The Museum of the Moving Image invites NYWIFT members to Come Alive: The Films of Lana Wilson, a retrospective of the visionary director’s work from November 22-24. Throughout five features and two episodic series, she’s pushed the bounds of each form, devising singular storytelling strategies and summoning the creative spirits motivating (and often troubling) those she’s filmed. This early-career retrospective celebrates her patient look at third-trimester abortion doctors and their patients, After Tiller (co-directed by Martha Shane); her unusually intimate, unmistakably feminist portraits of superstars Taylor Swift (Miss Americana) and Brooke Shields (Pretty Baby); and her sui generis, impeccably crafted works of heart-swollen humanism such as The Departure and her latest, Look into My Eyes. Get 10% off on tickets with code wilson10. Please note that Look into My Eyes is free with RSVP and Pretty Baby is free with Museum admission. Get tickets.
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.
Here’s Yianni!, a new feature film written and directed by NYWIFT member Christina Eliopoulos, is the closing night film for Dances With Films festival. 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 screen at Regal Union Square on Sunday, December 8 at 7:30 PM. Get tickets.
The Premiere, the mockumentary about a documentary about a musical about a movie, will be screening 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.
Screenwriter, director and NYWIFT member Maura Garnett‘s short film Disoriented will screen at the Big Apple Film Festival on November 20 at 5:45. The film will be featured as part of the festival’s Women Filmmakers Block. The short film follows three individuals after a phone call they cannot help but answer changes their lives forever. The news of a death, illness, and a breakup, leaves them each feeling disoriented. Now they must face the struggle of returning to reality after receiving the tragic news. Get tickets.
The Film Lab (also known as the Asian American Film Lab) is excited to announce the nationwide premiere of the 18th season of Film Lab Presents, hosted by Jennifer Betit Yen, airing Sundays starting December 1. This season will showcase the exceptional talent from the 2024 72 Hour Shootout filmmaking competition, bringing diverse voices and stories to over one million viewers across the country. This season also includes a special, made-for-TV standalone episode airing on December 8. Hey Ladies, a biting satire that presents a world where privilege can be boxed and sold as a commodity. Dedicated to promoting gender parity in filmmaking, this season showcases exceptional women across all filmmaking roles.
The 2024 Film Lab Presents will broadcast on CrossingsTV via Comcast and Spectrum in New York at 6 PM (local time) December 1-8. Learn more.
Angelika Film Center invites NYWIFT members to see Barry Keoghan, Franz Rogowski, and newcomer Nykiya Adams star in the Cannes Film Festival and TIFF Official Selection BIRD. 12-year-old Bailey lives with her single dad, Bug, and her brother, Hunter, in a squat in North Kent. Bug doesn’t have much time for his kids, and Bailey, who is approaching puberty, seeks attention and adventure elsewhere. BIRD is a tender, striking fable from Academy Award-winner Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank, American Honey). Watch the trailer here. BIRD opens in New York on Friday, November 8. The first member to contact membership@nywift.org about the film will win a FREE pair of tickets to a screening on November 10. Learn more and get tickets.
AMT Film Festival is screening Choice in midtown Manhattan! NYWIFT member Dawn Young wrote, cast, and acted in the lead role in this short film, co-produced with Vanessa Thorpe, directed by Kaye Tuckerman, and shot in Suffern, NY. Choice will screen on November 9, at 11:30 during Block C. Get your ticket here.
Filmshop is celebrating the 15th anniversary of Filmshop Presents—our annual showcase of new work from talented filmmakers. This year’s theme is Last Day on Earth, and the event promises an unforgettable mix of comedy, drama, and thought-provoking films that will make you reflect on what you’d do if it were your final moments on Earth. Celebrate the anniversary on November 9 at 4:30 PM. 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.
SAG-AFTRA and The Robin Williams Center invite NYWIFT members to join two conversations and career retrospectives with prolific actors. The first: A Career Retrospective with Fred Williamson on November 11 at 2 PM. Sign up and learn more here. Use password THEHAMMER to RSVP.
The second: A Career Retrospective with J.K. Simmons on November 13 at 7 PM. Sign up and learn more here. Use password REDONE to RSVP.
Zen Dot is the NYWIFT member and multihyphenate (writer, lead actor, co-editor, and co-producer) behind the short film RSVP, which will be screened 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.
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 member and publicist Rachel Aberly invites fellow members to a testament to the resilience of women filmmakers. Directed by Christine Swanson (The Clark Sisters) and featuring a predominantly women-led cast and crew, Albany Road is a heartfelt and humorous exploration of life’s complexities through the lens of a road trip between two very different women. Renée Elise Goldsberry stars as Celeste Simmons, a high-powered ad executive, and Lynn Whitfield plays Paula Henderson, her ex-fiancé’s strong-willed mother. Forced to share a rental car during a snowstorm, the two women confront their pasts and unravel secrets as they embark on a transformative journey. See the film at an AMC Theater near you on November 15. Purchase tickets.
Meliora International Film Festival is launching in Manhattan this November 14-17! The festival celebrates filmmakers using their art to make the world a better place. Does your movie make people smile or laugh or bring hope and inspiration? Does it increase awareness about climate change, poverty, human rights, mental health, LGBTQ+ stories, or anything else you want to start a conversation about? If so, Meliora wants to get your movie out to the world! NYWIFT members can use code MELINYWIFT for 15% off ticket prices. get tickets here.
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.
Urbanworld Festival and Innovation Summit tickets and Passes are officially on sale! Please share with your community via newsletter, social media, email, word of mouth, or even pigeon carrier! Urbanworld is a five-day festival, based in New York City, showcasing narrative and documentary features, short films, web originals, music videos, spotlight screenings and conversations, and live staged screenplay readings. The Urbanworld Innovation Summit convenes industry experts sharing insights on the evolving landscape of content creation, financing, distribution, and marketing through a series of engaging and informative panels. Stay tuned here for more information. NYWIFT members get 20% off individual movie tickets with code NYWIFTUW2420. Get tickets.
