Below are just a few of the most recent accomplishments of our talented members! If you would like to join this dynamic community, we invite you to consider applying for NYWIFT membership.
NYWIFT members, do you have an upcoming screening, event, campaign or other news to share? Tell us! Contact communications@nywift.org.
Monday, Sep 21 • 7:15 PM
Little Audrey, a supernatural spiritual mystery from an original screenplay by NYWIFT member Caitlin McCarthy, who also served as associate producer, has been selected as the Closing Night film of the Boston Film Festival. Directed and produced by Michael Mailer, alongside producers Jeff Thomas and John Buffalo Mailer, the film stars Emily VanCamp, Jennifer Esposito, Aidan Quinn, and Josh Bowman. Tickets.
Friday, Sep 4 — Thu, Sep 10
Directed and produced by NYWIFT member Vaishali Sinha, Give It A Shot is coming to DCTV (87 Lafayette Street)! The film follows the indomitable, 83-year-old Dr. Sujoy Guha, in India, the California-based team of Elaine Lissner and L.R. Fox, as well as Kevin Eisenfrats in Virginia, on a quest to successfully launch the first reversible male contraceptive, the first of its kind since the modern condom, invented 200 years ago. A character-driven story, it is a funny, moving and ultimately urgent film about the disproportionate burden of birth control on women. Get tickets.
Friday, Aug 14 • 7 PM
Member Erika Goyzueta‘s short film, When Papá, Dad, Daddy Died, will be screening at Chain Film Festival. A woman sends her younger self to Bardo to find her dad for one last moment with him before he transitions to his next life. Get tickets.
NYWIFT member Kara Herold invites you to join her campaign to fund her NYWIFT Fiscal Sponsorship Program-backed film, Live, Laugh, Give Up. May has engineered her entire life around her writing — and she’s done. She’s a 35-year-old professional pet sitter and writer, living rent-free in her employer Candace’s elegant home when she decides to quit writing for good. Her Inner Critic — despite the name, her most ferocious advocate — refuses to let her. Live, Laugh, Give Up is a surreal short comedy for anyone who has ever chosen the artistic life on purpose, and needs one good reason to keep going. Contribute to the campaign.
NYWIFT member Alexandra Nedved has written and is producing Or Not To Be, a 10-minute short narrative drama directed by Talia Light Rake of Heavy Shovel Productions. The film explores one couple’s journey through IVF, and the quiet, emotional realities of the process that often remain unseen. Or Not To Be is an intimate portrait of resilience, love, and the difficult choices that accompany the pursuit of parenthood—honoring those who embark on these journeys. Led by an award-winning, majority female and non-binary team, this project aims to expand our conversations around parenthood, fertility, and choice. If you’d like to join us, you can donate here. The team thanks you for your support of women+ filmmakers, indie film doesn’t happen without you. Contribute to the campaign.
Saturday, August 15 • 6 PM
After a stunning North American premiere at last year’s TIFF, Memory of Princess Mumbi is coming to Stuart Cinema (37-18 Northern Blvd)! NYWIFT Board member Emelyn Stuart‘s Stuart Cinema is thrilled to be one of two theaters screening this romantic, sci-fi mockumentary from Swiss-Kenyan director Damien Hauser in New York. Stuart Cinema is showing Memory of Princess Mumbi starting Friday, August 14 and will host Damien Hauser for a director Q&A on Saturday, August 15, moderated by NYWIFT member Al Dawkins. Use code NYWIFTSCC for $10 tickets.
In 2093, filmmaker Kuve travels to Umata to document the aftermath of a war that revived ancient kingdoms. There, he meets Mumbi, who challenges him to make his film without the use of AI. As Kuve searches for his own voice, he begins to realize that even in a broken world, beauty can be found in the small human moments we often overlook. Get tickets.
