Urgent Action: A few months ago, the State Assembly and State Senate passed legislation that incentivizes the hiring of women and people of color to write and direct television in New York. The bill has now arrived at Governor Cuomo’s desk and he has only a few business days left to sign the bill. Please contact the Governor’s office and urge him to sign it.
Hedy Lamarr: Congratulations to NYWIFT member Alexandra Dean on her recently released critically-acclaimed documentary Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story, which focuses on the Hollywood star’s work as an inventor who helped revolutionize modern communication.
Muse Raffle: You can support NYWIFT at the Muse Awards or even from afar when you buy Muse Awards raffle tickets on our website. You have the chance to win thousands of dollars in prizes, including spa vacations, Broadway tickets, a free legal consultation, designer accessories and more. You don’t have to be at the awards to win! (Though we do hope to see you there – register now for the December 14 event.)
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READ MOREDisney+ Celebrates National Pet Day with Heartwarming New Documentary “Pets” Directed by Bryce Dallas Howard
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On a brisk February afternoon, I found the perfect escape from the cold—diving into an eye-opening discussion at the 2025 Winter Film Festival. One of the standout moments? Navigating Film Fundraising with NYWIFT, a must-attend panel for any filmmaker tackling the most daunting part of filmmaking: raising money. Leading the conversation were Easmanie Michel, NYWIFT’s Director of Artists Programs and Finance, and NYWIFT Member Joanna Rudolph, executive producer of Burning Annie and The Co-op: The Kids of Dorie Miller. Their wealth of knowledge made for a powerful session, packed with real-world success stories and actionable strategies. Marchelle Thurman summarized some key takeaways to help you fund your next film.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Melody Gilbert
Welcome to our new NYWIFT member, Melody Gilbert! Melody is an Emmy-nominated and Alfred I. duPont award-winning documentary filmmaker. Over the course of her career, Melody has directed and produced 20 documentaries that have been screened at several film festivals and distributed internationally. Melody is also an educator committed to teaching new and emerging filmmakers. She has been on the faculty at several universities (including the American University in Bulgaria), teaching documentary production, multimedia, and journalism. Currently, Melody is traveling the world and spreading her love for film by teaching pitch training workshops and conducting her “Documentary Boot Camp” while working on her new documentary about the scandalous topless monokini bathing suit in 1964. The most recent documentary she helped produce, Queendom, was shortlisted for an Oscar in the feature documentary category. In our interview, Melody discusses her move from chilly Minnesota to NYC, her unconventional documentary subjects, and key lessons she shares with film students.
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