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 6 PM 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.
Tickets to the 17th Annual Bushwick Film Festival are now available! This year, the festival is slated for October 16 – October 20 and features extraordinary films by female directors. With over 1000 yearly film submissions from 60+ countries, the festival draws 5000 attendees and features the top 100 indie films from NYC and beyond. In addition to film screenings, the five-day festival includes a red carpet opening, a movie industry conference, networking events, a screenplay competition, and a closing night awards ceremony. Please use the 25% off ticket discount code: Bushwick25 This code can also be applied to selected special events (excluding opening night) upon checkout. Get tickets.
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.
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
Women in Film San Francisco Bay Area is hosting the world premiere screenings of an extraordinary documentary, The True Story of Tamara de Lempicka & The Art of Survival at the prestigious 2024 Mill Valley Film Festival. WIFSFBA is proud to support the work of its President and film director-producer-writer, Julie Rubio (some of you may remember her from the NYWIFT Virtual Hangout with WIFSFBA last year), on her groundbreaking film about the life and legacy of the iconic artist Tamara de Lempicka, and hope you’ll help us spread the word about this inspiring film. Don’t miss the chance to experience this unique blend of history and art. Join our sister organization for the film’s premiere on October 11 and 13, followed by a Q&A. Get tickets.
Join an upcoming 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.
Tickets to the 17th Annual Bushwick Film Festival are now available! This year, the festival is slated for October 16 – October 20 and features extraordinary films by female directors. With over 1000 yearly film submissions from 60+ countries, the festival draws 5000 attendees and features the top 100 indie films from NYC and beyond. In addition to film screenings, the five-day festival includes a red carpet opening, a movie industry conference, networking events, a screenplay competition, and a closing night awards ceremony. Please use the 25% off ticket discount code: Bushwick25 This code can also be applied to selected special events (excluding opening night) upon checkout. Get tickets.
NYWIFT members are invited to an exclusive after-party for writer, producer, director, and lead actress Andrea Calao’s short film, Magdalena, Te Amo. The short was longlisted at the 2024 Yugo BAFTA Student Awards and is premiering at the New York Latino Film Festival (NYLFF) on September 20. Magdalena, Te Amo tells the story of a Colombian student stripping to support herself through college in NYC, and struggling to tell her boyfriend what she does for a living. Andrea ensured that sex workers were represented both in front of and behind the camera. 75% of the film’s cast and 50% of the film’s crew are sex workers; and she assembled a diverse crew that included sex workers, NYU students, and all-female department heads. NYWIFT members can get free tickets to the after-party for NYLFF and NYC filmmakers using the code NYLFFxMTA. Get your free ticket.
The Claims Conference is co-hosting a screening of a film that they funded called The Boy in the Woods at the Center for Jewish History on September 22. There will be a panel that includes actor Richard Armitage, director Rebecca Snow and Holocaust survivor Maxwell Smart, on whose story the film is based. NYWIFT members can choose the CJH Member/Claims Conference employee discounted ticket rate of $6. Get tickets.
School of Visual Arts‘ After School Special, the free alumni film and animation festival, starts in two weeks! Featuring some of SVA’s most accomplished film, television, animation, and visual effects alumni, this multi-day festival will include screenings and Q&A’s with industry insiders that offer behind-the-scenes looks at the world of television and cinema. This year, the festival will be held in-person at SVA Theatre from September 24-29. The festival will include a screening of Hairspray (1988) on 35mm film with special guests SVA alumni Murray Hill and Julie Klausner. RSVP today.
NYWIFT member Gabrielle Lansner will have her award-winning short film I AM NOT OK, will screen at The Brooklyn Museum‘s Brooklyn Artists Exhibition, October 4 – January 26, 2025. The film has toured film festivals since 2022 and won Best Experimental Film at Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival and Best Cinedance at Minneapolis St. Paul Int’l Film Festival. I AM NOT OK is a mother and son’s response to the unending killings of Black Americans amidst the backdrop of the protest that followed the death of George Floyd. Dance and archival photographs are woven together to evoke fear, outrage and anger. An impassioned plea pulled from a Facebook Live post narrates the film and calls out to communities to come together and find solutions. Learn more about the exhibition here.
The comedy/horror Booger is having its theatrical release September 13-19 at The Quad Cinema. In the feature film, Anna grows desperate to find her dead friend’s cat, ignoring the fact that her life (and body) are totally falling apart. Director Mary Dauterman will be present for a Q&A at each of the screenings. NYWIFT members can get 20% off tickets! Discount for tickets can be redeemed at the Quad box office – please show this email. The discount is not available for online use. 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 Cecilia Copeland‘s book Taltrix, Book One: Surviving the Gauntlet is now on Audible! Based on the award-winning TV pilot script TALTRIX, which was presented at the NYWIFT New Works Lab staged reading, Taltrix, Book One: Surviving the Gauntlet tells the story of Redder during her first year at the dark biodynamic university Taltrix. Conspiracies and psychic attacks swirl around her as she hones her abilities to run the gauntlet on Keplar Neptune. When her incarcerated father rigs the gauntlet against her, Redder must make it out alive, but if she survives it could restart a war that tore apart the known galaxy. If you’re a fan of Harry Potter, Dune or Star Wars, make Taltrix next on your reading list! Listen 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.
Join Parity Productions on September 26 at 6 PM for a free NYC screening of STOP MOTION by 2018 Parity Development Award Winner Liz Kerin. STOP MOTION occupies that in-between space – the space between tragedy and comedy, family drama and magical escape. Xan, who spent her 20s acting as her mother’s sole caretaker, must navigate the aftermath of a terrible accident (as well as some long-neglected family relationships). Privately, she reveals herself to us through a whimsical stop-motion film she’s been working on while contending with grief, duty, and the limits of escapism. Save your spot.