NYWIFT member Alexandra Spieth‘s sophomore horror feature, I Know Exactly How You Die, is streaming on Tubi and Prime! I Know Exactly How You Die is a horror feature directed by Alexandra Spieth. The film made its world premiere at the Regal Theatre, Union Square, Manhattan, and was announced as part of the Dances With Films New York lineup, with coverage from Deadline. The film follows hack writer Rian Burman, whose slasher-fiction novel begins to manifest in real life. As the body count rises, Rian must finish his story before his protagonist is murdered by a sadistic stalker determined to control the ending. The film has secured worldwide distribution via Motion Picture Exchange (MPX).
Internationally acclaimed artist, playwright, writer and director-producer Ann Meredith is hitting the road. Join a longtime NYWIFT member for four film open houses in New Mexico. Ann will discuss her social impact indie feature film project Special, which may be shot in New Mexico by her Swordfish Productions company upon being greenlit. Special is a story about healing from sexual harassment and abuse. Ann is also looking for collaborators. If you are interested in working on the bring your production resume with 2 References and their contact information to any of the upcoming open houses. Actors, bring your headshot and resume. Executive overviews will be available for interested investors. For additional information, contact specialfilm@gmail.com and visit her website! Dates for Ann’s New Mexico tour:
Albuquerque – Main Branch Public Library Auditorium (501 Copper Ave, 87102), August 22, 1-4 PM MT • Santa Fe – Main Branch Public Library Community Room (145 Washington Avenue SW, 87501), August 24, 1-4 PM MT • Las Cruces – Thomas Branigan Memorial Library Road Runner Room (200 E Picacho Ave, 88001), August 29, 3:15-5:30 PM MT • Silver City – Avalon Books & Music (405 N Bullard Street, 88061), August 31, 5:30-7:30 PM MT
Wednesday, August 12 • 9:15 PM and Saturday, August 16 • 9 PM
Samantha Siberini invites NYWIFT members to her show, The Hex Pistols!, which will be performed as part of Frigid New York‘s Little Shakespeare Festival. She is serving as writer/director/producer/
Bull Street is available to stream on Prime Video. Written and directed by NYWIFT member Lynn Dow, Bull Street follows LouEster Sadie Gibbs (newcomer Malynda Hale), a 39-year-old small-town personal injury lawyer whose mother died in childbirth. Her grandmother, Mrs. Big-Gal (Loretta Devine), has raised her in their humble family home with love and a rich spiritual tradition. When an entitled Ivy League lawyer questions their ownership of the home and its surrounding land, the stage is set for a clash of privilege against family. Watch the film.
Tuesday, August 11 • 8 PM
NNYWIFT members Melissa Skirboll (director, co-writer, editor and actor), Penny Jackson (executive producer and co-writer) and Louis Robert King (score) invite you to see their short film $13 make its NYC premiere at the Chain NYC Film Festival as part of the festival’s NYC Stories block. The story takes place when a long-time New Yorker introduces her niece to her beloved city and a doughnut and waterfront view ignite memories of her greatest, but luckiest, loss. Get tickets.
Saturday, August 15 • 12-7 PM
NYWIFT member and publicist Iris De Vita invites you to the 24th Annual Long Island Bluegrass & Roots Music Festival, at the scenic Tanner Park Bandshell in Copiague, NY (400 Baylawn Avenue). Celebrating the rich traditions of bluegrass, Americana, and roots music, this beloved annual festival brings together nationally acclaimed performers, regional favorites, and Long Island talent for an unforgettable afternoon of live music, community, and family-friendly entertainment. Headlining this year’s festival is Andy Falco Bluegrass Laboratory, featuring Long Island native Andy Falco—renowned guitarist and vocalist with the Grammy Award-winning Infamous Stringdusters—joined by an all-star lineup of nationally recognized bluegrass musicians. Get tickets.
Saturday, August 8 • 10 AM-9:30 PM and Sunday, August 9 • 10 AM-5 PM
NYWIFT member and publicist Iris De Vita invites you to experience Native American Culture at the 44th Annual Paumanauke Pow Wow in Copiague, NY. — The Paumanauke Native American Festival Inc., proudly pr esent the 44th Annual Paumanauke Pow Wow, taking place at Tanner Park in Copiague.
