An Excursion into Indie Film: Shining a Light on the Filmmakers that Mainstream Media Doesn’t See
A travel journal from NYWIFT Member Stephanie Okun: "On June 19, I flew out to LA for the independent film festival Dances with Films to meet independent filmmakers ready to showcase their new work to industry professionals. Most notably, this was my first time going to LA– as well as the state of California. I couldn’t help but wonder: how does the other half live? What will I find in the wild, wild west? I tried to play it cool and decided to throw all my preconceptions about LA– good and bad– to the wind. However, by the time I was on my way to LaGuardia Airport, I was simply ecstatic. Sunny California’s laidback atmosphere and smiling faces were the perfect backdrop to my four-day assignment. There, I had a fabulous time and met several fabulous filmmakers along the way."
READ MORENYWIFT’s Annual Meet the Candidates Event: A Night of Nights
On a sunny day in June, member Stephanie Okun took the Metro North up to Yonkers to go to NYWIFT’s annual member meeting at Great Point Studios, which doubled as our 2024 Meet the Candidates Night where we can meet the candidates running for the 2024-25 NYWIFT Board elections. She shares her recap of the inspirational evening.
READ MORENYWIFT Talks Tribeca 2024: Remember Your Joy
Sometimes it’s necessary to be reminded why you do what you love to do the most. We don’t stop to do this enough, and I realize this is often what happens at a NYWIFT community event. Whether it’s virtual or in-person, NYWIFT Talks have the same impact. On Zoom, roughly 200 viewers gathered to catch board member Okema T. Moore’s chat with three current Tribeca filmmakers this year. The filmmakers were director/producer/screenwriter Geneva Peschka of The Solace of Sisterhood, archival producer Lauren Wimbush of The Debutantes, and production designer Kristi Zea of Daddio. Stephanie Okun offers and insightful recap of their conversation.
READ MOREWitnessing the Excellence of Jennifer Esposito: Fresh Kills
Stephanie Okun offers a recap of the entertaining and inspirational NYWIFT Member Screening of Fresh Kills and talkback with filmmaker Jennifer Esposito, who discussed overcoming hurdles in Hollywood and finding distribution for her passion project.
READ MOREAn Enjoyable Evening at the Wildcat Screening
NYWIFT Member Stephanie Okun recaps her experience at a NYWIFT member advanced screening of Ethan Hawke's Wildcat, the Flannery O'Connor biopic starring his daughter Maya Hawke. Co-star and past NYWIFT Muse Honoree Laura Linney was featured in the Q&A.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Hania Chima
Welcome, new NYWIFT member Hania Chima! We are so happy to introduce Hania, who has so much to offer our community. She is the producer and co-writer of Pakistan’s entry for the 2019 Oscars, Laal Kabootar, and co-founder of the production company Nehr Ghar Films. We’re thrilled to have her join New York Women in Film & Television and can't wait to see what she does next. Hania talked to us about getting to work with her childhood hero, writing and producing her first feature, and why the future is female.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Luchina Fisher
Let’s give a warm NYWIFT welcome to Luchina Fisher! Fisher (she/her) is an award-winning director, writer and producer who works at the intersection of race, gender and identity. She is the founder and CEO of Little Light Productions. Her feature directorial debut Mama Gloria, about Chicago trans icon activist Gloria Allen, was nominated for a 2022 GLAAD Media Award. Previously, Fisher co-executive produced and co-wrote the critically acclaimed feature documentary Birthright: A War Story, about the war on women’s reproductive health. Luchina Fisher spoke to us about her early childhood influences, her next documentary, and her hopes for the future of women in media.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Kelly Reagan
Welcome, new NYWIFT member Kelly Reagan! We are so happy to introduce Kelly, who has so much to offer our community. She is a four-time Emmy-nominated producer and writer who has a deep history with major networks like Nickelodeon and Oprah's OWN. She has worked on many projects as a senior writer and producer, including one featuring great names like Michelle Obama (and she even received a letter from the First Family after filming together). We’re thrilled to have her join New York Women in Film & Television and can't wait to see what she does next.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Chayah Masters
Welcome, new NYWIFT member Chayah Masters! We are happy to introduce Chayah, who has so much to offer our community. She is a producer and script consultant with an impressive 20 years of experience in the industry. We sat down with Chayah to discuss her career path, the role of mentorship in her life, and what kinds of creatives she wants to collaborate with next.
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