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 Alixx Schottland invites you to the NYC Premiere of LOVE MUSIC SHELTER at Angelika East, as part of the Soho International Film Festival on September 21 at 1:50. Schottland tells the story of a teenage girl and her mother living on the streets and busking for their survival, until a performing arts school gives the talented singer a chance, despite her mother’s fears, alcoholism and past demons. Get tickets.
Make Me Famous, the madcap romp through the 1980’s Lower East Side art scene amid the colorful career of painter Edward Brezinski, is showing at Angelika Film Center August 16 – 21. The documentary features NYWIFT member Pooky Amsterdam and never-before-seen footage of the East Village neighborhood in the 1980s. Immerse yourself in the Downtown bohemian scene that launched the careers of Jean Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Richard Hambleton and David Wojnarowicz and get tickets.
Film Independent Spirit Award winner Monica Sorelle’s, Mountains will be released at Quad Cinema and BAM on August 23, with a preview Q&A screening on August 22 at Quad Cinema with The Future of Film is Female! The premise: Immigrant worker Xavier dreams of a more spacious home for his wife and son while earning a living demolishing old houses, dismantling his rapidly changing neighborhood of Little Haiti, Miami, in this tender and vibrant family portrait. Get your tickets to the BAM screening and use code MOUNTAINS or get Quad Cinema tickets discounted when you use code MOUNTAINS20 in person.
Film Independent presents Always Remember, a six-month series of free, virtual screenings designed to raise Holocaust awareness through cinema. Each month from June through November, Film Independent offers a selection of films designed to amplify unique voices and experiences relating to the Holocaust. During the month of August, Always Remember focuses on the Holocaust as seen through the eyes of its youngest victims. In the feature When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, Anna is only nine-years-old in 1933 Berlin when her life changes from the ground up. Completing a single registration for any Always Remember film in a given month will grant access to all films available that month. Attend the free, virtual screenings and register here.
Toronto International Film Festival is pleased to offer NYWIFT members a special discounted rate on their most popular accreditation levels. With an exclusive code, TIFF is offering their Industry Pass for only $535 + HST (regularly $760 + HST), or their Conference Pass for $260 + HST (regularly $505 + HST). An exceptional value for full access to the festival.To redeem the code, please email their accreditation team at registration@tiff.net and quote the code NYWIFT24TIFF to register by August 23.
NYWIFT member and director Dawn Porter‘s 2022 DOC NYC Centerpiece-awarded documentary, Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net is now available to stream on Amazon Prime. With unfettered access, filmmaker Dawn Porter captures the dramatic journey of the world’s most famous circus act on its way back from the brink. Learn more about the film and director in our interview with Porter at DOC NYC 2022. Watch the film.
NYWIFT member Roberta Pyzel‘s film Dworkin is available to watch online. A portrait of feminist writer Andrea Dworkin, the film challenges us to rethink our most deeply imbedded ideas about the hierarchies of domination and submission that infuse our sexual, social and economic relationships. Her courageous commitment to elevating the voices of people, especially women, who are suffering, was born out of a deep compassion and a belief that another kind of world is possible…a world that disavows cruelty and embraces a truly egalitarian society. Watch the film.
NYWIFT members are cordially invited to apply to be screeners for the Prince George’s Film Festival 2024 : Take Three, held annually in Prince George’s County, MD. Lend your expertise and excellent film taste to curating the films worthy of PGFF laurels. Please note that filling out this form does not guarantee that you will be selected as a screener. Screeners must commit around 2-3 hours per week, from July 16-August 20 (6 weeks, 12-15 hours in total). Screenings must be completed by August 25, as the official announcement of films is released in early September.
For your dedication and time, screeners are offered complimentary access to the festival from Wednesday, September 25, through Saturday, September 28. Sign up.
For Pride Month, NYWIFT member Frances McGarry sat down with actor and playwright Alyssa Simon last week. Hauck’s directorial debut, TOMORROW WE LOVE (co-written by Jeffrey Vause), is a gender-expansive, comedic homage to classic romantic films of the mid-twentieth century showing July 13-23 at the Chain Theater in New York. McGarry and Hauck discuss the healing and sustaining powers of theater in another episode about ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the arts. Learn more and listen here.
NYWIFT member Grace-Mary Burega and her team invite members to the July 12-13 world premiere of Humans and Other Animals. The documentary takes viewers on an epic journey, from witnessing firsthand how animals think, use language, and feel love, using custom-built equipment and never-before-attempted tactics. The film will premiere at the SVA Theatre in NYC. Showtime is at 7:30 PM and will follow with a Q&A with director Mark DeVries. Get tickets.
NYWIFT member Kim Plumridge is thrilled to announce that her award-winning short documentary My Story of Alzheimer’s Disease is now available on Amazon Prime, iTunes and Google Play! Plumridge produced, co-directed and appears in this first film from her company, MY STORY FILMS. My Story of Alzheimer’s Disease features five diverse caregivers and a compassionate psychiatrist who express the fear, heartbreak, and isolation that are part of caring for a loved one who suffers from a disease that is still so misunderstood by many people. The film offers an uplifting message, focusing on the love that underlines their journey and that gives them the strength to go on with meaning and purpose, even after their loved one has passed. Get more info on how to view the film here.
NYWIFT member Frances McGarry sat down with the Tony-winning artistic director, playwright and director Emily Mann for her podcast First Online with Fran. In her thirty years as Artistic Director and Resident Playwright at McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, New Jersey, Mann wrote fifteen new plays and adaptations, directed over fifty productions and produced 180 plays and musicals. In the episode “The Humanist Code of Theater,” the two discuss the necessity of theater as a window into another’s point of view and its functionality as a symbol and reflection of democracy. Tune in here to listen.
Bari Pearlman, filmmaker and NYWIFT member, is thrilled to announce the premiere of World Eats Bread, a new mouth-watering 3-part series brought to you by Part2Pictures and National Geographic. Bari traveled to Guatemala to direct and help tell the deliciously layered story of the tortilla. The episode features a group of women whose lives are entangled in preserving the past while forging the future of this simple but sustaining staple of Guatemalan life. The “Tortilla” episode airs on National Geographic on June 16. Please set your watchlists to yum, as all three episodes will be available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.
