Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Sen-I Yu
Welcome to NYWIFT, Sen-I Yu! Sen-I Yu is a New York-based, award-winning filmmaker originally from Taiwan. Her feature directorial debut My Heavenly City garnered international recognition, including a NETPAC Award nomination at the 43rd Hawaii International Film Festival, Best Picture and IndiePix Vision Award at the 2025 Winter Film Festival, among others. The film secured worldwide theatrical distribution in 2023 throughout Taiwan, Hong Kong, with limited releases in North America and the UK. The Guardian called it a “fresh, thoughtful take on immigrant experience, Sen-I Yu’s sympathetic and humane film traces three loosely woven stories of people dealing with loneliness in New York City…” In our interview, she discusses her debut feature, how her immigrant experience influences her creative process, and the types of stories that inspire her.
READ MOREMeet The NYWIFT Member: Mirelle Tinker
Mirelle is a content strategist and narrative designer with a background spanning television, education, and gaming. With over a decade of experience in media production and development across indie agencies and major networks, she prioritizes innovative storytelling in all her creative work. After beginning her career as an NBCUniversal Page, Mirelle served as Content Coordinator at Common Sense Networks' streaming service, Sensical, where she led teams in curating over 80 programs and several creator partnerships. Mirelle told us about her dynamic approach to content strategy, her journey across multiple media platforms, and her exciting upcoming visual novel game project.
READ MOREMeet The NYWIFT Member: Melody Tally
Melody is a multi-hyphenate artist, award-winning actress, screenwriter, filmmaker and engineer. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and her Masters in Business Administration at Trinity Washington University. She studied acting and directing with Vera Katz and Haile Gerima at Howard University and can be seen on Tubi, Netflix, and Amazon Prime in acclaimed films including Residue and Silent Brave. Melody told us about balancing her multidisciplinary skills, how her engineering background influences her approach to artistic and creative projects, including a math book and limited series.
READ MOREMeet The NYWIFT Member: MéLisa Best
Welcome to NYWIFT, MéLisa Best! MéLisa is an award-winning producer and director creating culturally rooted, visually rich narratives across film, branded content, and immersive media. She is the founder of HAUS of Infinity Studios, a boutique creative production house and visionary agency that provides branded content and immersive storytelling experiences that center culture, clarity, and creative truth. The HAUS is an extension of herself, guided by abundance, alignment, and possibility, with a unique "yes, and" approach that builds worlds where story isn't separate from impact. MéLisa told us about her journey in filmmaking, her vision for creating culturally rooted narratives, her work with Black Women Euphoria, and her exciting upcoming television pilot project.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Amy Heller
Welcome to NYWIFT, Amy Heller! Amy is the co-founder of Milestone Films, an award-winning film restoration and distribution company dedicated to rediscovering lost and overlooked films. After fleeing academia, Amy found her passion in the independent film world and co-founded Milestone with her partner Dennis Doros in 1990. For 35 years, their mission has been to restore forgotten cinema, particularly films by and about women, people of color, Native Americans, and LGBTQ+ community members. Amy spoke to us about her journey in film distribution, the evolution of the industry over four decades, and her exciting upcoming transition as she passes Milestone to the next generation.
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