Casting News: Tony Award Nominee Eva Noblezada (Miss Saigon, Les Miserables) led the cast of Diane Paragas’ musical drama film Yellow Rose along with Tony Award Winner Lea Salonga (Once On This Island, Miss Saigon). The film, which wrapped production in Texas last month, received the NYWIFT Ravenal Foundation Feature Film Grant.
Women’s History: This past weekend in The New York Times, Manohla Dargis and A.O. Scott offered a look at 20 important women behind-the-scenes throughout film history.
Boxed In: The latest Boxed In study from Dr. Martha Lauzen and the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University shows that television continues to represent mostly men on screen and behind the scenes – there was little to no improvement this year.
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NYWIFT at Tribeca 2025: In Conversation with Victoria Hill
Victoria Hill is no stranger to creating cinematic magic, and her latest project, The Best You Can, premiering at the 2025 Tribeca Festival, is yet another example of her storytelling prowess. As lead producer of and actor in the narrative spotlight film — starring real-life couple Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick — Hill brings a deeply human story to life, exploring connection, loneliness, and unexpected friendship in midlife. NYWIFT Board Member Gretchen McGowan is one of the film’s executive producers. “When Victoria Hill and Andrew Mann brought Michael Weithorn’s script to us, I thought: we’re all ready for Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon to appear on the screen together again. This is something the world could use right about now,” McGowan said in a NYWIFT announcement of member projects at Tribeca. With a stellar career that spans producing, acting, and writing across internationally acclaimed films like First Reformed, The Chaperone, and The Secrets We Keep, Hill’s dedication to complex, character-driven stories continues to shine. In this exclusive NYWIFT interview, Hill shares insights into filming on location in NYC, collaborating with industry heavyweights, and her mission to amplify women’s voices through Fibonacci Films.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Jayson Simba
Welcome to NYWIFT, Jayson Simba! Jayson Simba is a Cuban-American actor, director, writer, and producer who hails from Forest Hills, Queens. After attending LaGuardia H.S. of Performing Arts, Jayson enrolled at the Acting Studio NYC, where he studied the Meisner Technique under renowned acting teacher James Price. As an actor, Jayson has starred in over 40 films and television roles. In 2002, Jayson founded One Man Show Productions to help produce the work of independent filmmakers and writers. In 2007, he was hired to write and direct his first feature film, What Matters Most. As an independent filmmaker with 15 films under his belt, Jayson founded Festival of Cinema NYC with the aim of giving emerging filmmakers a platform to showcase their work to further their careers. Jason discusses his experiences as a filmmaker and the foundations of the Festival of Cinema NYC.
READ MORETribeca Festival 2025: Celebrating Stories, Icons, and Impact with NYWIFT
With this article, our coverage of the 2025 Tribeca Festival comes to a close — and what an unforgettable experience it has been. NYWIFT members LaKisa Renee and Tammy Reese had the incredible opportunity to represent the organization on the ground, capturing exclusive red carpet moments, world premieres, and powerful conversations highlighting the festival’s spirit of storytelling, advocacy, and artistic excellence. One of the most moving moments came when EGOT icon and past NYWIFT Muse Honoree Whoopi Goldberg gave a heartfelt shoutout to New York Women in Film & Television. Her support meant the world to our team.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Hayley Pace
Today, we’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on new NYWIFT member Hayley Pace, an award-winning production designer and actor whose unique blend of skills and passions continues to inspire us! Hayley Pace hails from Toronto, Ontario. They are known for their work on Schitt’s Creek (CBC), In The Dark (CW), and The Expanse (Amazon Prime). In addition to their on-screen work, Hayley has self-produced original projects through their experimental marching band theatre company, The Teeny Tiny Music Show, and has designed for numerous film, TV, and theatre productions across Canada. A graduate of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and York University’s BFA in Devised Theatre & Design, Hayley brings a dynamic and multidisciplinary approach to their artistry. We caught up with Hayley to discuss their career, their creative journey, and what brought them to NYWIFT.
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