From June 7–13, Film at Lincoln Center and Cinecittà present Sophia Loren: La Signora di Napoli, a 13-film retrospective celebrating the beloved Italian star’s essential body of work. This first-ever New York retrospective dedicated to Sophia Loren’s films will feature many brand-new restorations of her most enduring works, as well as an appearance by filmmaker Edoardo Ponti! NYWIFT members can use the code TWOWOMEN in the promo code box at checkout for $5 off your ticket purchase. Learn more and get tickets here!
NYWIFT member Alixx Schottland is producing a scripted musical called LOVE MUSIC SHELTER, along with veteran producer Scott Rosenfelt (Home Alone, Mystic Pizza, Critical Thinking). The film features an impressive cast including established Broadway and TV stars Brenda Braxton and NYWIFT member Eve Austin, as well as formerly homeless singers and up and coming actors, Esther McGregor, Laurissa Romain and Isabella di Rienzo. LOVE MUSIC SHELTER tells the story of a homeless teenage girl and her mom living on the streets, busking for their survival until a performing arts school rescues the talented singer despite her mother’s fears, alcoholism and past demons. This is a socially conscious film that will shine a bright light on the homeless epidemic. Watch the proof of concept 2-minute trailer here.
Neon is releasing the film Handling the Undead directed by Thea Hvistendahl and starring Renate Reinsve this Friday, May 31 exclusively at the IFC Center. NYWIFT members use discount code THEA-2024 at checkout. NEON is hosting a ticket giveaway for NYWIFT members. Sign up here to receive free tickets to a Q&A screening with Thea Hvistendahl on opening weekend. Get tickets.
NYWIFT member Lisa Brigantino is honored to be the Associate Producer on Inner Adult, a new album of original songs by Terre Roche, founding member of The Roches. The 13-track album was released digitally on May 17. The digital audio release is also part of a limited-edition book with lyrics, photographs, drawings, and more. Anyone who purchases the book will get a free digital download of the audio album. Listen and learn more.
NYWIFT members can use code QUEEN-15 at IFC Center for $3 off regular-priced tickets to SOLO, a Canadian romantic drama set within the drag community. From director Sophie Dupuis, SOLO is an electrifying love story that quickly develops when a rising star in the Montreal drag scene meets his club’s newest performer, but how long can the couple sustain an artistic double act when the solo spotlight beckons? Winner of the Best Canadian Feature Film at TIFF, SOLO will be released at IFC Center in NYC on May 24. Get tickets.
NYWIFT Board Member Shruti Ganguly directs a behind-the-scenes peek of actress Alia Bhatt as she prepares for the 2024 Met Gala. Ganguly captures the details as Bhatt wears a custom-designed mint green sari by Indian couturier Sabyasachi, including a hand-embroidered, 23-foot-long train. Watch the video.
The North American premiere of NYWIFT member Oyiza Adaba‘s DELA: The Making of El Anatsui, an intriguing biographical documentary that records the extraordinary life and artistic journey of globally-recognized Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui (pronounced anachwi), has been selected to screen at the 31st New York African Film Festival. This year’s theme, “Convergence of Time” will showcase 50+ films from more than 25 countries at Lincoln Center, New York on Sunday, May 12 at 3:30 PM ET. Get tickets.
Founded by the Barnard Alumni class of 1971, BC Voices is dedicated to amplifying the narratives of women who navigated the pivotal societal shifts of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their latest project Stand UP, Speak OUT is an online docuseries that captures and celebrates the radical transformations in women’s lives over the past fifty years. We would appreciate any opportunity to feature this series in your newsletter or on your website to enhance its visibility and impact.
Here is a snapshot of the first three episodes:
- Episode 1: Equal Pay for Equal Work delves into the women’s fight for fair compensation, tracing the journey from unrecognized labor to the landmark Equal Pay Act of 1963 and touching upon contemporary issues like the World Cup pay controversy.
- Episode 2: Voting Rights explores the women’s suffrage movement, from being denied a voice in governance to the ratification of the 19th Amendment, and examines ongoing challenges like the implications of Shelby v. Holder.
- Episode 3: Reproductive Rights addresses women’s ongoing battle for bodily autonomy and reproductive choice, from historical restrictions to landmark cases such as Griswold v. Connecticut and Roe v. Wade, up to the recent Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision.
NYWIFT members are cordially invited to join Reel Sisters for an exciting evening of readings and episode screening of Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip Hop, a Netflix docuseries honoring the powerful women of hip hop music and culture on Friday, May 17 at 5:30 PM. CR Capers, founder of Harlem Film House & the Hip Hop Film Festival, will lead a discussion with Crystal Whaley, Emmy Award-winning co-executive producer of episode 4 of Ladies First, DJ Franchella, Liza Jessie Peterson, director/writer of Black Love Manifesto, and Evangeline Lawson, photographer and front cover artists of African Voices’ Hip Hop @50th Issue. The event is free and donations are welcome.
RSVP here.
The Sisters Karras, a new feature from NYWIFT Member Clare Louise Frost, is now available to stream on Apple TV, Prime Video and more! Two estranged half-sisters form a complicated bond as they work together to retrieve their rare and precious inheritance, which their late father inexplicably leaves to the mysterious Marco.
Maya, a new film from NYWIFT member Suzanne Ordas Curry (Producer, Publicist) is now available to stream. Maya is a social-impact narrative feature film produced by Artists for Change, an organization making films to inspire change, of which Suzanne is a member. The film, written and directed by Julia Verdin, is being distributed by Freestyle and is now enjoying a limited theatrical release and on demand on most platforms. The film is about a teenage girl who unknowingly gets trafficked and exposes the dangers that lead to this. Cast includes newcomer Isabella Feliciana, Patricia Velasquez, Rumer Willis. Learn more.
