NYWIFT Blog

Cynthia’s Picks: Black History Month

In celebration of Black History Month, let’s shine a light on the artists and changemakers in media:

NYWIFT Interviews: Be sure to check out NYWIFT blogger Tammy Reese’s series of interviews that shine a spotlight on Black artists in the NYWIFT community, discussing their favorite inspirational figures and career highlights.

NYWIFT Talks: On next week’s NYWIFT Talks, we return with part 2 of our conversation with NY Media Arts Organization that represent diversity artists with “Making a Way Out of No Way: The Importance of Amplifying BIPOC and Black Women Voices with Visionary New York Media Arts Organizations” on February 24. Learn more and register.

Watch List: There are many Black History Month film and TV recommendations to choose from, but this list of six essential films from Time is a great starting point. It also happens to feature two films with NYWIFT ties: member and our first-ever Nancy Malone Directing Award Muse honoree Julie Dash’s Illusions, which candidly explores racism and sexism in Hollywood both present and past, was recently named to the National Film Registry. It was preserved with support from the NYWIFT Women’s Film Preservation Fund and we screened it in our Member Screening Series in the Fall. NYWIFT Muse Kasi Lemmons’ Eve’s Bayou (pictured above), with its nuanced portrayal of family life in the segregated 1960s South, also made the list.

PUBLISHED BY

Cynthia Lopez

Cynthia Lopez Cynthia Lopez is the Executive Director of New York Women in Film & Television and an award-winning media strategist.

View all posts by Cynthia Lopez

Comments are closed

Related Posts

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Maria Eleni Zollo 

Welcome to NYWIFT, Maria Eleni Zollo! Maria is a writer, actor, director, and musician based in Astoria, Queens. As a singer, she has performed at the Norwegian National Opera House in Oslo, Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, and on Saturday Night Live. She works as an adjunct professor at CUNY Baruch, and as a Greek Orthodox Church chanter at St George in Hell's Kitchen and St Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center. Maria Eleni also performs as a stand-up comedian in NYC. Her first short film was a semifinalist in Stage 32's 8th Annual Short Film Festival. 

READ MORE

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Lindsey Brannon 

Welcome to NYWIFT, Lindsey Brannon! Lindsey Brannon is a Brooklyn-based producer working across independent film and television. She is the Co-Founder of Doodyaar Productions and works in production and development at Darius Films, bringing a unique blend of creative producing experience and a strong background in finance, operations, and startups. Lindsey has produced narrative shorts, managed productions as a Line Producer and UPM, and champions stories that elevate underrepresented voices. She also serves as Secretary of the Hollywood Radio & Television Society Associates New York Board and is an active member of NYWIFT, supporting emerging filmmakers and fostering creative community. Passionate about character-driven storytelling and championing underrepresented voices, Lindsey approaches her work with both strategic insight and a deep commitment to meaningful, impactful stories.

READ MORE

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Ayo Oti

Welcome to NYWIFT, Ayo Oti! Ayo Oti is a media creative, social impact professional, and emerging filmmaker. She publishes Sounds Like Impact, a curated resource for social impact podcasting, and hosts Audio For Action Live. Previously, she produced for How to Save a Planet and Degrees: Real Talk About Planet-Saving Careers. Ayo is currently developing two documentary films: one exploring first-generation Nigerian identity and another examining African American creatives inspired by Mexico and its artistic practices. Beyond her own work, she collaborates on social issue documentaries as a producer, supporting projects across production, strategy, and impact distribution to help stories reach and engage audiences.

READ MORE

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Allie Delury 

Welcome to NYWIFT, Allie Delury! Allie Delury is an award-winning producer and director known for Fault (Tribeca 2026), The Last Goodbye (AFF 2025), Tender Thoughts (Tribeca 2024), and Ivy Grace (CNN NBC Nightly). She was featured on the cover of MovieMaker Magazine for producing All Is Well in 48 hours and has also been to over 100 countries, done vanlife in Australia, sailed around the world, and worked as a combat camera officer in the Air Force. She now owns Work Our Way Productions, a 100% veteran owned-and-operated production company in Brooklyn. 

READ MORE
JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
css.php