Celebrating Native American heritage and traditions, this family-friendly annual event welcomes visitors of all ages for two days filled with vibrant cultural experiences, including Traditional, Inter-Tribal and Aztec dance performances, exciting dance competitions, traditional drumming, Native American artisans, artists, crafts, authentic foods, and specialty vendors. The Pow Wow offers an opportunity for the public to experience and learn about Native American culture while supporting an important cause. Proceeds from the event benefit the Native American Scholarship Fund. Tickets for adults are $10, $5for seniors (60+) and teens (12–16) and children under 12 attend for free. No advance ticket sales. Cash only at the gate.
For additional information on the web or by calling (516) 495-6076. Information is also available through the Babylon Citizens Council on the Arts or 631-587-3696.
NYWIFT Member Jackie Quinones‘ debut feature film Miles Away has received an Imagen Award nomination for Best Feature Film. The film previously earned the NYWIFT Award for Excellence in Narrative Filmmaking at the Urbanworld Film Festival. Congratulations, Jackie!
NYWIFT member Iris De Vita invites you to experience Native American Culture at the 44th Annual Paumanauke Pow Wow in Copiague, NY. — The Paumanauke Native American Festival Inc., proudly present the 44th Annual Paumanauke Pow Wow, taking place Saturday, August 8, and Sunday, August 9 at Tanner Park in Copiague.
Celebrating Native American heritage and traditions, this family-friendly annual event welcomes visitors of all ages for two days filled with vibrant cultural experiences, including Traditional, Inter-Tribal and Aztec dance performances, exciting dance competitions, traditional drumming, Native American artisans, artists, crafts, authentic foods, and specialty vendors. The Pow Wow offers an opportunity for the public to experience and learn about Native American culture while supporting an important cause. Proceeds from the event benefit the Native American Scholarship Fund. Tickets for adults are $10, $5for seniors (60+) and teens (12–16) and children under 12 attend for free. No advance ticket sales. Cash only at the gate.
For additional information on the web or by calling (516) 495-6076. Information is also available through the Babylon Citizens Council on the Arts or 631-587-3696.
NYWIFT member and filmmaker Mika Orr and team invite you to a final feedback screening of her upcoming feature documentary – a project about women, made by women. Dancing Through is a portrait of displaced young women across generations—three 10-year-old girls from three continents coming of age alongside their mothers, all struggling to reclaim independence, purpose, and a sense of self in countries not their own.
Painstakingly filmed over the five most formative years of their young lives, this ambitious, vérité, character-driven documentary, celebrates the courage, resilience, humor and humanity of Lela, Mercy, and Rayan at a time when the door is flung open and their futures rush in. See the film Wednesday, July 29, from 7 PM – 9:30 PM at Post Lab One (121 W 27th St). Tickets.
Bridgett M. Davis‘ feature film, Naked Acts was ignored by gatekeepers when it debuted 30 years ago. Recently found in an archive, Naked Acts is now touted as “A great discovery,” an overlooked gem of 90s Black cinema. With Helga, Davis explores what it does to an artist’s psyche when their work is unsung for many years, and then suddenly celebrated. Davis and her crew have met their production goal of $25k in less than 3 days!
Here’s what we still need to finish it: $10k for post-production costs. Post-production is where a film finds its voice. For Helga, a film about both music and musicians, that voice needs to sound great! They are seeking additional funds for the elements that will make this film a joy to listen to: the sound mix + sound design, the score + music licensing. Support the film.
NYWIFT member Anais DerSimonian invites you to meet at The People’s Forum (320 W 37th St) for an evening exploring the cultural history, food traditions, and agricultural heritage of Armenia through the lens of ancient viticulture preservation — while supporting the production of Gini, an immersive documentary amplifying the underrepresented stewards preserving Armenia’s ancient agricultural traditions.
More than a story about wine, the evening of Saturday, July 11 from 5:30 PM-9:00 PM will explore how sustainable farming practices, foodways and intergenerational knowledge shape cultural identity and survival across the Armenian Highlands and Levant — regions deeply affected by conflict, displacement, and cultural erasure. Tickets.
