film Archives - New York Women in Film & TelevisionNew York Women in Film & Television

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Tara Morrison

Welcome to NYWIFT Tara Morrison! Tara "Penk" Morrison is a visionary from Brooklyn now based in Jamaica, Queens, NY. She's a determined self-starter with a unique creative style, inspiring others with her confidence and passion for storytelling. Tara found her niche in film and TV behind the scenes, launching Sweet Penk Films in 2020 to produce her own projects and support fellow creatives. From writing screenplays on her stoop to directing her debut project, Faith Tribulation, Tara's journey reflects her resourcefulness and community spirit. With multiple screenplays and a docuseries treatment in the works, she advocates for finishing what you start and believing in yourself.

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Richardine Bartee

Here’s the scoop! We’re excited to welcome our new NYWIFT member, Richardine Bartee. Richardine is a journalist, publicist, music supervisor, and founder of the multi-tiered business and magazines GRUNGECAKE and GRUNGECAKE AFRICA. The first digital issue of GRUNGECAKE AFRICA is launching in July 2024. She’s been a member of the Recording Academy since 2015. Connecting with people is very important to her. She started writing about artists in journalism and media and wants to take that further by telling people’s stories through television and film. Read our full interview to learn more about her career journey and her advice for starting new projects.

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Nicole West

Welcome to the NYWIFT community, Nicole West! Nicole is a visual effects technical director who has spent her career blending technology with art. She has a great love for the performing arts and is on a creative journey with storytelling. Read our full interview with Nicole below to learn more about her experience working in visual effects, her advice for successful collaborations, and her insights about technology and art.

NYWIFT @ Tribeca: In Conversation with Kait Plum

Kait Plum is a force to be reckoned with in the world of film editing, with a decade of experience and a knack for finding the emotional core of any project. Her journey to success is marked by notable achievements, from winning awards for her work in documentary filmmaking to making waves in the comedy genre with her latest project, Bad Shabbos.

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Colleen Hughes

Welcome to NYWIFT, Colleen Hughes! As an intimacy director and coordinator, Colleen brings a trauma-informed and human-first approach to scenes of simulated sex, nudity, and hyperexposure. Through her collaboration with trusted colleagues, she is at the vanguard of a movement to bring increased agency and transparency to the entertainment industry. She has collaborated with artists from around the globe, including Maya Hawke on the official music video for “Thérèse,” with over 5 million views on YouTube (also available on Apple Music); Samantha Shay at Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch in Germany; and immersive work with Virgin Atlantic’s cruise line in the Mediterranean, and Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More in NYC. Colleen is part of a team of thought leaders in the field of consent and intimacy work. As Director of Core Training at Intimacy Directors and Coordinators (IDC), Colleen led the development of the company’s groundbreaking Consent-Forward Artist training program. She is currently working on a book entitled A Volunteer from the Audience: Consent Work in Interactive Performance that examines the role of agency in immersive performance.

Meet the new NYWIFT Member: Jennifer Buzzelli

Welcome to NYWIFT, Jennifer Buzzelli! Jennifer Buzzelli is a New York-based producer, international distributor and co-producer. With involvement in the film industry since the 90s, she is the founder of production house Jimmy B Media. Read more to discover her experience in leading film distribution and about her most recent project, producing the upcoming documentary, Long Live the Tyrant.

Postcard from Park City 2024: Sundance Film Festival Recap

From Tammy Reese: I had the incredible opportunity to cover the 40th edition of the Sundance Film Festival, and it was an absolute blast. From capturing the excitement on the red carpets to immersing myself in the world of independent cinema, every moment was filled with energy and anticipation. Let me take you on a recap of some of the unforgettable film premieres I had the privilege to cover. The red carpets were a spectacle in themselves, as A-list celebrities and emerging talents and filmmakers graced them with their presence. It was a surreal experience witnessing their arrivals and hearing their insights about their latest projects.

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Tatiana Trebisacci

Tatiana Trebisacci, a vibrant new media artist and recent alumna of NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program, has garnered industry recognition. Her expertise lies in 3D design and web coding, contributing to a BAFTA-nominated team in the groundbreaking Immersive category of 2023. In an exclusive interview, Tatiana delves into her artistic path, sharing insights into her education and the invaluable advice she received, notably stressing the significance of regarding each technology as a distinctive artistic canvas.

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Gabrielle Fox

Welcome to NYWIFT Gabrielle Fox! Gabrielle Fox was born into show business as the daughter of an actress and a businessman, immersing herself in rehearsals with her mother and learning business skills from her father. She delved into producing shows, and leveraging her networking and marketing expertise, culminating in the creation of her own website. Gabrielle's life journey advocates embracing dreams whenever they arise and relentlessly pursuing them. She believes that time is going to pass whether you take a risk, or create the project or not. Let that time pass by being creative. Create, create, create and then do it again. Read more about Gabrielle’s amazing stories from the set and upcoming adventures here!

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Hyon Jung “Helen” Lee

In this edition of our Meet the New NYWIFT member segment, we have the pleasure of introducing Hyon Jung Lee, affectionately known as Helen. Helen is not only the executive producer but also the talented writer behind the thought-provoking short film, Bible Camp. This captivating film delves into the lives of young immigrants at a backwater camp who face daily microaggressions from the locals. Through her writing, she sheds light on the challenges faced by young immigrants and encourages dialogue surrounding issues of discrimination and prejudice. We are thrilled to have Helen as a member of our beloved NYWIFT community. Her unique perspective and creative talent contribute greatly to our mission of supporting and empowering women in the entertainment industry. Here is our exclusive interview with Helen, where she shares insights into her creative process, challenges faced during production, and her hopes for the impact Bible Camp will have on its viewers.

