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Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Lindsey Lambert

Lindsey Lambert is a Brooklyn-based filmmaker originally from Austin, Texas. She works as a location scout for film and television in the NYC area, currently on Law & Order: Organized Crime. After receiving her Master’s Degree in Human Rights from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in the spring of 2022, she began directing and producing her debut feature documentary Teaching Social Studies about public school education and the anti-critical race theory laws in Texas. It is currently in production and she hopes the film will be completed by the summer of 2025. In our interview, she discusses her decision to go back to school, her work on the new Amazon Prime series Étoile, how to educate young people about our challenging history, and the most memorable location she's scouted to date.

NYWIFT Program Recap: “Daughters” at Hamptons Doc Fest

In December 2024, NYWIFT was proud to co-present a screening of the new documentary "Daughters" at Hamptons Doc Fest, followed by a Q&A with filmmakers Angela Patton and Natalie Rae moderated by NYWIFT CEO Cynthia Lopez. In this powerful documentary, four girls prepare to reunite with their fathers through a special dance at a DC jail in this moving documentary about the healing power of love. We offer a recap of the conversation plus a video of the Q&A to watch after you've seen the film, which is now available on Netflix.

NYWIFT at DOC NYC: In Conversation with Luchina Fisher

NYWIFT member Luchina Fisher’s powerful new film The Dads features fathers tackling tough, complex issues of parenthood, masculinity, and more – learning to love and support their children the best they can. On a fishing trip with Matthew Shepard's father, five disparate dads discuss their love, hopes and fears for their trans kids in this short documentary. The film is screening now at DOC NYC, where is was named to the festival’s influential awards short list. We spoke to director and producer Luchina Fisher about her personal connection to the dads, her exciting Netflix opportunity, and the film’s superstar supporter.

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Eunice Levis

Welcome to NYWIFT, Eunice Levis! Writer and director Eunice Levis is a first-generation Dominican American from the Bronx, New York. Eunice's work focuses on genre-bending stories that combine her love of horror, sci-fi, thriller, and fantasy, often through a diasporic lens. She seeks to disrupt and challenge dominant narratives around technology, race, gender, history, and diaspora identity by altering the stories we tell about them. Eunice spoke to us about her early inspirations, her latest work, and how genre stories offer a unique opportunity to challenge the status quo.

FOUND: Highlights from an interview with the Director Amanda Lipitz and Producer Anita Gou (Part 2)

Found is a compassionately told story of the girls finding one another, finding their homeland, and finding themselves. Director Amanda Lipitz and Producer Anita Gou spoke with NYWIFT Board Member Christina Kiely about the experience of making the film and the powerful and often unexpected stories that emerged in the process. This is part two of their conversation.

FOUND: Highlights from an interview with the Director Amanda Lipitz and Producer Anita Gou (Part 1)

Found is a compassionately told story of the girls finding one another, finding their homeland, and finding themselves. Director Amanda Lipitz and Producer Anita Gou spoke with NYWIFT Board Member Christina Kiely about the experience of making the film and the powerful and often unexpected stories that emerged in the process. This is part one of their conversation.

#Muse40for40: Lisa Nishimura (2018)

13-year Netflix veteran Lisa Nishimura was the VP of Original Documentary and Comedy Programming when we honored her at 2018; just three months later, she was named the head of Independent Film and Documentary Programming. In 2017, she was named one of the 100 most powerful women in entertainment by The Hollywood Reporter.

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...

Cynthia’s Picks: Nancy Schwartzman, Maybe Representation, Audition Inclusion

Nancy Schwartzman: Last week NYWIFT hosted a Twitter chat with director Nancy Schwartzman of Roll Red Roll, available now on PBS’ POV. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s a must-watch, especially if you have kids. Its harrowing look at rape culture in a high school is unusual for a true-crime doc in that it...

Cynthia’s Picks: Designing Women Michele Clapton, Riccie Johnson, Shunika Terry, and Mrs. Maisel

We have an incredible roster of honorees and presenters for this year’s 20th Anniversary NYWIFT Designing Women Awards! I hope you will join us on Tuesday, June 11th at 7 PM at the prestigious DGA Theater to celebrate these incredible women and spend time with some costumes. Tickets are going fast – buy now at...

Cynthia’s Picks: Sarah Finn, Ava Duvernay, Olivia Wilde

Sarah Finn: Casting Director Sarah Finn may the true superhero of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – she cast more than a thousand actors in almost every single Marvel film since the first Iron Man– including all of the stars. It was a unique challenge that required thinking how the cast members might overlap in the...

Cynthia’s Picks: Agnes Varda, Ravenal Grant, Amy Poehler

Agnes Varda: I was so saddened to hear about the passing of legendary filmmaker, documentarian and cinephile Agnes Varda. Indiewire offers up a list of where to watch eight of her best films. Ravenal Grant: Congratulations to directors Lydia Dean Pilcher and Suzanne Guacci, both recipients of this year’s NYWIFT Ravenal Feature Film Foundation Grant. We are...

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,...

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...

The Art of Directing and Running a Show: Takeaways from a Conversation with Annetta Marion and Kathryn O’Kane

At a recent NYWIFT program, board members (and director/showrunners) Kathryn O’Kane and Annetta Marion discussed the unique role of the showrunner, and the combination of skill, gumption, and inspiration essential in helming a show.

Terry’s Picks: Cynthia Lopez, Muse Honorees, Triple Nominations

Cynthia Lopez: I am so thrilled that Cynthia Lopez will be my successor as Executive Director of NYWIFT starting January 1st. I will miss my colleagues dearly, but I know I leave the organization in highly competent hands. Muse Honorees: Join us at the Muse Awards on December 13th! This year’s incredible slate of honorees includes Sarah Jessica...

#SummerHours #BingeWatch-Worthy Drama Picks

Mellini Kantayya offers two very different - but equally addictive - drama series for your summer #bingewatch.

#SummerHours Summer Reading: Rita Moreno

1996 NYWIFT Muse Honoree Rita Moreno is, quite literally, a national treasure. She is one of only 12 performers to win all four major artistic awards: the Oscar, the Emmy, the Grammy and the Tony, and she is the first Hispanic person to have won all four awards. Kathryn O'Kane digs into her memoir this summer.

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