NYWIFT Blog

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Alyssa R. Bennett

Welcome to NYWIFT, Alyssa R. Bennett! Alyssa R. Bennet is an accomplished, multifaceted creative who exemplifies a socially conscious career and ambition. Alyssa has worked on a multitude of projects, from music to writing to filmmaking – both in front of and behind the camera. Always drawing from her intrinsic passion, her various mediums often intertwine and inform her expansive creative visions. Her keen ability to boil narratives down to the raw and essential is a reflection of this artistic crossover. As co-founder of Stonestreet Studios, Alyssa brings her vast experience to the service of the filmmaking community, connecting people with opportunities and amplifying diverse stories.  Alyssa continuously strives to uplift the filmmaking community and contribute to the invaluable tradition of storytelling. In our interview, Alyssa discusses her career and the motivations that have paved the way for her accomplished journey.

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NYWIFT Member Spotlight: Haroula Rose

NYWIFT Member Haroula Rose is a filmmaker and musician from Chicago, now residing in Los Angeles. She just recently completed All Happy Families, her sophomore feature film as writer, director and producer. It had its international premiere in Galway and was released theatrically in late 2024 with Freestyle and AMC. Her debut feature as writer/director, Once Upon a River, based on the best-selling novel, was “One of the Most Anticipated Films” in TIME Magazine and FILMMAKER, winning 19 awards at over 40 festivals worldwide.

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Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Ching Juhl

Welcome, new NYWIFT member Ching Juhl! Ching is a Chinese American filmmaker, video journalist, and music educator who has directed, filmed, edited, and produced three feature films, promotional videos, and hundreds of shorts. Her feature documentary My Yang Gang Diary, which she shot entirely on an iPhone 11, won Best Feature Film Award at Toronto Documentary Film Festival in 2021. Ching spoke to us about the benefits of shooting on iPhone, the intersection of music and filmmaking, and the friends who brought her to NYWIFT.

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