Mindy Kaling: CBS Sunday Morning profiled Mindy Kaling, who spoke candidly about not seeing people like herself represented on screen, and how her new film Late Night is one of the first comedies all about workplace inclusivity.
Booksmart Buzz: The disappointing box office returns from the Olivia Wilde-directed comedy Booksmart, which had been hotly anticipated on the indie circuit, leads to questions about whether women in film are held to an unfair standard. (But don’t count it out yet – it could still be a hit.)
Thumbs Down: The latest report from San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women in Film and Television, led by Dr. Martha Lauzen, shows a slight uptick in female film critics this year: 34% of the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes were written by women. But, as the report notes, “not only do men account for the majority of our filmmakers, they are also more likely to have the last word on the quality of our films.”
Don’t forget to buy your tickets for Designing Women on June 11th. It’s just a week away and we’re looking forward to a fantastic celebration!
Cynthia Lopez
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Alice McFaul
Welcome to NYWIFT, Alice McFaul! Alice is a producer, assistant director, and musician based between New York and Ireland, working in feature documentaries and unscripted television. Her work includes some of Netflix’s biggest true crime feature docs as a drama producer, and Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy and Tucci in Italy shows as assistant director. Alice is also a professional harpist and singer, playing since the age of three in Northern Ireland. In our interview, Alice tells us more about her experience working across these platforms, and how these are shaping her future goals.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Isabella Medina Sarria
Welcome to NYWIFT, Isabella Medina Sarria! Isabella is a New York–based film producer originally from Colombia, known for developing and producing internationally-recognized projects. Her award-winning short films include Delusion, which won at the Berlin Indie Film Festival and earned recognition at the LA Indie Film Festival and New York Shorts International Film Festival. She has expanded into feature films, working on Up in the Hills (starring Dylan Walsh and Paris Berelc), Tox (starring Margaret Colin), and Higher Love (starring Dennis Haysbert and Joe Pantoliano), which wrapped production in August 2025. Her work is driven by a strong creative vision, championing well-represented female characters and immigrant stories.
READ MOREDisney’s Tiana’s Joyful Celebration: An Interview with Ms. Stella Chase-Reese and Carmen Smith at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture 2026
Penni Malloy-Harper visits Tiana’s Joyful Celebration, an immersive, bilingual museum exhibit produced by Walt Disney Imagineering. It follows the storyline of Tiana's Bayou Adventure, inviting children to use their imagination and teamwork to help Tiana and her friends prepare for a Mardi Gras season parade. The exhibit is immersive and tailored for children ages 6-10, bringing the sights, sounds, and flavors of New Orleans to life. This traveling exhibition had its kickoff at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture in July 2026.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Marianna Olinger
Welcome to NYWIFT, Marianna Olinger! Marianna is an artist, producer, strategist, and visionary who evaluates media projects for their potential impact on society and social change. Marianna worked as lead impact producer for two Oscar-shortlisted documentaries, including The Territory (Sundance, Peabody, Emmy winner). As co-director at Earth Alliance, Marianna proclaims: ‘I am nature, and nature is in me.’ In our interview, she reflects on the pilot initiative, Indigenous Impact Alliance, through Doc Society's Climate Story Unit, and her work as co-producer of the short documentary Sankofa. Read on to learn about the work Marianna’s most excited to bring to life next.
READ MORE
Comments are closed