Join past NYWIFT Board Members Yvonne Russo (director and writer) and Simone Pero (executive producer), for an unforgettable night under the stars and screening of their Oscar-nominated documentary, Viva Verdi! on Saturday, June 27. The special, one-night-only screening will be held at Magazzino Italian Art in beautiful Cold Spring, New York, with a talkback, food, drink, and networking.
Leave Manhattan behind for a few hours, take in the beauty of the Hudson Valley, enjoy food and refreshments in Magazzino’s stunning courtyard, and experience our film that has touched audiences around the world. Viva Verdi! is an intimate glimpse into the lives of the celebrated opera singers and musicians currently living out their ‘third act.’ Viva Verdi! features “Sweet Dreams of Joy,” Academy Award nominee for Best Song, by Nicholas Pike, performed by Soprano Ana María Martínez. Doors Open: 5 PM. Screening Begins at Dusk. Shuttles are available from NYC. Tickets and information. Learn more about the film.
Member Erika Goyzueta‘s short film, When Papá, Dad, Daddy Died, will be screening at Cinema Village as part of New Faces New Voices Film Festival June 25 at 6:05 PM. Get tickets.
Member Eva Munz is publicist for the award-winning Bolivia–Spain co-production by director Alberto Sciamma, Cielo. She invites fellow members to see the film when it makes its New York theatrical premiere at Quad Cinema, June 26–July 5. Filmed on location in Bolivia, this magical realist road movie has been celebrated for its breathtaking visuals and emotional storytelling. Winner of 9 international awards, including the Special Jury Award, Audience Award, and Best Cinematography at Fantasporto 2025, and an official selection of SXSW London and Fantasia 2025. Director Alberto Sciamma will join for a Q&A moderated by HFFNY Artistic Director Diana Vargas. In Spanish with English subtitles. Tickets.
Join Capsule Studio NYC for an open studio and see why we’ve quietly remained the longest-running queer, woman-owned corporate event and photo studio in New York. Tucked away on Broadway by Union Square, this is a rare chance to step inside our versatile loft, meet our team, and see why Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, and photographers continue to trust CSNYC. If you’re planning a meeting, film screening or photoshoot, or simply exploring new venues, we would love to meet you. Capsule Studio NYC located in Union Square, Manhattan for corporate meetings, events and photo production. safe space, M/BE certified, member NGLCC and GVCCC. Founded by photographer NYWIFT member Haruko and run by concierge. Learn more and schedule a visit.
Yvette Joseph is sharing something very close to her heart with fellow members. She has officially launched Clarity Mentorship. She created Clarity Mentorship to provide a supportive space where individuals and professionals can organize their thoughts, gain clarity, reconnect with themselves, and move forward with greater confidence and purpose.
Her mentorship sessions blend practical guidance, reflection, creativity, and soulful insight to help people clear mental clutter and make aligned decisions in both their personal and professional lives. She’ll be offering one-on-one clarity sessions, mind decluttering and confidence-building programs, support for life transitions, burnout, and decision-making, professional and group coaching sessions. Learn more.
I Was the Wife, How Did I Become the Mistress? is member Bernice Walker‘s book-to-film project exploring love, betrayal, healing, and self-worth through the emotional journey of both women and men affected by toxic relationships. This story is designed to make audiences feel deeply connected, seen, and inspired to reclaim their strength. She is raising funds through Kickstarter to support production, casting, filming, and post-production for this independent feature film. With the support of NYWIFT and the creative community, this project can open important conversations about relationships, identity, faith, and personal transformation while bringing a bold and emotionally impactful story to the screen.
Move from idea to page with NYWIFT member Marilyn Horowitz‘s calming, neuroscience-based writing method that helps writers begin with clarity and confidence. Whether you’ve been carrying a story for years without writing a page, or you’re a seasoned writer stuck circling the runway, the hardest words are often the first ones. In this inspiring, down-to-earth webinar, Marilyn Horowitz will share techniques to quiet the inner noise, loosen perfectionism’s grip, and help you enter the kind of creative state where writing stops feeling forced—and starts flowing.
