NYWIFT Blog

Terry’s Picks: Wonder Kids, Female Future, Atomic Homefront

Wonder Kids: Director Patty Jenkins tweeted a screenshot of a list of “cute Wonder Woman related things” that happened in one kindergarten classroom after the superhero film hit theaters. It’s adorable – and poignant. Female Future: Indiewire collected a list of 20 rising women filmmakers to watch. Atomic Homefront: Rebecca Cammisa’s Atomic Homefront was one...

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Terry’s Picks: Film Financing, Designing Women, Women CEO’s

Film Financing: This Friday, June 16, learn how successful indie producers can get their dramatic feature films financed in our intensive all-day seminar presented by our friends at Entertainment Partners. Designing Women: Last week’s Designing Women gala was a joyous celebration of the best and brightest in NYC’s hair, makeup and costume design community. If...

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Terry’s Picks: Nicole Kidman, Band Aid, Crystal Emery

Nicole Kidman: Nicole Kidman, who stars in Sofia Coppola’s The Beguiled, has pledged to work with a woman director every 18 months. Band Aid: Here are two great interviews, from The New York Times and Lenny Letter, with actor/director Zoe Lister-Jones, who explains her decision to hire an all-women crew for Band Aid. Crystal Emery:...

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A Look Back at Designing Women 2016

NYWIFT’s annual Designing Women gala, honoring top hair stylists, makeup artists and costume designers, has been a star-studded highlight of the New York entertainment industry’s Spring calendar since its inception in 2000. As we prepare for the 2017 event on Tuesday, June 6th at NYU Law School, we take a look back at last year’s ceremony, which honored hair stylist Rose Chatterton, makeup artist Anita Gibson, costume designer Sarah Edwards, and the team from Showtime's The Affair.

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Terry’s Picks: Writers Room, Designing Women, Newbie Showrunners

Writers Room: Congratulations to all those selected for the WGA (East) and Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment’s (MOME) inaugural Made in NY Writers Room. The initiative is designed to help open doors for aspiring writers from diverse backgrounds. NYWIFT was happy to be a community partner. Designing Women: We’re exactly one week out from...

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Terry’s Picks: Wonder Woman, Vanessa Redgrave, Indie Stats

Wonder Woman: Indiewire reports that Wonder Woman may be the best DC universe film yet! Vanessa Redgrave: The legendary actor explains how the refugee crisis inspired her to step behind the camera for the first time…at the age of 80. Indie Stats: Dr. Martha Lauzen of the Center for the Study of Women in Television...

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Terry’s Picks: WIFTI Conference, Thanks BWFF, The List

WIFTI Conference: I’m writing to you from the WIFTI (Women in Film & Television International) Conference in London, where women in film chapters from around the world are gathering to network, share ideas and collaborate on our goals! Thanks BWFF: The Brooklyn Women’s Film Festival has graciously offered to donate proceeds from their ticket sales...

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Terry’s Picks: Apply Now, The Drowning, Liz Garcia

Apply Now: The NYWIFT Spring Membership Drive, during which we offer 50% off the initiation fee for new members, ends this Monday, May 15th. Join today! The Drowning: NYWIFT is proud to co-present (with Film Fatales) the screening of Bette Gordon’s The Drowning on Thursday, May 11th at 8:25 PM at IFC Center. The Drowning...

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Heather Taylor on Crowdfunding for Pay to Stay and the Importance of Onscreen Diversity

"I want to have representation across different sexualities and different races in my films because that is the world I see when I walk down the streets of New York," says NYWIFT member Heather Taylor. Katrina Medoff sat down with Taylor to talk diversity in filmmaking (both onscreen and off) as her crowdfunding campaign for her horror short Pay to Stay draws to a close.

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10 Takeaways from the NYWIFT “Casting Comedy: Funny People On-Camera” Panel

NYWIFT member Mellini Kantayya shares the top 10 nuggets of wisdom from NYWIFT's panel on TV comedy casting. Learn whether or not to ad-lib, button it, stalk (answer: definitely no), and self-tape.

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Terry’s Picks: Dusty Awards, Handmaid’s Tale, Gabourey Sidibe

Dusty Awards: The SVA Dusty Film & Animation Festival runs May 5-8. We look forward to partnering once again for their annual Dusty Awards! Board President Alexis Alexanian will present the NYWIFT award. Handmaid’s Tale: Can’t wait to start binging on The Handmaid’s Tale. Eight of 10 episodes are directed by women – good for...

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The Women’s Film Preservation Fund 2016 Grants are awarded to five groundbreaking works from the 1920s and 1970s

The NYWIFT Women’s Film Preservation Fund's (WFPF’s) 2016 grants have now been awarded. The films include three shorts from the 1920’s by pioneering filmmaker Angela Murray Gibson and two important films from the 1970’s, SISTERS! by Barbara Hammer and Women’s Happy Time Commune by Sheila Paige. WFPF Steering Committee Co-Chair Ann Deborah Levy explains why these particular films are important to women's legacy, and how you can help.

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Terry’s Picks: Representation Matters, Sheila Nevins, Box Office

Representation Matters: Kathryn O’Kane was among the five NYWIFT board members who joined me at the Women’s Media Summit in Provincetown, MA, last month. She recaps it for our Huffington Post column, as we look ahead to what’s next. Sheila Nevins: NYWIFT member Sheila Nevins, President of HBO Documentary Films, sat down with Lesley Stahl...

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Moving Forward: Representation Matters: NYWIFT at the Women’s Media Summit

NYWIFT Board member Kathryn O'Kane was among the six NYWIFT representatives who attended the historic Women's Media Summit in Provincetown, MA, last month. She offers a recap, including the opinions and takeaways of fellow board members, and looks ahead at what's next.

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A Filmmaker is Born: How the Power of One Immigrant’s Story Inspired a Musician to Go Visual

Filmmakers create great stories every day. But once in a while, a truly great story will create a filmmaker. Such was the case with Patricia Shih and her debut film, Undocumented. The inspiring documentary, which was screened on March 16th at the Queens World Film Festival as part of NYWIFT’s Women Filmmakers: Immigrant Stories series, showcases the realization of the American Dream through the unique story of undocumented-immigrant-turned-successful-cardiac surgeon, Dr. Harold Fernandez.

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Terry’s Picks: Zookeeper’s Wife, 25 Films, Female Heroes

Zookeeper’s Wife: Go see The Zookeeper’s Wife! Jessica Chastain gives a great performance, as directed by Niki Caro. 25 Films: Mark your calendars – here are 25 women-directed films being released this year. Female Heroes: The Guardian digs into why seeing a female hero – not just passive female characters – on screen is critical...

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Starless Moonlight’s Lesson on Making Your Production Shine Brighter: Q & A with Casting Director Angela Mickey

After Moonlight won the Oscar for best picture, casting director and NYWIFT member Angela Mickey had some insights on what independent filmmakers and can learn from its casting.

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Terry’s Picks: Spring Drive, Tribeca Films, Black Comediennes

Spring Drive: Now through May 15th is the NYWIFT Spring Membership Drive, during which we offer 50% off the initiation fee for new members. If you’re thinking of joining our community of women calling the shots, now is the time to do it! Tribeca Films: I’m looking forward to next week’s Tribeca Film Festival, which...

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