at 6 PM via Zoom. NYWIFT members are invited to get tips on planning in the event of incapacity, naming guardians for children and using estate planning to create generational wealth. Register now.
Girl Haunts Boy starring Peyton List and Michael Cimino is out on Netflix and recently hit the Top 10 list. The family-friendly Halloween flick was co-produced by NYWIFT member Sirad Balducci with a team of all-women department heads. Congratulations, Sirad! Watch the trailer. Stream now.
NYWIFT member Shoshanna Gleich invites fellow members to attend Dharma Friends on October 28 at 6:30 PM where she will be honored as guest artist. Shoshanna will share her debut film No Thank You I’ll Twist Some More and perform a sneak preview of an original song to be released on all music platforms in 2025. The event will be held live at Tibet House NYC at 22 West 15th street. Dharma Friends is a monthly community event dedicated to creating spiritual community through meditation, art, Dharma, and embodiment practices. Purchase tickets.
NYWIFT member Shanna Riker is seeking contributions for her short film Speechless. Speechless is a whimsical piece that centers around the loss of a childhood friend and first love. Jake and Allison struggle to navigate this newfound grief only to find that they process it differently. Using light and color shifts to guide the viewer in the emotional journey, Speechless touches on themes of grief, friendship, and the importance of mental health awareness. This film is the third in our series, Support on Screen, which showcases films designed to help provide a safe space for people so they don’t have to feel alone in this world. The ultimate goal of this film is to distribute it to mental health facilities to be used as a support tool. Support this film.
Mark your calendars for the YoFiFest screening of Concrete Rose, a documentary short by NYWIFT member Amanda Ramirez, on Sunday, November 10 at 6 PM at YoFi Digital Media Art Center. This documentary short follows Christina Green’s journey from incarceration to empowerment as she leads a supportive housing program, highlighting resilience and community in the face of systemic injustice. Enter promo code Yo24FM for 25% off tickets. Get tickets.
Five Flights has been named an official selection at the Ocktober Film Festival. It will screen on Saturday, October 26 at 12:45 PM as part of a shorts program. The film is written by Kathleen Kaan and produced by Vanessa Cordova-Corwin (both NYWIFT members). Tickets for screenings are free! All movie screenings will take place at Stuart Cinema. Get your free tickets here.
The 20th annual Arab-American Comedy Festival is running from October 17-19 at Joe’s Pub. Comedienne, multi-hyphenate, and past NYWIFT Muse Honoree Maysoon Zayid co-founded this festival, which has been a powerful platform for Arab-American artists since 2004. Each year, the festival shines a spotlight on the vibrant talent of comedians, writers, and actors within the community, attracting national attention from outlets like ABC News, The New York Times, and Entertainment Weekly. Get tickets.
NYWIFT member Kat Rohrer‘s first narrative feature What a Feeling will be screening in NYC on October 18 at New Fest Film Festival. A feel-good rom-com, What a Feeling explores finding love in middle age and discovering the limits imposed on young women can be shaken off later on. Set in Vienna and involving two non-natives with their own complex backstory, the developing relationship overcomes obstacles as two people find a better version of themselves with each other. Get tickets.
NYWIFT member Eileen Zyko Wolter co-stars in Matters this Saturday, October 12 at 2 PM as part of the lineup at the New York Shorts International Film Festival. The short follows Eugene, a once-extroverted 11-year-old, who enjoyed a vibrant life with numerous friends. However, as the unknown pandemic unfolds, a surge in Asian hate crimes shrouds his world in fear. Eugene and his mom live in constant apprehension, besieged by threats from their neighbors, surrounding community, and the entire city. Get tickets.
Here’s Yianni!, a new feature film written and directed by NYWIFT member Christina Eliopoulos, just released a new trailer. In the film, Plousia (Julia Ormond) is a loving wife who runs a little Jersey Shore diner with her husband Yianni (Joe Cortese). Her strength is tested when Yianni, whose mind and memory is fading, imagines himself to be the host of a late-night TV talk show. With humor, warmth and Plousia’s whimsical inventiveness, the couple faces the greatest challenge of their lives. The film will have its European premiere at Torino Film Festival and screen at Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) and Arpa International Film Festival (AIFF) in Los Angeles. Get tickets to the screening at FLIFF or Arpa. Watch the trailer.
NYWIFT member Janet Hyojo Oh‘s Like Clockwork, which she wrote and produced, will be having its world premiere at the New York Shorts International Film Festival on Saturday, October 12 at Cinema Village (22 East 12th Street). Like Clockwork is a contemporary retelling of Alice in Wonderland set against the backdrop of bustling New York City. In the film, grad student Ali grapples with a life-changing job offer and the unexpected union of an old fling. Attend the premiere and get tickets.
Get tix for a screening of NYWIFT member Frances Causey‘s film, Final Fight: When the Trauma of War Comes Home at the Awareness Festival in Los Angeles on October 3. Final Fight explores the impact of combat trauma and military sexual assault within the U.S. Armed Forces. The film takes a deep dive into the devastating effects of Post Traumatic Stress and undiagnosed brain trauma, with both personal stories from a diverse group of veterans and interviews with experts in the field of brain science and military deployment. The film won Best of Show at Impact Docs, Best Documentary Feature at GI Film Festival San Diego and was nominated for Best Documentary at SOHO International Film Festival. At SOHO, Frances also received the NYWIFT Award for Excellence in Documentary Directing. Get tickets.