Molly Manning Walker’s award-winning Sundance selection How to Have Sex is now playing in theaters in New York, Los Angeles, and Austin, and expands tomorrow to theaters nationwide. Learn more and purchase tickets through MUBI. MUBI is also offering NYWIFT Members one month free! Learn more and take advantage of this offer.
After a long and successful festival run, the award winning short film, Like Daughter, Like Mother is now available on Youtube. If you haven’t seen this zany comedy yet, now is your chance! The film stars NYWIFT members Devi Morgan and Steve Lichtenstein, with music composed by NYWIFT member Louis Robert King. Watch now.
NYWIFT Member Mirta Desir was named the awardee of The Northwest Film Forum ‘s fourth annual Lynn Shelton Grant. Desir is in development on her first narrative feature film Angie. She will receive an unrestricted cash award to support the making of her film, which she describes as a “love letter to Latin American artists and Haitians’ oral history — a marriage of human drama and the power of Voudou.” For Desir, the grant was “an amazing source of support.” Read the full story in Variety.
Barbie will stream on Herflix beginning next week – with a special rental discount for NYWIFT Members. Barbie, the all-time box office winner by a film directed by a woman, and all-time best grossing film ever for Warner Bros, comes to Herflix for Premium VOD Rental next week. NYWIFT members are offered discounted NYWIFT rental days. No Subscription ever. NYWIFT member Adriana Shaw is the Founder and President of Herflix, the online streaming platform for films about, for and by women. Sign up to receive the discount.
Lakota Nation vs. United States, executive produced by NYWIFT Member Sarah Eagle Heart, is now playing at IFC Center in NYC. It is the most sacred place on earth, the birthplace of the Lakota that has shaped thought, identity and philosophy for the Očéti Šakówiŋ since time immemorial–the life-giving land known as the Black Hills. Yet with the arrival of the first Europeans in 1492, the sacred land has been the site of conflict between the people it has nurtured, and the settler state seeking to exploit and redefine it in its own image. This powerful new documentary is a searing testament to the strength of the Oyate and a visually stunning rejoinder to the distorted image of a people long shaped by Hollywood. Lakota Nation vs. United States is a lyrical and provocative testament to a land and a people who have survived removal, exploitation and genocide–and whose best days are yet to come. Learn more and see the full schedule of screenings.
NYWIFT Moms Network leader Tonya Mollineau was recently featured on the podcast Baby in the Wings. This week the hosts chat with the founder of Mom Film Fest, Tonya Mollineau. Tonya Mollineau is a New York-based single mother, filmmaker, and director who writes and produces a lot of her own content. Her work showcases layered Black female characters while shedding light on social issues as they relate to the human experience. Listen now.
Jelly Roll: Save Me, directed by NYWIFT member Bari Pearlman, is now streaming on Hulu. The feature documentary is about the unlikely meteoric rise of Jelly Roll, a self-made rap-to-country artist from Nashville who traded his criminal records for platinum ones. Bari followed Jelly Roll throughout the fall of 2022 to tell a story that critics have called “emotionally driven and absolutely gripping.” She collaborated with a very talented creative team of mostly women including ABC News Studios EP Claire Weinraub and Senior Entertainment Producer Monica Escobedo, DP Mary Stamm-Clarke, Producer Netsanet Negussie, Story Producer Kyle Cadotte, and APs Yi Xie and Susan Shea. Learn more.
Women and Hollywood has launched a new podcast, In Her Voice which takes people behind the scenes with women filmmakers, actors, producers and others for an intimate look at the creative process. The podcast also covers the latest entertainment news and issues that focus on women and non-binary creatives. Listen now on Spotify and Apple Music.
Cherry, a feature film by NYWIFT Member Sophie Galibert, is now available to watch on multiple major streaming platforms. A driftless and uncommitted 25-year-old in Los Angeles discovers she has only 24 hours to make one of the most consequential decisions of her life, what to do about an unplanned pregnancy. Fired from her menial job at a costume shop, she putters around town, looking for insight from her boyfriend, friends, and family. Instead, she is constantly challenged and confronted with what it looks like to finally face adulthood and how others view her as constantly running away from it. Watch now.
NYWIFT Member Joanna Rudolph recently sat down for a conversation for the podcast Just Screen It. The episode features Joanna discussing her experience self-releasing the indie feature film Burning Annie with producer Randy Mack. Burning Annie tells the story of a college student, obsessed with the Woody Allen movie, Annie Hall, trying to navigate the waters of romance and friendship. Learn more and listen.
Now, Let’s Talk! The Podcast with NYWIFT Members Vanessa Corwin and Kathleen Kaan has a new episode available to stream. “There Is a Home for Filmmakers in Brooklyn” features NYWIFT Board Member Emelyn Stuart – an indie film producer and the first Black Latina to own a movie theater. Emelyn sits down to discuss her journey to success. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or Google Podcasts.
NYWIFT Board Member Audrey Rosenberg was recently interviewed for the podcast She’s Big Time Now. Audrey Rosenberg is a Peabody award-winning and Emmy nominated producer who has dedicated her career to using storytelling to create social change. In this episode, Audrey talks about how self-awareness and collaboration have played a role in her success, where her passion for social change comes from and how it motivates her work, and why networking and staying authentic are critical for success. Listen now.
The Couple Next Door, a short film directed by NYWIFT Member Abbesi Akhamie, is streaming on The Criterion Channel. A single woman’s feelings of loneliness begin to stir when an eccentric African couple moves in to her building. The was also a part of the Women Calling the Shots showcase at Hamptons International Film Festival in 2021. Watch now.
