NYWIFT Blog

Cynthia’s Picks: Sundance Bound, Annenberg Study, Celluloid Ceiling

Sundance Bound: We are thrilled to see so many NYWIFT members headed to Sundance with films this year! We’ll be announcing a panel in Park City soon – stay tuned for more info. Annenberg Study: For the first time in over a decade, both the number and percentage of women working as directors on some of...

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Cynthia’s Picks: Emmy Panel, Elizabeth Banks, Melinda Gates

Emmy Panel: Check out the September 27th episode of the No Rest for the Weekend podcast for a fun recap of our NYWIFT Season Kickoff: The Road to the Emmys event. Elizabeth Banks: Elizabeth Banks became the first female director honored as Pioneer of the Year in the 78-year history of the Will Rogers Motion...

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Cynthia’s Picks: Emmy Highlights, NYWIFT Winners, Women #NotWorthLess, Bahamas Relief

Emmy Highlights: Kudos to both Alex Borstein and Michelle Williams, who used their Emmy platforms to remind us all – especially women – how advocating for yourself can contribute to the greater good and lift others up in the process. NYWIFT Winners: Congrats to the NYWIFT members who won Emmys last week: Lydia Tenaglia (Executive...

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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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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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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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Cynthia’s Picks: NY Women, Gender Parity, Captain Marvel

NY Women: Congratulations to the NYWIFT members selected to receive some of the first round of grants in the Mayor’s Office of Entertainment and Media’s “Made in NY” Women’s Film, TV & Theatre Fund. Gender Parity: Kudos to the Tribeca Film Festival, whose 2019 lineup for competition films achieved gender parity for the first time....

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WIFT Around the World: Report from Berlinale (Part 1) – Adriana Shaw on Gender Parity

Is true gender parity in film on the horizon? Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI) hopes so. NYWIFT member filmmaker/journalist/actress Heidi Philipsen attended the 2019 Berlinale International Film Festival, where the 10% for 50/50 gender parity initiative was introduced. Philipsen spoke with longtime member Adriana Shaw, who also attended the fest, about what this could mean for the future of our industry.

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Cynthia’s Picks: Thelma Schoonmaker, Unequal Representation, Inclusion Commitment, Record Breaker

Thelma Schoonmaker: Congratulations to 1995 NYWIFT Muse honoree Thelma Schoonmaker, who was honored this weekend with a BAFTA fellowship for her incredible 50-year editing career. Unequal Representation: The Women’s Media Center’s “Investigation 2019: Gender and Non-Acting Oscar Nominations” found that women are once again missing from the picture. No women were nominated in Directing, Cinematography,...

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Cynthia’s Picks: Kim Snyder, Male Allies, Writers Lab

Kim Snyder: Kudos to Kim Snyder, CEO of our partner Panavision, for her incredible commitment to supporting women at all stages of their lives and careers. Forbes published a great interview with Kim, focusing on how she helps women advance in the industry and the particular support and consideration she gives to working parents. Male...

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Terry’s Picks: Reel Equity, Film Registry, Good News

Reel Equity: Tell the entertainment industry that you support members of historically female crafts in their demand for Pay Equity by signing your name to this Open Letter to the Entertainment Industry.  Film Registry: The Library of Congress accepts 2019 recommendations from the general public for its National Film Registry via their online form through September...

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#SummerHours Summer Reading: Women in Early Hollywood

Throughout history, and specifically film and television history, women have been early to identify and seize opportunity in emerging fields—only to be edged out of those fields, and their history, once they become mainstream. Mellini Kantayya shares four great reads about the women pioneers of early Hollywood.

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#SummerHours Summer Reading: Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis

Actors Ruby Dee and her husband Ossie Davis fought for civil rights from Washington, DC to Hollywood. And they were married for nearly 60 years. Kathryn O'Kane shares some of favorite quotes and moments from their joint memoir, In This Life Together.

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Terry’s Picks: Designing Women, Notorious RBG, Male Ally

Designing Women: We’re pleased to announce actors Nia Long, Christine Ebersole and Debra Monk will present at Monday’s Designing Women awards (with special appearances from Lena Waithe, Elizabeth McGovern and Mark Feuerstein via video). If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, do it now before we sell out! Notorious RBG: Go see RBG right away. It is...

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Terry’s Picks: Easmanie Michel, The 94%, Man’s World

Easmanie Michel: Congratulations to NYWIFT Finance and Special Events Associate Easmanie Michel, who is the winner of the Fifteenth Annual American Zoetrope Screenplay Contest! From more than 1600 entries received, judge Francis Ford Coppola and the Zoetrope staff have selected Easmanie’s Caroline’s Wedding as the winning script. We are proud to say “we knew her...

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Terry’s Picks: New Code, Black Panther, Canadian Progress

New code: This weekend, SAG-AFTRA released a code of conduct that defines sexual harassment and other prohibited conduct in the workplace and sets forth employers’ legal obligations under both the union’s contracts and the law, including the need to provide ways in which members can safely report workplace harassment. Black Panther: I’m looking forward to...

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Terry’s Picks: Wearing Black, Oprah Winfrey, Laura Dern

Wearing Black: Kudos to all the women and men who wore black at this past weekend’s Golden Globes Awards to show their solidarity with the women speaking out against sexual harassment in the entertainment industry. And speak out they did. From impassioned speeches to quick, smart digs like Natalie Portman’s laser-sharp “Here are the all-male...

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Terry’s Picks: Shorts Festival, Alias Grace, Culture Shift

Shorts Festival: NYWIFT’s first-ever online film festival is underway! Watch 74 short projects by NYWIFT members now through November 17 on our Fall Shorts Festival on Indevue – you can even log in and live chat with the filmmakers and fans during select “live screenings.” See the schedule for details.  Alias Grace: I’m looking forward...

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