Actress, vegan influencer and NYWIFT member Lucia Grillo invites fellow members to a free screening and US premiere of the documentary Food for Profit, produced by award-winning investigative journalist, Giulia Innocenzi. Food for Profit is the first feature documentary that exposes the links between the meat industry, lobbying and the corridors of power. The documentary denounces how Europe is transferring hundreds of billions of taxpayers’ money into the hands of intensive farms, which mistreat animals, pollute the environment, and pose a potential danger for future pandemics. Attend the free screening on September 27 at the MNN Studios Screening Room (509 W 38th St, New York, NY). Seating is Limited. Kindly RSVP to foodforprofitus@gmail.com
NYWIFT member Claire Read‘s short film Penn F—ing Station, is continuing its theatrical run at Firehouse DCTV theater in Tribeca with a final screening on September 26 at 8:30 PM. About the film: In NYC, the debate over how to fix Penn Station erupts between power brokers and residents. But what’s at stake is not just a transit hub; it’s the future of the city. Get tickets here.
NYWIFT member Mariluz Guerra-Ariza presents Body Stories: Menstrual Cycle in New York City this month! This powerful performance, part of her Body Stories Project, explores women’s deep connection with the menstrual cycle, as guided by indigenous wisdom. Women celebrate the emotional and physical rhythms that make up this beautiful cycle through each stage- menstruation, pre-ovulatory, ovulatory, and pre-menstrual. Celebrate female empowerment, Indigenous art, and storytelling in collaboration with CultureHub, La MaMa, and FABnyc on September 26 at 7 PM. Get location and other details here.
NYWIFT member Kareema Bee was recently nominated for a Rocky Mountain regional Emmy Award. Bee was honored for her work on the short-form content video Unearth Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico, featured by Travel + Leisure. Watch the video. Congratulations, Kareema!
NYWIFT Board Member and BRIC General Manager Kuye Youngblood invites fellow NYWIFT members to Empowering Democracy Through Community Media, a #BHeard Town Hall. Community media centers serve as vital spaces where communities can share their stories and perspectives through citizen journalism, advocating for their neighborhoods and promoting inclusivity across diverse cultures. In this #BHeard Town Hall, esteemed panelists will examine the function of community media and how it strengthens and preserves democracy. Join the discussion on September 26 at 6:30 PM. RSVP for free.
School of Visual Arts will host Pitch Your Scripted Television Series to the Industry Experts, a weekly 10-part, online course with entertainment career coach, talent agent consultant and NYWIFT member Jim Arnoff. The course will take place Wednesday nights, 7:30 – 9:30 PM ET – starting September 25. Participants gain amazing access to scripted showrunners, networks, production companies. Learn the ins and outs of pitching, development, what writers’ rooms are really like and how to get into one. You don’t need to be a degree student at SVA and all classes are recorded. Register today
Join NYWIFT member Marilyn Horowitz for a powerful four-part webinar series starting September 25, and create a foundation for lasting achievement. In these sessions, you’ll dive into the importance of self-acknowledgement, goal setting, and identifying and pre-solving problems before beginning your next writing or creative project! Learn more and register here.
NYWIFT member and director Taylor Coriell‘s Thank You, Places will have its world premiere at Soho International Film Fest on September 20 at 5:10 PM. The film will show at the Village East Cinema by Angelika, followed by a live Q&A. Thank You, Places is also an Official Selection for the New Jersey Webfest (screening on September 26), nominated for Outstanding Short, Best Onscreen Chemistry, Best Cinematography, and Best Director. The premise: Grant and Jimmy had a showmance. Unfortunately, the realistic Grant has now dumped Jimmy (the dreamer) before the end of the run. Now they have to make it through a performance without killing each other (or ruining an already terrible play further). Thank You Places is a love letter to theater, queer love, and the jaded and idealistic artists that are always at war inside each of us. Get tickets.
Bull Street will play at Times Square’s AMC Empire 25 from September 20-22, kicking off with a live Q&A with the director, writer and NYWIFT member Lynn Dow, on September 20. Bull Street follows LouEster Sadie Gibbs (played by newcomer Malynda Hale), a 39-year-old small-town personal injury lawyer whose mother died in childbirth. Her grandmother, Mrs. Big-Gal (Loretta Devine), has raised her in their humble family home with love and a rich spiritual tradition. When an entitled Ivy League lawyer questions their ownership of the home and its surrounding land, the stage is set for a clash of privilege against family. Get tickets.
NYWIFT member Claire Read‘s short film Penn F—ing Station, is having its theatrical release at Firehouse DCTV theater in Tribeca on September 23-26. The Firehouse DCTV screenings on Monday, September 23 at 7:30 PM and Wednesday, September 25 at 8 PM will be followed by Q&As with the director. About the film: In NYC, the debate over how to fix Penn Station erupts between power brokers and residents. But what’s at stake is not just a transit hub; it’s the future of the city. Get tickets here.
NYWIFT member Ann P. Meredith was chosen for GO Magazine‘s 100 Women We Love Class of 2024, part of their annual Pride issue. 100 WWL is an homage to the fierce women who make the world a better and more inclusive place for us all. The list includes political figures, artists, athletes, musicians, scholars, entrepreneurs, scientists, motivational speakers, and more. The magazine celebrated Meredith as an artist, writer, director, producer, fine art photographer, and filmmaker who has forged channels for others to be heard for almost 55 years. Congratulations, Ann!
Co-writer, director and NYWIFT member Mariluz Guerra-Ariza is raising funds for her project Body Stories: Marta & Fidel. The film is a heartfelt project born out of love, commitment and dedication to the healing power of cinema. Watch her video pitch to learn about her journey in creating a film that explores the mental health struggles and dreams of emerging musicians, a theme more relevant now than ever. Set against the backdrop of Atlanta, Body Stories: Marta & Fidel explores themes of identity, resilience and connection. Watch the video and support here.