Begin with a guided somatic and relaxation practice using the Beyond Happiness Method to help calm the nervous system and create emotional safety—an essential part of creativity. When we feel settled and connected to ourselves, ideas flow more freely, and writing becomes clearer, easier, and more enjoyable. RSVP for the webinar on June 15 from 7 PM-8:15 PM.
Entertainment Career Coach/NWIFT member Jim Arnoff is inviting NYWIFT members to his next free NYC in-person workshop, Taking Control of Your Professional and Person Life….Creating Your Own Momentum. In this immersive, interactive workshop, you will learn the skills to focus on what you can control in all areas of your life to build your own momentum. Maximize your life by living in your passion zone, creating winning collaborations, communicating with clarity and envisioning the ideal life you deserve. RSVP for the event on Thursday, June 25 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Location – 16 Madison Square West at 25th. Street (1115 Broadway, 11th. floor conference room).
Members are invited to a special screening of recent release, O Horizon followed by a Q&A with writer/director and NYWIFT member Madeleine Rotzler and actors Paulina Porizkova and Alysia Reiner (NYWIFT member), moderated by NYWIFT member Iliana Guibert. The film stars Oscar nominees Maria Bakalova and David Strathairn and is written and directed by Emmy Award winner Madeleine Rotzler. A neuroscientist mourning the loss of her father is suddenly able to speak with him through a new technology, causing her to question everything from her relationships to her life’s work. For a special discount to the screening on Saturday June 13 at 7:10 PM show, show the image above at the Quad Cinema (34 W 13th St) box office.
Big news for NYWIFT member Caitlin McCarthy: Little Audrey will make its world premiere on Opening Night of the Woods Hole Film Festival on Saturday, July 25, at 8:30 PM. McCarthy wrote the original screenplay and served as Associate Producer on the feature film, which stars Emily VanCamp, Jennifer Esposito, Aidan Quinn, and Josh Bowman. In Little Audrey, a Jewish agnostic child psychologist joins a Vatican-ordered commission investigating a comatose girl surrounded by claims she is a “victim soul,” only to become drawn into a case where alleged miracles defy explanation and challenge everything she believes. The film is based on a true story.
Festival ticket packages are on sale now through the Woods Hole Film Festival. Individual tickets are on sale. Watch the trailer and get tickets.
Join NYWIFT member and writer-director Al Oxborough Karr at BRIC for the world premiere of their LGBTQ+ psychological comedy short Welcome to Paris, screening in-competition in the PROcreative narrative block tomorrow, Friday June 5 at 6 PM .
Starring Emmy Wheeler (The Materialists and Poker Face), with a cameo by comic legend Mo Collins, Welcome to Paris is a biting satire of the degrading nature of survival jobs, wrapped in a surprising and delightful queer meet-cute. Watch the trailer and get tickets.
NYWIFT Leadership Circle member and filmmaker Andrea Ocampo invites members to see her work with the United Nations on YouTube. Andrea Ocampo is a filmmaker and storyteller drawn to stories that explore memory, identity, resilience, and the systems that shape how we see one another. Her recent projects include Not My Words: The Actor Who Carries the Voice of Genocide and After Coca: Colombia’s Risky Bet on Legal Farming, both rooted in human-centered storytelling and social impact. For Andrea, NYWIFT represents a community that champions bold voices, meaningful collaboration, and the power of film to create connection. As both a filmmaker and founder, she values spaces that remind creators they do not have to build alone. Andrea is also currently building VertyFlicks, a platform designed to help short films continue finding audiences beyond the festival circuit — because great films shouldn’t disappear after one screening.
NYWIFT member Fou Gharib‘s short film, Night of Melancholia got into the Cannes Indie Shorts Awards and is premiering online as part of the “New Waves” showcase! The film was previously selected for Big Apple Film Festival and New York Short Film Festival. The film will be available on-demand for a limited time, and the viewing window is May 21 (12:00 PM CEST) to May 24 (11:00 PM CEST). Use login email NewWaveCannes and password: NWACCESS to view the film.
