We’re counting down the 40 days to NYWIFT’s 40th Anniversary Muse Awards with a look at some of our favorite honorees, all women of vision and achievement who have contributed to the film and television industry. Join us as we look back at #Muse40for40, and buy your tickets for the Muse Awards on Tuesday, December 10th at nywift.org/muse!
#35: Dede Allen
By Mellini Kantayya
Dede Allen was a pioneering film editor with a career spanning over sixty-years. Though she said she went “completely by gut” when editing, she introduced of a number techniques into America cinema—including frequent use of jump-cuts and overlapping audio between scenes to drive the narrative forward. She is a well-known “film editing doctor” to the major American movie studios, and one of cinema’s all-time celebrated “auteur” film editors.
At the 2001 Muse Awards, Dede Allen — the first editor to get an exclusive credit on a film — received a standing ovation from a packed house.
Her obituary in the Independent UK sited her as “the most important film editor in the most explosive era of American film.” She was nominated for Academy Awards for the films Dog Day Afternoon, Reds, and Wonderboys, and was best-known for such classics as Bonnie and Clyde and The Hustler. She passed away in 2010 at the age of 86.
Mellini_Kantayya
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Nira Burstein
Welcome to NYWIFT, Nira Burstein! Nira Burstein is an award-winning filmmaker based in New York City. She is one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film and DOC NYC’s 40 Under 40. Her documentary debut Charm Circle won the Audience Award at Sheffield DocFest, is a New York Times Critic’s Pick, and had its streaming premiere on the Criterion Channel. Nira is a Gotham Fellow, and her work has been supported by the Jerome Foundation and Jewish Story Partners. She has made several narrative short films, including Gangrenous (Nantucket Film Festival) and Off & Away (Brooklyn Film Festival). Her latest short film, Dear Shop Girl, premiered at Woodstock Film Festival. She is currently in post on the documentary short Handymen.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Ashley Bacon
Welcome to NYWIFT, Ashley Bacon! Ashley is an actor and producer in New York. She leads the 80s thriller Something of a Monster which was released in December on AppleTV, and her claim to fame is a recurring arc on Orange is the New Black. She was nominated for Best Actor at Cindependent for her work in The Flip Side (2023). Upcoming projects include leading the film A Matchmaker’s Christmas, a star-studded community fundraiser of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and raising her small child. She lives in Brooklyn with - in her words - "two cats, one daughter, and one husband." We welcome actor and producer Ashley Bacon to NYWIFT! In her New Member Spotlight, we discussed the famous RDJ scene that inspired Ashley to become an actor, the community garden motivating her next project, and her favorite film she’s worked on so far.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Leah Gaydos
Welcome to NYWIFT, Leah Gaydos! Leah M. Gaydos is a New York-based attorney and independent producer whose work spans film, entertainment law, and nonprofit leadership. She has produced more than 20 shorts and two features, including Rounding, which premiered at Tribeca and was distributed by Doppleganger. Leah serves as Board Member & Entertainment Law Chair for Healing TREE and provides production counsel and strategic consulting to independent filmmakers. She currently practices law at Rebar Kelly while pursuing opportunities in business affairs and legal for film, television, and emerging media. Her career centers on balancing creative vision with the legal frameworks that allow meaningful storytelling to thrive. In our interview, Leah discussed her philosophy of producing, the production that shaped that philosophy, and her vision for the future of entertainment law.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Alyssa R. Bennett
Welcome to NYWIFT, Alyssa R. Bennett! Alyssa R. Bennet is an accomplished, multifaceted creative who exemplifies a socially conscious career and ambition. Alyssa has worked on a multitude of projects, from music to writing to filmmaking – both in front of and behind the camera. Always drawing from her intrinsic passion, her various mediums often intertwine and inform her expansive creative visions. Her keen ability to boil narratives down to the raw and essential is a reflection of this artistic crossover. As co-founder of Stonestreet Studios, Alyssa brings her vast experience to the service of the filmmaking community, connecting people with opportunities and amplifying diverse stories. Alyssa continuously strives to uplift the filmmaking community and contribute to the invaluable tradition of storytelling. In our interview, Alyssa discusses her career and the motivations that have paved the way for her accomplished journey.
READ MORE
Comments are closed