NYWIFT Members at the 2025 Tribeca Festival

 

Congratulations to the NYWIFT members included in the 2025 Tribeca Festival line up! We are thrilled to see 17 members of our community with 17 projects featured at the festival this year. 

The festival takes place June 4 – 15, 2025 both virtually and in-person in New York. Tickets and packages can be purchased from the official website.

You can click on each title below for the festival schedule and tickets to the exciting projects featuring work by NYWIFT members.

Projects below are sorted by competition category.

Plus, NYWIFT is proud to present in partnership with Kaufman Astoria Studios and The NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), “Behind the Lens: NYWIFT Filmmakers in Focus at Tribeca” on Thursday, May 29 at 6:30 PM. 

Join us for a lively conversation at Kaufman Astoria Studios showcasing the work of NYWIFT Members heading to Tribeca Festival 2025. Featuring Lois Drabkin (Co-Producer & Casting Director, Ride or Die), Susan Lacy (Director & Producer, Billy Joel: And So It Goes), Chantel Simpson (Director, A Drastic Tale), and Marcella Steingart (Producer, Barbara Walters Tell Me Everything). Moderated by NYWIFT CEO Cynthia Lopez.

Register now! 

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Gala

 

Billy Joel: And So It Goes

Director and Producer – NYWIFT Member Susan Lacy

This documentary weaves rare, never-before-seen archival footage with candid, soul-baring interviews to chart Billy Joel’s meteoric rise—from humble Long Island roots to international superstardom.

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Spotlight+

 

State of Firsts

Executive Producer – NYWIFT Member Ruth Ann Harnisch

This documentary follows Sarah McBride, the first transgender person ever to be elected to Congress during this time of heated and seemingly incessant political opposition to the transgender community

 

 

We Are Pat

Executive Producer – NYWIFT Member Ruth Ann Harnisch

35 years after the first “It’s Pat” sketch debuted on SNL, Tribeca alum filmmaker Haber and a who’s who of queer and trans comedians and writers (including Julia Sweeney herself) come together to confront the existence of Pat.

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Spotlight Narrative

The Best You Can

Executive Producer – NYWIFT Board Member Gretchen McGowan

Stan Olszewski, a security guard foils a home robbery attempt at Cynthia Rand’s residence. A charged friendship develops starting with late-night humorous texts. Their deepening bond shakes up both their lives.

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Spotlight Documentary

 

Barbara Walters Tell Me Everything

Producer – NYWIFT Member Marcella Steingart

Exploring the pioneering career of Barbara Walters, this documentary delves into her influential role in broadcast journalism, shedding light on sexism, ambition, and the challenges women face in achieving success.

 

Empire Skate

Producer – NYWIFT Member Carolyn Hepburn

Empire Skate chronicles the colorful rise and enduring influence of New York skateboarding culture in the 1990s, through the global phenomenon of Supreme and intimate portraits of the skaters who breathed life into that world.

 

 

The Inquisitor

Producer – NYWIFT Member Trevite Willis

The Inquisitor highlights the legacy of Barbara Jordan, unraveling how her public influence shaped U.S. politics, while exploring the complexities of her hidden personal identity.

 

 

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore

Executive Producer – NYWIFT Member Ruth Ann Harnisch

Marlee Matlin, the first deaf actor to win an Academy Award, looks back on her remarkable life, career, and the complexities of being the “first.”

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U.S. Narrative Competition

 

Ride or Die

Co-Producer, Casting Director – NYWIFT Member Lois Drabkin

A casual reunion with her high school crush has unforeseen consequences when two young women embark on a high-stakes road trip with an uncertain destination.

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Documentary Competition

 

For Venida, For Kalief

Archival Producer – NYWIFT Member Mattie Akers

Kalief Browder and his mother Venida’s lives are upended by systemic injustice. Her poetry weaves through their story, told via archives and activism, showcasing their lasting impact on community and society.

 

Maintenance Artist

Director, Producer, Screenwriter – NYWIFT Member Toby Perl Freilich

NYC’s first Sanitation Department artist-in-residence, Mierle Laderman Ukeles, blends art with waste management in Maintenance Artist, exploring her groundbreaking public art career.

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Escape from Tribeca

 

Queens of the Dead

Background Actor (Zombie) – NYWIFT Member Eileen A. Zyko Wolter

The stage is set for a wild night inside a Brooklyn warehouse party boasting drag queens, a fully stocked bar and loud music. The evening’s  problem: a sudden onslaught of flesh-eating zombies. 

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Shorts

 

A Drastic Tale

Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Editor – NYWIFT Member Chantel Simpson

This short explores the deep, unwavering brotherhood between members of Drastic Auto Club, one of the oldest lowrider clubs formed in New York City.

 

 

Fire At Will

Production Manager – NYWIFT Member Beatriz Barbieri

When parents gather their four adult children over dinner to solidify their will, the children’s self-absorbed agendas send the conversation careening into chaos, leading to a desperate battle of wills.

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Podcast Official Selections

 

Last Resort

Director, Producer – NYWIFT Member Melanie Armer

Cast – NYWIFT Member Jessica Blank

Cast – NYWIFT Member Erik Jensen

Last Resort follows Nikki Delgado and five other guests of a remote island resort called Ichos. Nikki, a fashion influencer whose career is in jeopardy after dissing a fan, must harness her inner rage when she uncovers her hosts’ dark secret: They’ve accessed a strange signal from deep space and are using Nikki and the others as guinea pigs to test its powers.

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Indie Episodic (NOW)

 

Mother, May I Have a Kidney?

Project Creator, Screenwriter, Executive Producer – NYWIFT Member Veronica Reyes-How

When Doug learns he’s in need of a kidney transplant and the perfect match is his estranged mother, he’s forced to embark on a journey towards reconciliation with his family.