Swim Team: Congratulations to 2015 NYWIFT Loreen Arbus Disability Awareness Grant recipient Swim Team, whose all-female creative team has been selected for the 2016 IFP Filmmaker Labs annual yearlong fellowship for first-time feature directors.
Shots Fired: Check out the riveting trailer for Writers Lab mentor Gina Prince-Bythewood’s new event series Shots Fired, which examines the dangerous aftermath of racially charged shootings in a small Southern town.
U.K. Women: Stephen Follows has published a comprehensive new study of gender inequality in the U.K. film industry.
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NYWIFT Member Spotlight: Karen Goeller
Karen Goeller is a gifted storyteller whose work spans literature, film, television, and live performance. Since launching her film career in 2012, she has contributed to more than 100 productions both in front of and behind the camera. As a long-standing member of NYWIFT, Karen has built a reputation as a talented actor, script supervisor, writer, and producer. And as a writer, she’s earned awards for three screenplays — Escape Artists, Best First Dates...NOT, and Missy’s Voice. Also the author of 20 published books spanning gymnastics, fitness, and children’s literature, Karen continues to inspire across multiple platforms. With a unique background in law, health sciences, and athletics, her work reflects creativity, strength, and authenticity — qualities that define her as a dynamic and enduring force in storytelling. Karen’s latest project, Missy’s Voice, highlights themes of resilience and triumph through the story of a bullied young singer who eventually finds her voice. She spoke to us about exciting new developments for Missy’s Voice and what we can look forward to next.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Sophie Ostrove
Welcome to NYWIFT, Sophie Ostrove! Sophie is a thoughtful and funny storyteller who graduated with honors from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she earned her BFA in Film and Television with a focus on comedy. As a queer, disabled, and Jewish writer, Sophie is passionate about creating stories that center joy and offer authentic representation. Based in New York City, she splits her time between writing, freelancing, background acting, teaching filmmaking, ushering — and watching as much TV as possible (a job requirement she’s more than happy to meet). In our conversation, Sophie reflected on her creative journey, the role of comedy in her work, and why representation truly matters.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Rita Marcocci
Welcome to NYWIFT, Rita Marcocci! Rita Marcocci is founder of Verus Studios, LLC a female-owned, award-winning production studio based in Westport, CT. She is a former executive at FOX Television with an accomplished background in revenue growth and strategic partnerships. Her most recent project, the Oscar and BAFTA shortlisted film The One Note Man, is currently available on Amazon Prime. Next up is a short film collaboration with award winning director, Daniel Deville and the Oscar-winning team at Slick Films. Rita brings a strategic perspective to projects, offering a full understanding of successful operational knowledge as well as diverse, hands-on experience in the entertainment industry. In our interview, Rita discusses her current projects and the process of running Versus Studios!
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Cassie Rubio
Welcome to NYWIFT, Cassie Rubio! Cassie Rubio is a Brooklyn-based screenwriter, educator, and community organizer. Whether it’s running free art labs for QTBIPOC youth or teaching guerrilla filmmaking workshops aimed at documenting climate change, Cassie believes in the transformative power each of our creative voices have. A recent graduate of Stony Brook’s MFA in Television Writing program and a 2024 Television Academy Drama Writing Fellowship Finalist, they use their voice to author stories about the harm and healing found in collective spaces. In our interview, Cassie discusses the intersections between activism and filmmaking, their writing inspiration, and an upcoming project!
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