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Genevieve Skehan

Welcome, Genevieve Skehan! It was a love of the outdoors that propelled Genevieve Skehan into filmmaking. After earning her BA in drama in the UK at the University of Exeter, she went on to work for years as a performer and even won awards as a director. But she grew tired of sitting in dark rehearsal spaces. So, she embarked on a career in film and television. Several years later she was working regularly in Boston and New York as a producer, writer, and director for commercials and films. Lately she has begun to write and direct more passion projects. Here she shares how her background in theater informs her directing and how producing gave her the practical experience she needed to realize her own work. Plus, a bit about why she adores filming outside in natural light.

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Ruthie Marantz

Welcome to NYWIFT, Ruthie Marantz! Born and raised in NYC, Ruthie has been making films on public access TV since she was 13 years old. Since then, her works has been shown at BAMcinemaFest, SeriesFest and Seattle International Film Festival. She has her M.F.A. from NYU’s Graduate Film Program, where she was recipient of the Leo Rosner, Maurice Kanbar, and the Academy of Arts and Sciences Scholarships. Ruthie has directed and produced commercial work for clients including Netflix, LG, Samsung, Vice and Hearst. Her autobiographical pilot Rainbow Ruthie, which received funding from director Spike Lee, was accepted to the IFP Episodic Lab and premiered at SXSW, becoming Oscar eligible in 2019. More recently, she co-wrote the pilot to Southfield Supernovas, which won the 2020 SXSW Seriesfest Pitch-A-Thon. Read more about Ruthie’s amazing stories from set and upcoming adventures here!

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Sara Robin

Welcome to NYWIFT, Sara Robin! Sara is a German filmmaker bringing her stories of humane futures to New York. She directed and wrote the award-winning short coming-of-age film Cranberry Nights starring Inde Navarrette (13 Reasons Why, Superman & Louis). Her script Switch explores virtual relationships and won the 2023 HollyShorts screenwriting contest. She is in production on feature documentary Your Attention Please, investigating how to overcome the addictive pull of the attention economy. She has also brought her talents into commercial work, directing and producing for clients including Netflix, Jordan Brand, and Dunkin’ Donuts. Sara tells us about her exciting works in progress here!

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: China L. Colston

Welcome to NYWIFT, China L. Colston! China is a SAG-AFTRA actress and award-winning filmmaker. As an actress, she has embodied emotional women, from the guilt-ridden mother in Strings Attached to the dealer in Sweet Thang. China’s unwavering dedication as the star, writer, director, and producer of Dark Seed led the film to acclaim from the Validate Yourself Film Festival, African American Arts Alliance of Chicago, and the Dramatist’s Guild Success In The Arts Award aka SITA. She is the recipient of a 2021 NYFA grant for her script To Cook or Not to Cook, which follows a chef in Harlem repairing his relationship with his family through food. She is the recipient of a 2021 NYFA grant for her script To Cook or Not to Cook, which follows a chef in Harlem repairing his relationship with his family through food. China brings us through her incredible journey as a creator here!

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Toby Perl Freilich

Welcome to NYWIFT, Toby Perl Freilich! Toby is an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker and writer, focusing on cultural reporting. Her work explores all sorts of perspectives, from senators to artists, spanning across the world. She co-produced and co-directed Moynihan, a film about the late New York senator, policy expert, and public intellectual. She also directed, produced, and wrote Inventing Our Life: The Kibbutz Experiment, about one of the world's longest running and most successful experiments in radical, secular communal living. Right now, she is producing and directing I Make Maintenance Art: The Work of Mierle Laderman Ukeles about the pioneering ecofeminist and the first Artist in Residence at the New York City Department of Sanitation. Read about Toby’s inspiring past and future projects here!

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Melisa Ramos

Welcome to NYWIFT, Melisa Ramos! Melisa is a filmmaker and professor from Puerto Rico, bringing 14 years of post-production and motion graphics experience to New York. Her first production, Puerto Rican Voices, a docu-series about the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Following Puerto Rican Voices, Melisa continued to share Puerto Rican and Latin American stories. In 2020, she directed and produced From Performers to Spectators, a doc-series showcasing New York City performers during lockdown. She is currently in production on Hoop Warrior, her first feature film. Read all about Melisa’s journey as an editor and artist here!

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Eileen Wolter

Welcome to NYWIFT, Eileen Wolter! After working as a motion picture lit assistant at CAA, working on the Universal lot, and writing lots of coverage in LA, Eileen brings her creativity to us in New York! She holds a BA in Art History & Film from Vassar College, studied acting as The Atlantic Theater Company and The Actors Studio/The New School, and studied writing at UCLA, NYU, Sundance Collab, Stowe Story Labs, and NJ Play Lab. Eileen tells us about her fascinating family history, covering Fashion Week for Comedy Central in 1993, and attending SNL dress rehearsals.

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Jaya Mahajan

Welcome to NYWIFT, Jaya Mahajan! Originally from Mumbai, India, Jaya is a filmmaker with Executive Producer credits for documentaries and factual shows that have been on networks such as CNN, BBC, Discovery and the National Geographic Channel. She spent the initial part of her career as a business reporter and producer with CNBC and Bloomberg. More recently, she has been running an award-winning production company, creating films and documentaries and teaching journalism students in Malaysia and Singapore. Jaya recently moved to New York and is looking forward to focusing on projects that highlight and amplify traditionally underrepresented, diverse, and marginalized voices.

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