LIT Video Books is offering NYWIFT Members free access to the video book Unapologetically Ambitious by Shellye Archambeau. LIT turns bestselling nonfiction books into 1-hour, highly produced videobooks that feature the author, expert interviews, animation, live action & more to make reading as entertaining as watching a movie. Full of empowering wisdom from one of Silicon Valley’s first female African American CEOs, this inspiring leadership book offers a blueprint for how to achieve your personal and professional goals. Shellye Archambeau recounts how she overcame the challenges she faced as a young black woman, wife, and mother, managing her personal and professional responsibilities while climbing the ranks at IBM and subsequently in her roles as CEO. The book was named a Best Business Book of 2020 by Fortune and Bloomberg.
Access the free video book: Unapologetically Ambitious Videobook
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3. Enter code NYWIFT at checkout. Codes are limited and are first-come first-serve.
Join MUBI for a free 30-day trial and watch their newest release – Léa Mysius’s The Five Devils. Vicky has a mysterious gift: she can recreate any scent she comes across, even that of her beloved mother Joanne. When her estranged aunt suddenly returns to town, the invocation of her fragrance plunges the young girl back in time to unravel a past replete with family secrets and queer romance. Starring Palme d’Or winner Adèle Exarchopoulos (Blue is the Warmest Colour), this spellbinding Fantastic Fest selection forges an unforgettable supernatural fable out of family secrets and queer romance. Watch the trailer and sign up to watch the film.
Launching 2023, Climate ChangeTheatR brings the joy of puppets and music to the very immediate and serious topic of climate change. Filmmaker and NYWIFT Member Nancy Cohen-koan and Composer Dave Ogrin illuminate the growing problems of peril to our planet through the performances of singing, homemade puppets. Tongue-in-cheek and often ironic, these quick TikTok and Instagram vignettes illustrate the growing issues on our planet and offer solutions on how to deal with them through the antics of characters from Moses and Pharoah to Barbie and Ken. Please help CCT by following their show and practicing green think. Follow them on TikTok and Instagram.
We Don’t Dance for Nothing, produced by NYWIFT Member Huilin Katrina Chen, is now streaming on Prime Video, Tubi in the US, and Vimeo on Demand worldwide. We Don’t Dance for Nothing is an experimental doc and a photo-montage love letter to the Filipina Domestic Workers of Hong Kong. This visual recreation of true memories shared by this community of 400,000 women (millions globally) follows one woman’s plan to run away. Captured on Super-16 amidst Hong Kong Protests, it blends stills with motions to highlight the passionate Street Dancing of these marginalized women, and touch upon LGBTQ+ themes, issues of Workers’ Rights, and Hong Kong’s changing political landscape.
Strangers to Peace, a documentary from NYWIFT Member Laura Angel Rengifo, is now available to stream on AT&T U-Verse, DirecTV, Dish Network, Amazon, iTunes, Apple TV, Vudu, Google Play, and YouTube Movies. This documentary takes viewers on a journey to Colombia and delves into the stories of three former child soldiers as they attempt to rebuild their lives after leaving the Colombian Conflict. The film received the NYWIFT Excellency in Documentary Directing Award at the New York Latino Film Festival. Learn more and stream the film.
The pilot episode of Drama Mama News, a new web series from NYWIFT member Cathleen Campbell is now on YouTube. Drama Mama News takes a serious and satirical look at today’s issues from a Black woman’s point-of-view. This show isn’t only for Black women: It’s thought-provoking, funny and inspiring. Watch now. Cathleen is currently crowdfunding for the web series – see more information in the Crowdfunding section below.
Move When the Spirit Says Move: The Legacy of Dorothy Foreman Cotton, a film from NYWIFT Member Deborah C. Hoard, will have its world premiere at the Pan African Film Festival in LA. Dorothy Foreman Cotton was a bold and highly effective civil rights leader, who educated thousands in their citizenship rights and inspired generations of activists with her powerful freedom songs. The only woman on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s executive staff, Dorothy was a charismatic, courageous and consistently overlooked key player in the Civil Rights Movement, whose freedom schools, freedom songs and inspiring messages of the power within us all are profoundly needed today. Learn more.
NYWIFT Member Lisa Romagnoli‘s short film How To Open A Clam, is now streaming online. The film, after completing its 2021-22 festival run, during which it played at the Woods Hole Film Festival, the Coney Island Film Festival, the New Faces New Voices Festival, and was a semi-finalist in the Rhode Island International Film Festival is on Vimeo. This comedic drama is about a young man (Adam) and his two friends, who are on a weekend beach trip at Adam’s family house. But after a clamming expedition, Adam becomes frustrated by his inability to open a clam, and his growing obsession threatens to destroy friendships. Watch now.
NYWIFT Member Kristin Reiber Harris is the recipient of a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts. The grant will fund Reiber Harris’s Life’s in the Balance – a series of drawings documenting various ecosystems in a New York City Park. These new drawings will be a continuation of the body of work she has created for over 50 years to celebrate and explore the interdependence of all life, all in the context of sacred geometry. Reiber Harris has her work available for purchase on Amazon and Artsy. Learn more.
How My Grandmother Won WWII, a 6-part podcast series from NYWIFT Member Enid Zentelis, is now streaming everywhere you find podcasts. A granddaughter’s journey to discover the truth about her Hungarian Jewish grandmother’s covert work for the British Special Operations during WWII. What does it look like when fascism turns your country upside down? How do you fight bigotry and hatred when hopelessness and apathy have set in? Learn more and listen now.
Nkosi Eclipsed, a short documentary from NYWIFT Members Candice Delevante and Tamara Daley, is now available to stream via PZAZ.TV. The documentary follows the saga of Nkosi Gray-El, and his journey before, throughout, and after incarceration. By rediscovering an early childhood practice, Nkosi uses yoga to help his fellow inmates endure intense physical, mental, and emotional suffering behind bars. Learn more.
A brand-new, special episode of podcast I Was Never There is available to stream! In this series, take a trip into the countercultural movements swirling through West Virginia in the 1970s and 80s. NYWIFT Advisory Board President Jamie Zelermyer and her mother Karen investigate the shocking disappearance of their friend Marsha “Mudd” Ferber and explore her evolution from suburban housewife to back-to-the-land hippie to drug-dealing bar owner. As mother and daughter venture deeper into the mystery of Marsha’s disappearance, the two process their own history: Jamie reflects on her nontraditional upbringing and Karen reckons with the joyful and complicated consequences of her decisions. Listen now.
