NYWIFT Blog

Cynthia’s Picks: Two Studies, Unequal Pay, Michele Clapton

Two Studies: A study from Dr. Stacy L. Smith and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative in partnership with National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP, of which I was the founding organizational Chairperson) and Wise Entertainment, shows how Hollywood has failed the Latinx community when it comes to their portrayal in popular movies – in...

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Opening This Weekend: BAFTA-nominee Sheila Hancock stars in EDIE

An octogenarian climbs a mountain in Simon Hunter's heartwarming film "Edie," opening in select theaters this weekend.

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Meet the New NYWIFT Board Members: Kerry Fulton

With her company Evenfield Entertainment, producer Kerry Fulton is looking to do just that: even the playing field. That's a mission we can certainly get behind. She brings her experience working in the global TV and film market to NYWIFT as one of the newest additions to our Board of Directors.

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Cynthia’s Picks: Help Line, News & Doc Emmys, Walking Dead

Help Line: NYWIFT is proud to announce that we have partnered with Women in Film and the Actors Fund to bring expanded hours and New York area resources to WIF LA’s Help Line for Sexual Harassment. If you need guidance or support, please call. You are not alone. News & Doc Emmys: Congratulations to all...

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Meet the New NYWIFT Board Members: Gretchen McGowan

As summer heats up, New York Women in Film & Television gears up for the start of our new year – and with it, new faces join our leadership team! Next up, meet Gretchen McGowan, an award-winning producer and Head of Production at Goldcrest Features.

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Meet the New NYWIFT Board Members: Alex Cirillo

NYWIFT member Alex Cirillo is a director, producer and the Co-Founder of Big Vision Empty Wallet, an inclusion-focused incubator that produces content that keeps you at the edge of your seat. Next up, she brings her talents and passion for inclusion to the NYWIFT Board of Directors.

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Cynthia’s Picks: Jamie Zelermyer, Writers Lab, TV Writers

Jamie Zelermyer: Please join me in welcoming new Board President Jamie Zelermyer! We are thrilled to have her leading NYWIFT’s next era. Writers Lab: Congratulations to the 12 women screenwriters over 40 selected for The Writers Lab 2019! TV Writers: Positive news from the WGA West – women and minorities showed slight gains in the...

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NYWIFT Member Jill Salvino Brings LGBTQIA Documentary “Between the Shades” to Schools Nationwide

NYWIFT member Jill Salvino is an accomplished storyteller and commercial director with over 200 awards to her name, including an Emmy. But one of her proudest accomplishments is also one of her most recent – her feature documentary directorial debut Between the Shades. Profiled in The New York Times in April under the quippy headline “How Gay Are You?” the documentary asks just that, yet so much more. Salvino spoke to us about the process of making the film, working with her documentary subjects and what she hopes to accomplish with the film’s educational release.

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Cynthia’s Picks: Emmy Noms, Tom Donahue, Member News

Emmy Noms: Congrats to all the NYWIFT members nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards this year! Can’t wait to watch and cheer you all on.  Tom Donahue: Check out this great interview with NYWIFT member Tom Donahue on his recent documentary This Changes Everything (exec produced by Board President Simone Pero) and the importance of male...

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Three Takeaways from NYWIFT’s Web Series Panel

How do you turn your web series into a true success? We offer three takeaways from the NYWIFT Web Series: From Creation to Distribution panel.

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Cynthia’s Picks: Film Registry, My Update, Orange Ending

Film Registry: Our Washington, DC, sister chapter WIFV-DC launched their annual campaign to include more women-directed films in the National Film Registry. We hope you will support them by nominating some wonderful female-driven films this year. My Update: Speaking of DC, I sent out a recent update to the NYWIFT community about my first seven...

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New Kids’ Series Featuring Native American Character Launches This Summer

Indigenous representation is scarce in children’s programming – and TV programming in general. The new PBS animated children's series "Molly of Denali" hopes to change that.

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Cynthia’s Picks: Diane Paragas, Michele Clapton, MOME Fund

Diane Paragas: In NYWIFT’s latest collaboration with Honeysuckle Magazine, we interviewed filmmaker Diane Paragas about her film Yellow Rose and how it contributes to our nation’s ongoing heated conversation around immigration. Michele Clapton: I always love seeing the latest and greatest from our Designing Women honorees! You can spot 2019 honoree Michele Clapton’s costume designs...

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Diane Paragas’ Timely Immigration Story “Yellow Rose” Arrives in NYC

In a media landscape dominated by outraged, emotional debates over our nation’s immigration crisis, DACA, ICE, detainment, and children’s immense suffering, writer/director Diane Paragas’ long-in-the-making film "Yellow Rose" has burst on to the scene. And it could not be more timely. Paragas discusses the film's long journey to the screen and what she hopes to contribute to our cultural conversation on immigration.

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Throwback Thursday: NYWIFT on No Rest for the Weekend

This Spring, NYWIFT Community Engagement Director Katie Chambers sat down with host Jason Godbey on his indie film podcast No Rest for the Weekend to discuss the rise of women in media, the continued challenges they face, NYWIFT's mission and how the organization creates a supportive network for women to get ahead in their careers. 

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Cynthia’s Picks: Women’s Soccer, Mulan Trailer, Invitation Parity

Women’s Soccer: The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team did more than just win the World Cup this weekend – they started a worldwide conversation about equal pay. They play better and bring in more income than the men’s team, but are paid less. And they’re suing. Mulan Trailer: The trailer for Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan...

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Cynthia’s Picks: NYWIFT Summit, Media Workshop, Yellow Rose

NYWIFT Summit: Thank you to all who attended last week’s first inaugural NYWIFT Summit. The theme of the 2019 Summit was Inclusion, Equality and Safety, and it established forward-moving strategies to create change in these areas with an eye towards mobilizing support and leadership for the future. We had many meaningful conversations and I look...

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NYWIFT’s “Women’s Media Workshop” Comes to Staten Island

On Saturday, June 15th, 2019, Special Projects Associate Easmanie Michel brought NYWIFT’s Women's Media Workshop, a full-day training, collaboration, and production workshop to Staten Island for the very first time. Instructed by Filmmaker and Theatre Artist Abigail Zealey Bess (a current professor at NYU, and award-winning film director), the group of nine women, ranging in ages from 15 to 50, gathered at the HH Biddle House in Staten Island at 10am and worked collaboratively and tirelessly until one complete short film was developed and all the scenes were captured.

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