October 8, 2025
Dear NYWIFT Community,
The leaves are changing, a chill is in the air… the autumn season is here, and New York Women in Film & Television is hitting the festival circuit!
We are spotlighting important films with women in key creative roles, both behind and in front of the camera, featuring strong women characters in documentaries and narrative films.
NYWIFT will feature film festival co-curated shorts showcases at the SOHO International Film Festival and the Hamptons International Film Festival.
We will host panel discussions, receptions, and gatherings at Hellenic Film Festival, Woodstock Film Festival, and our yearly Hamptons Brunch. We are thrilled to return to our long-standing local Queens International Film Festival event in Jackson Heights, which uplifts creators in all roles of media and entertainment.
And that’s not all – we’ll also head to the historic, elegant National Arts Club for a panel and networking reception with our friends at the Hollywood Radio & Television Society. Meanwhile, our virtual offerings are thriving with the return of our Business of Adaptations program and the soon-to-be-announced next edition of our Masterclass Series.
Please see details and reserve your spot at nywift.org/events. It would be wonderful to share this celebration of storytelling and women’s creative contributions with you.
From left: Tribeca CEO Jane Rosenthal with Cynthia Lopez at the NYWIFT AI Summit; Cynthia interviews Spike Lee at the Storytelling 360 “State of the Story” event; Beni Matias, Tami Gold, and NYWIFT’s Easmanie Michel at the September Member Screening
Thank you to those who came out to some our recent events, including our Creative Workforce Summit: Creative Sustainability in the Age of AI. This all-day conference at the hip WSA building downtown – gorgeous Brooklyn Bridge views included – featured a series of illuminating conversations with some of the best and brightest in technology and media discussing their hopes and fears regarding artificial intelligence. We all came away with deeper insight into some of the latest opportunities, as well as smart questions to ask ourselves and each other so we can implement emerging technologies thoughtfully and ethically.
We also loved seeing you at our standing-room-only NYWIFT Member Screening of Tami Gold and Beni Matias’ Sex Work: It’s Just a Job at The Quad, not to mention all your smiling faces on Zoom for our NYWIFT Masterclass: Comedy Writing with SNL luminaries and our Virtual Hangout with friends across the pond at WFTV UK.
Being able to bring you a full slate of in-person programming while also maintaining our virtual offerings is vital to keeping our community informed, entertained, and connected in 2025.
By the way, do you have plans for Halloween? We’ll return to the legendary Village Halloween Parade this year with our special NYWIFT float… stay tuned for ways to get involved!
And save the date for Monday, December 8th – we’ll be back at the DGA Theater for our holiday celebration. You won’t want to miss it.
Hope to see you on the road!
Cynthia Lopez
CEO, NYWIFT