Around the Sun Podcast, co-produced by NYWIFT member Suzanne Ordas Curry, is available to stream. Looking for something new to listen to? How about a series of fun, engaging and thought-provoking short stories? Around the Sun Podcast, the popular podcast series is back for a second season starting October 2022 with new episodes throughout the fall. It stars iconic and well-known actors from stage and screen. Created by Brad Forenza and presented via the Broadway Podcast Network, you’ll hear fictional stories (under 10 minutes) about love, relationships, coming of age, identity, retirement, life choices, sustainability, and even a few aliens. Learn more and listen.
The Tollbooth, a film by NYWIFT Member Debra Kirschner, is now streaming on Tubi. The film follows a struggling painter as she makes her way through her first year out of art school in this comic exploration of a Jewish family’s life in Brooklyn. Watch now.
Monk Arsenije, directed by NYWIFT Svetlana Cemin, is streaming on Prime Video UK. Monk Arsenije, once a Belgradian cult figure from the ’80s who has been living as a monk for the past 30 years, is engaged in restoring and creating a spiritual and cultural center in the Monastery of Ribnica, central Serbia. Watch the film now. Svetlana was recently interviewed about the film at the Swedish International Film Festival. Listen now. Adam Fuss: A Landscape of Imagination, another film directed by Svetlana, is currently available to stream on Prime Video in both the UK and US!
NYWIFT Board Member Okema T. Moore recently ran creative and directed the new HERTAKE commercial for Lifetime. The commercial, airing on Lifetime for Hispanic Heritage Month, features art therapist Athena Castillo, and was produced by Octavia Pride for HollandWest Productions. Watch now.
A new episode of Mentors on the Mic, a podcast hosted by NYWIFT Member Michelle Miller, is now streaming. For the latest episode Michelle sits down with filmmaker Winter Dunn. Winter Dunn is an award winning producer, director and actress. She produced Numa Perrier’s debut feature film, Jezebel which premiered at SXSW 2019 and was awarded Best Narrative Feature at the American Black Film Festival that same year. Jezebel has been acquired by Ava DuVernay and is currently streaming on Netflix. Plus, NYWIFT screened Dunn’s short film Dear Mama at the Hamptons Film Festival Women Calling the Shots showcase earlier this month. Listen now.
Black Public Media presents their new short film series Be Heard: I Am Who I Say I Am. Commemorate LGBTQ History Month by watching the 3 part mini-series which explores stories around gender identity and affirmation. Whether you’re new to understanding the nuances of gender identity or have been advocating gender affirmation for years, check out BPM’s new short film series celebrating three feel-good stories of gender affirmation. The series is one of many BPM programs leading up to Transgender Awareness Week. Watch now on YouTube.
In Fidelity, a feature film executive produced by and starring NYWIFT Member Eve Austin, has cast Chris Parnell, Cara Buono, Dennis Haysbert in lead roles. Rob Margolies’ New York-set film follows a happily married husband who permits his terminally ill wife to sleep with their rock star neighbor. Read the Hollywood Reporter article
NYWIFT Member Jean Criss was recently interviewed for The Burn Podcast. Each week, April Stearns and the writers of Wildfire Magazine share their experiences of being diagnosed with breast cancer under 50. The Burn is about telling cancer stories like you’ve never read, or heard, before. Jean Criss is an author, digital media entrepreneur, festival and multimedia producer, tech innovator, post-surgical fashion designer, and a certified bra fitter. She was diagnosed with both Stage 0 and Stage 1 ductal breast cancer in her mid-40s. Since treatment, 15 years ago, Jean has had no evidence of disease. Today she reads her piece “My Million Dollar Boobs Led to a Million Words” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2022 “Money and Cancer” issue. April and Jean discuss transforming from patient to owning your own voice by sharing your story, advice for people who don’t consider themselves writers, and Jean’s entrepreneurial work turning pain into purpose by creating a line of post breast surgery bras. Learn more and listen now.
Hell of a Cruise, produced by NYWIFT Board Member Gretchen McGowan, is streaming on Peacock. The documentary feature tells the harrowing tale of a cursed cruise ship in the early days of COVID-19, from frightened passengers and an oppressed crew to venal corporate powerbrokers and hapless government officials. Watch now.
The African Desperate is now screening in select NYC theaters and is available to stream on MUBI. The riotous coming-of-age comedy from acclaimed artist Martine Syms, tracks one very long day for Palace Bryant (Diamond Stingily), a newly minted MFA grad whose final 24 hours in art school become a real trip. Through a hazy night-long odyssey from academic critiques to backseat hookups, The African Desperate sparkles with razor-sharp satire and vivid aesthetic invention. The film is currently screening at BAM and Quad Cinema in NYC. Learn more and watch now.
The Only Woman In The World, by NYWIFT Member Debra Markowitz, is now available on Amazon Prime Video. The film follows an up-and-coming film director who is torn between forgiving the lover who broke her heart and risking it all for her leading man. Watch now.
From first-time filmmaker and New Orleans native Edward Buckles, Jr., Katrina Babies offers an intimate look at the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and its impact on the youth of New Orleans. NYWIFT Board Member Audrey Rosenberg produced the Tribeca Festival award-winning film, which is now available to watch on HBO Max.
Sixteen years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, an entire generation still grapples with the lifelong impact of having their childhood redefined by tragedy. New Orleans filmmaker Edward Buckles Jr., who was 13 years old during Katrina and its initial aftermath, spent seven years documenting the stories of his peers who survived the storm as children, using his community’s tradition of oral storytelling to open a door for healing and to capture the strength and spirit of his city. Katrina Babies details the close-knit families and vibrant communities of New Orleans whose lives were uprooted by the 2005 disaster. These American children who were airlifted out of the rising waters, evacuated from their homes to refugee-like centers, or placed in makeshift, temporary living situations, have been neglected. As families were tasked with reintegrating into new communities, having experienced loss, displacement, and lack of support from government officials, the children were left to process their trauma in a wounded, fractured city.
