NYWIFT Blog

LAFF Spotlights Female Editors

LA Film Festival Director Stephanie Allain We’re excited to read in a Variety article that the LA Film Festival will be spotlighting the achievements of women in the film industry: “Stephanie Allain, in her second year as the festival director, says the fest aims to celebrate the contributions of women each year, with 2013 featuring...

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Advice to Beginning Female Filmmakers

The advice to young female filmmakers in this Film Courage video by filmmakers Elle Schneider and Lily Cade, is good advice to women in the industry in general: Be compatriots not competitors. Don’t get so wrapped up in “it’s a man’s world.” Don’t encourage the tokenism. More than one woman can be in the writer’s...

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Flix Not to Miss: ‘Take This Waltz’

I’ve been a fan of Sarah Polley as an actress from the early days of her career as Atom Egoyan’s muse in The Sweet Hereafter and Exotica, and later, in the lovely My Life Without Me by Isabel Coixet. I heard wonderful things about her first feature, Away From Her, so I was excited to see her sophomore effort, Take...

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Film News Roundup

Photo via Pinkmag.com. 23 of the “best ever” series were written or created by women. Behind The Candelabra costumer Ellen Mirojnick on Speedos, fur and more! Deadline’s Nikki Finke vs. The Wrap’s Sharon Waxman. Chick fight? Issa Rae prefers the web and enjoys being an Awkward Black Girl. Women over 40 in Hollywood are doing the damn thing!...

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Tweet of the Week

If This Young Woman Was In My Fashion Magazines Growing Up, Maybe I’d Still Read Them bit.ly/13E2mVF #MissRep via @upworthy — Miss Representation (@RepresentPledge) June 5, 2013 //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Ainee Fatima, the first hijabi to be featured in Seventeen magazine:  From the @NYWIFT public list Women-Driven Films. Miss Representation is a documentary film and international campaign....

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After 50 Years, Will We Finally Get a Woman Doctor Who?

Helen Mirren wants to be the next Doc (we love this idea!). Big news this week for Doctor Who fans: the show’s lead actor is out the door. For those who don’t watch the British hit series, Slate’s XX factor breaks it down: The Doctor is basically immortal. In the biggest power grab in the history of...

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Terry’s Picks: June 4

Tip of the hat to: HBO for releasing a list of documentaries to be shown this summer on Monday nights with half of the films directed by women!  The series starts on June 17 with Love, Marilyn by Liz Garbus; the post-supervisor on the doc was NYWIFT member Susan Lazarus. Recently played: the new online adventure game, Wonder...

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Cannes Can’t Seem to Get it Right With Women

Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, director of Un Chateau En Italie (A Castle in Italy). Photo via Norde Claire. Never one to mince words, the Women and Hollywood blog held not only Cannes accountable this year but also many of the male attendees, who’s offhanded comments do nothing to raise the profile of women in the industry. This...

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Clothes on Film

Goldie Hawn and Walter Matthau in Cactus Flower via Clothes on Film. We hope NYWIFT’s Designing Women Awards prompted a new interest in the hardworking women and men whose choices help bring characters to life with the flick of a scarf or a swish of a skirt. To keep your costume senses tingling until Designing Women 2014,...

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Film News Roundup

How do you feel about the low percentage of women film critics? Image courtesy of them0vieblog.com This Julianne Moore interview is definitely not “boring.” Six resources indie filmmakers should embrace. Tika Sumpter has exciting new gossip surrounding her. Get to know actress and NYWIFT member Anna Van Valin. Comedy Central came to their senses. Congratulations, Amy Schumer!...

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NYWIFT Recap: 2013 Designing Women Awards

On the left, Julianna Margulies (right) with Andrea Miller (center); on the right, Nora Jones and Mandy Lyons. Photo credit: Ben Hider. NYWIFT’s Designing Women Awards last Thursday, May 23, sponsored by People magazine, was a terrific event. It was a pleasure to see so many talented women — including Deborah Scott (costume designer, Avatar), Mandy Lyons (hairstylist, Moonrise Kingdom), and Andrea...

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A Decline in Influence of Female Film Critics

Judith Crist became the first full-time female critic at any major newspaper when she joined The New York Herald Tribune as their film critic in 1963. She passed in 2012. (Source: Women in Hollywood) Last week the Alliance of Women Film Journalists and Variety posted articles on research conducted by the Center for the Study of Women in Film and Television’s Executive...

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Terry’s Picks: May 28

Check out: Frances Ha, directed by Noah Baumbach and co-written by Baumbach and Greta Gerwig, who also plays the lead. First off, it’s black and white, which is always a treat; and secondly, Gerwig gives a great performance in a complex and funny woman-centered story. Looking forward to: The Killing, starting up again on AMC next...

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Military Movie Pick: ‘Private Benjamin’ (1980)

If you’re in the mood for a lighthearted look at the military wrapped in pure 1980s camp, watch — or if you’re like me, re-watch — Private Benjamin. Co-written by Nancy Meyers, the film stars Goldie Hawn as a high-society widow (spoiler: the groom doesn’t make it through the wedding night) who chucks it all...

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Fashionista on Designing Women & Dressing ‘The Americans’

Left: Jenny Gering, Lori Hicks, and Peg Schierholz (photo credit: Cindy Ord, Getty). Right: Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell in The Americans. Fashion news site Fashionista caught up with the design team behind FX’s popular spy drama at Thursday’s awards show: …a few of us have also gotten sucked into The Americans on FX — and not just because of the drama-filled...

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Film News Roundup

(Image from Let Me Entertain You: Carol Burnett Sings album cover.) Bravo, Carol Burnett. You are much funnier than people in Washington. Scandal! Scandal! Scandal! Q&A with Kerry Washington. Can Deborah Turness improve The Today Show ratings in her new role? Lizz Winstead was an “idiot” and Glenn Beck defends it. “There’s no average days,” says Rookie Blue creator Tassie Cameron....

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NYWIFT Panel Recap: Writing Fiction for Transmedia and Cross-Platform Entertainment

Panelists spend a half hour in discussion with audience members post-panel. Photographs by Emon Hassan. On Tuesday May 21, 2013, NYWIFT held a panel at the WGAE as part of Internet Week New York, produced by Amanda Lin Costa and moderated by WGAE Director of Programs Dana Weissman. Four transmedia writers discussed creating cross-platform content for...

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TV Preview: Rebel Wilson’s ‘Super Fun Night’

Created by and starring Rebel Wilson, ABC’s upcoming sitcom Super Fun Night looks like a winner. Wilson plays one of three friends who spend their Friday nights “always together! always inside!” — until they’re motivated to take the party outside, diving into the craziness that is New York nightlife. — MICHELE DAGLE

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