NYWIFT Blog

“Call Your Mother” Panel: Top Takeaways

By Leah Curney

On May 7th, New York Women in Film & Television hosted a virtual panel discussion with filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, creators of the hilarious new documentary, Call Your Mother, which explores the relationship between comedians and their mothers. The panel also included two of the comedians featured in the film, Judy Gold and Bridget Everett, and was produced and moderated by NYWIFT board member Terry Greenberg.

Bridget Everett with her mother in the film.

 

A comedic writer and performer myself, I was thrilled to attend the event. To be expected, you get this many funny ladies in a room (even a virtual one), and you’re bound to have plenty of laughs. However, there were many poignant and surprising moments throughout the conversation as well.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes and top takeaways from the event:

 

  • Both performers in the panel described the empowering nature of comedy and being on stage. Judy Gold shared, “I was very bullied as a kid and I think having control of the laughter was big for me. I wasn’t being laughed at, I was making them laugh… this was my space, this was my home.”

 

  • Both performers also addressed how much they miss performing for a live audience, now that COVID-19 has brought public gatherings to a halt. Technology may allow us to stay connected, but nothing comes close to the real-time energy and feedback of performing live stand-up comedy, they lamented.

 

Due to COVID-19, the panel took place entirely virtually – but it still brought the laughs!

 

  • Both the performers and the filmmakers spoke about how their moms, born just a few generations earlier, had far fewer life and career options than they did. They spoke with appreciation of the sacrifices their mothers made, and the ways their moms inspired and influenced their senses of humor.

 

  • Filmmakers Heidi and Rachel pointed out that at some point in the film each of the mothers expressed a similar sentiment about their comic daughters, “She’s doing what I wish I could do.”

 

  • When asked whether the filmmakers thought to include comedians who didn’t have good relationships with their mothers, Heidi and Rachel were quick to respond, “Of course!” Seeking to capture depth and diversity in their film, they approached a number of comedians who had challenging or strained relationships with their mothers… but all of them declined to participate. Apparently it was just too painful.

 

These are a few of the highlights from the panel, but you can watch the full recording, and hear these talented women in their own words, on the NYWIFT Facebook page:

 

You can also hear an interview with Judy Gold on a recent episode of NYWIFT’s Women Crush Wednesdays podcast. Click below to listen and subscribe:

PUBLISHED BY

LeahCurney

LeahCurney Leah Curney is a filmmaker, writer and actor. Her directing credits include Interview Requested, Dirty Laundry, and Officer Grumpy. Her short film 6:18 to Omaha won the CinemaStreet Women’s Short Screenplay Competition and she was a semi-finalist for the 2019 Made In NY Writers Room Fellowship. She has numerous projects currently in development. www.leahcurney.com

View all posts by LeahCurney

Comments are closed

Related Posts

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 MORE

Tribeca 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 MORE

Meet 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.

READ MORE

NYWIFT at the 2025 Tribeca Festival: Music Legends, Maternal Power, and Unapologetic Truths

The 2025 Tribeca Festival may be in the rearview, but the stories told, the icons celebrated, and the bold truths shared are still echoing through the industry and NYWIFT was proud to be part of the magic. This year, NYWIFT’s own LaKisa Renee and Tammy Reese hit the red carpet to cover several of the festival’s standout spotlight documentary premieres, each of which celebrated trailblazers who transformed their personal journeys into global movements. From ’80s pop icons to maternal rights warriors and queer faith leaders, our coverage captured the heart, soul, and grit of storytelling at its finest.

READ MORE
JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
css.php