Now Let’s Talk Podcast, hosted by NYWIFT Members Vanessa Cordova-Corwin and Kathleen Kaan, has a new episode available to stream. Don’t miss this special episode, “Everything You Need to Know About Monkeypox.” Jason Cianciotto, VP of Communications and Public Policy for Gay Men’s Health Crisis, provides a comprehensive overview of this disease and explains all aspects of this public health emergency, including how to protect yourself and what to do if you think you have been exposed. Jason has also appeared on CNN and other news outlets. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, anchor.fm, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. Listen now.
The second season of Only Murders in the Building is now streaming on Hulu. Only Murders in the Building follows three strangers (Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez) who share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one. When a grisly death occurs inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment building, the trio suspects murder and employs their precise knowledge of true crime to investigate the truth. Former NYWIFT Board Member Destiny Lilly served as a casting director on the new season. Watch on Hulu.
Andrea Dworkin: INTERVIEWS is available to watch on YouTube. The series of interviews with feminist icon, Andrea Dworkin, was produced, directed, and edited by NYWIFT Member Roberta Pyzel. Dworkin challenges us to rethink our most deeply imbedded ideas about the hierarchies of domination and submission that infuse our sexual, social and economic relationships. Her courageous commitment to elevating the voices of people, especially women, who are suffering, was born out of a deep compassion and a belief that another kind of world is possible… a world that disavows cruelty and embraces a truly egalitarian society. Watch now.
Slayer, a short film from NYWIFT Member Eileen McQueen, is available to watch on YouTube. Three friends, a shortcut, and a monster – Teesh, Monet and Yuko, give up on the bus and take a shortcut through Forest Park in Queens, NYC and they are determined to get to the other side, no matter WHAT gets in their way. Watch now.
Being Bebe, directed by NYWIFT Member Emily Branham, is now available to stream on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video. Just in time for PRIDE, the award-winning doc film Being Bebe captures the incredible rise of the first ever winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race: the legendary BeBe Zahara Benet. The film intimately charts 15 years for the drag performer, an immigrant from homophobic Cameroon, first champion on iconic LGBTQ+ reality show RuPaul’s Drag Race and a leading artist celebrating Queer Black Excellence today. Learn more and watch.
Drown the Clown, starring NYWIFT Member Amy Renée Garcia, is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. Claire Sable (Amy Renée Garcia), who recently lost her daughter, Lily, in a drowning accident, struggles to cope and insists on preserving her daughter’s belongings; however, when Lily’s clown doll begins popping up in several places, Claire is spooked. For her performance in the film, Amy was awarded Best Actress in a Feature Film Award from the Culver City Film Festival (2020.) Watch now.
The Courtney Harmel Collection has been featured in the Global Image Works newsletter. Video artist, filmmaker and NYWIFT Member Courtney Harmel was a key player in New York’s downtown video scene, producing work that documented the ‘No Wave’ retail and performance culture of the mid-1980s. The performers and artists in her work include Joey Arias, Charles Busch, Alexis del Lago, Divine, John “Lypsinka” Epperson, Tony Frere, Keith Haring, Grace Jones, John Kelly, Tanya Ransom, Gerard Little, Ann Magnuson, Wendy Wild, John Sex, Andy Warhol, and Madonna. A program of her videos of performance and fashion from the 1980s in downtown New York was in the Club 57exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Her work is in the museum’s permanent collection. Learn more.
Sneakerella, executive produced by NYWIFT Board Member Rachel Watanabe-Batton, will be available to stream on Disney+ next month! The movie, set in the avant-garde street/sneaker culture of New York City, follows El, an aspiring designer from Queens who works as a stock boy in the shoe store once owned by his late mother. With an overburdened stepfather and two mean-spirited stepbrothers coming between any opportunity that comes his way, a chance meeting with Kira King, the daughter of former NBA star/sneaker tycoon Darius King, may be the spark that ignites El as they bond over their shared love of sneakers. With help from his best friend and some “fairy godfather” magic, El finds the courage to pursue his dream. Sneakerella drops Friday, May 13 on Disney+. Watch the trailer.
Lucy and Desi, a new documentary directed by Amy Poehler, is now streaming on Prime Video. Lucy and Desi explores the unlikely partnership and enduring legacy of one of the most prolific power couples in entertainment history. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz risked everything to be together. Their love for each other led to the most influential show in the history of television, I Love Lucy. The documentary features interviews with Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill, Norman Lear, Desi Arnaz Jr., Carol Burnett, and Bette Midler. NYWIFT Member Michele Spitz sponsored and produced the audio-description, and NYWIFT member Sara Bernstein was Executive Producer on the film. Watch the film.
Asking For It is now available on all major streaming and VOD platforms. After a small town waitress is sexually assaulted on a date, she meets Regina and Beatrice and is recruited into their vigilante group of badass women. Together they strive to take down a society overpowered by corrupt men and seek the ultimate revenge while getting their own version of justice. Asking For It was recently given the ReFrame Stamp, a distinction for projects that have demonstrated gender-balanced hiring. NYWIFT member Jendra Jarnagin was cinematographer on the film. Watch the trailer.
NYWIFT Member Nancy Cohen‘s new short play The Best is Yet To Come or Else is available to watch through the Library Equity Theatre of New York and on YouTube. The play, which Nancy wrote many years ago, was accepting to Library Equity’s Winter 2022 Virtual Play Festival and was shot in a few weeks at Nancy’s local pub. The short play stars fellow NYWIFT member Olivia Welch – who Nancy found and cast through the NYWIFT Member Directory! Watch the short play and make sure to check out the NYWIFT Member Directory whenever you’re looking to hire or connect.
