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 City, from the filmmakers of Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines. The game, targeted at tweens, deals with beauty myths, harassment, bullying, peer pressure. and conflict.
A New York City pleasure: to see the pianos are back! Artist-designed public pianos are once again dotting the city. There are 88 all around the city until June 16. We have one near the NYWIFT office, at the New York Public Library. Visit singforhope.org to find one near you and go play a tune, or if you are like me, just listen.
Terry Lawler is the Executive Director of NYWIFT. Tune in every Tuesday for her picks of the week.
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Alison Fraser
Welcome to NYWIFT, Alison Fraser! Alison is an award-winning producer and media executive with more than 20 years of experience in the North American entertainment industry. Her career spans work with major organizations including HBO, BET, Court TV, TELUS Storyhive/Originals, and Rogers. She has served as a board member for Gender Equity in Media Society Vancouver (GEMS), formerly Women in Film and Television Vancouver (WIFTV). She has also held leadership roles with Storyhive, Telefilm, Entertainment One, Shaftesbury, and as an Executive Producer at Rephrase Filmworks. Alison holds a graduate degree in Journalism from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, is a graduate of the Women in Film and Television Media Leadership Program, and recently completed an Executive MBA with a Business in the Americas specialization, which included studies at business schools in São Paulo, Mexico City, and Nashville.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Rachel Fleit
Welcome to NYWIFT, Rachel Fleit! Rachel is a writer, director, and producer known for her intimate, character-driven storytelling across documentary and narrative film and television. With a background in fashion and business, Rachel brings both creative sensitivity and an entrepreneurial mindset to her work, balancing artistic vision with thoughtful leadership. Rachel directed the acclaimed documentary Introducing, Selma Blair and has helmed projects including Bama Rush and Sugar Babies, each reflecting her commitment to emotional honesty and layered storytelling. Her latest award-winning documentary, The Slightest Touch—which follows the extraordinary friendship between Emma Fogarty, who lives with epidermolysis bullosa, and actor Colin Farrell—has been acquired by HBO Documentary Films and is slated to premiere later this year on HBO Max. In our interview, she reflected on building trust with her subjects, navigating personal and cultural storytelling, and the creative directions she’s most excited to explore next.
READ MORENYWIFT at Tribeca 2025: In Conversation with Co-Directors and Producers Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin
The 2025 Tribeca Festival is kicking off with a bang as the world premiere of Billy Joel: And So It Goes takes center stage as part of the Opening Night Gala. This highly anticipated documentary, co-directed by the legendary multi-Emmy, Peabody and Grammy award-winning filmmaker Susan Lacy and Emmy and Peabody award-winning producer Jessica Levin, delves deep into the music, mind, and legacy of one of America’s greatest songwriters. In this exclusive NYWIFT interview, we speak with Susan, a proud NYWIFT member, and Jessica, her longtime collaborator, about the creative journey behind the film, the art of storytelling through music, and what it was like working alongside the Piano Man himself.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Claire Read
Claire Read is a New York-based documentary filmmaker and producer known for her work on HBO series like Telemarketers and The Vow, as well as independent documentaries covering diverse subjects. Her journey into documentary filmmaking began with a high school project on a controversial NYC community center, now culminating in Penn F—ing Station, a documentary exploring the city's debate over its redevelopment. She crafts stories that blend emotional depth with intellectual engagement, focusing on authentic narratives and human connections. Continue reading to discover Claire's experience in filmmaking and learn more about her upcoming projects.
READ MORE