Co-director and NYWIFT member Cameron Kit invites you to the premiere of her short documentary, Silver Linings, today, May 21, 9 PM at Cinema Village for New York Short Film Festival. About the film: This year, on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, we celebrate the journey to posttraumatic resilience of Samantha Silverman, 9/11 survivor and a therapist. The short film adapts her autobiography of the same name, Silver Linings. Watch the trailer. Get tickets.
Jessie Fahay invites fellow members to attend the Ripple Effect Artists Production of Building The Wall. At Ripple Effect Artists, for 17 years, we pair our productions with Talk-Back conversations and challenge our audiences to make an impact. This year, we address the topic of Immigration with an Oscar-Nominated Director and talk-backs with the Immigration Defense Fund and New York Immigration Coalition.
Members can attend our production June 11-21 for 15% off with the code BTWGroup. Tickets.
Avani’s Adda is a monthly creative networking hangout for NYC & visiting Film, Theater, TV, and Performing Arts professionals, curated by Casting Director & Producer, Avani Parikh Dhar. Adda is Hindi for a gathering place where people meet to chat, hang out, and socialize.
This month, on May 27, we come together for our first of many community screenings with 5 amazing short films by 5 amazing South Asian filmmakers.
Doors open at 6:30 PM for networking, and the screenings begin at 7 PM. Free admission. Cash bar and kitchen. Tickets.
NYWIFT Member Amy Gossels invites you to a star-studded night of comedy to benefit Woodstock Film Festival at the Gotham Comedy Club (208 West 23rd Street). From SNL and Will & Grace to Aquafina is Nora from Queens, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, 2 Dope Queens, City on a Hill, Wet Hot American Summer, What Men Want and Netflix and HBO Max specials and beyond, these celebrated comedians have lit up stages and screens around the world. The inaugural NYC comedy benefit in November 2025 was a SOLD OUT smash success, so be sure to get your tickets early for the upcoming June 1 benefit! Doors open at 6:30 PM for the 7:30 PM show. Tickets.
Director and NYWIFT Board member Luchina Fisher won production funding for her documentary Hiding in Plain Sight with the film award at PitchBLACK 2026. For the second time in three years, the Emmy Award-winning director took home the top prize aimed at supporting independent filmmakers. Congrats, Luchina!
NYWIFT member Yael Melamede’s film, Ada–My Mother The Architect, the award-winning documentary feature has been made available for 10 days only to celebrate Mother’s Day. Discover the extraordinary work of an architect you have probably never heard of as seen through the eyes of her daughter – a filmmaker and former architect. A true pioneer, Ada Karmi Melamede—like many successful working mothers of her time—was forced to make impossible choices between motherhood and professional ambition. A celebration of a unique mother-daughter bond, the film explores Ada’s reflections on roots, family and home. You can rent the film through May 13 or send it as a gift. Find a screening.
NYWIFT member Denise Tomasetti recently sat down with writer Tally Daniels to discuss her book Food Talks. The book combines the nuances of food and dating to reveal how choices and actions around food can uncover deep insights into a person’s values, personality, and relationship compatibility. Learn more about Denise and the book release. Congrats, Denise!
NYWIFT Leadership Circle member Dali Adekunle invites members to The Debt Gala on Sunday, May 3 at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. This year’s theme is “Body of Werrrk,” so go bare bones out on a limb; your anatomy is the fashion inspo. The Debt Gala features some of New York’s best in comedy, drag, music, and performance, raising funds to address medical debt disproportionately impacting queer, trans, and Black communities. This year, don’t just accessorize, get organ-ized. Tickets
Dalí Adekunle is a creative director, actor, and multidisciplinary artist whose storytelling bridges the worlds of healthcare, art, and strategy. She helps shape The Debt Gala’s creative heartbeat through digital design, short-form content, and community-centered programming.
The Get Set! Podcast sat down with NYWIFT Board President Kim Jackson for their Indie Producing episode. The episode explores the ever-evolving nature of the industry and what that means for Indie Producers now, how to be adaptable, and where to go to create a network of trusted filmmakers to build your career with. Listen on Apple Music, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
