Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Karyn Levitt
Welcome to NYWIFT, Karyn Levitt! Karyn Levitt is president of Royal Road Productions. A singer/writer/producer, she conceives, develops, and performs shows, such as On Hollywood and Weimar: The Songs of European Composers from the Golden Age of Film and Will There Still Be Singing? A Hanns Eisler Cabaret, at venues such as Off-Broadway’s York Theatre, Cafe Sabarsky, Feinstein’s/54 Below, D.C. Jewish Music Festival, and beyond. Levitt co-conceived, produced and performed in Happy Birthday, Eric Bentley at the Town Hall. Her first film, Honoring Eric Bentley: A Centennial Tribute Concert, premiered at New Plaza Cinema and will screen in Berlin and Boston in the Fall of 2023. Karyn spoke to us about her transition from the world of cabaret to filmmaking.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Kilara Sen
Welcome to NYWIFT, Kilara Sen! Kilara is a Japanese female stand-up comedian and actor, moving to New York this summer. Kilara currently is hosting "Japanese Whisky Lockdown" and "Japanese Whisky World" on Dekanta TV. She also appeared on international TV such as Asia's Got Talent, Paul Hollywood Eats Japan, and Welcome to the Railworld. Kilara is gender non-conforming (she/they), a "hikikomori" survivor (a form of severe social withdrawal), and had a wonderful year at Historically Black Colleges. Based on her experiences, she shares her strong and funny voice on mental health, feminism, and diversity. She believes that everyone should be as special and unique as a unicorn. Also, she is the voice breaking stereotypes of Japanese women: the New Pink. Kilara thinks of herself as a Pink Unicorn. Kilara spoke to us about breaking down stereotypes, community support, and finding liberation through comedy.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Heather Shreve
Let’s give a warm NYWIFT welcome to new member Heather Shreve! Heather is an award-winning screenwriter, historical advisor, and content creator, as well as a master artist with four producer-ready film projects. In her youth, Japanese culture was always part of her life and has influenced her art as well as her writing and research. Heather has rich ancestral history in America, with several strong areas of knowledge, from the Keelboat Age to the 1940s. Heather resides in Maryland, has two grown children, and has authored six books. Heather spoke to us her passion for history, recent projects, and the connections between coaching and creativity.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Myrakel Baker
Let’s give a warm NYWIFT welcome to Myrakel Baker! Myrakel is a documentary filmmaker and development assistant living in Brooklyn. Inspired by her upbringing in a Black southern household, she aspires to produce character-driven stories rooted in identity and belonging with a focus on women’s voices. As a development and programming assistant, she’s worked with HBO Documentaries on George Carlin's American Dream, Spring Awakening: Those You’ve Known, and The Janes to name a few. She is looking to growing as a director and development producer, expanding on her work of sensitive, vérité-led documentaries.
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