NYWIFT Board Member Sibyl Reymundo-Santiago on Kaya, Cultural Identity, and Its Tribeca Festival Premier
With more than three decades of experience spanning film, television, theater, and festival leadership across the United States and Asia, Sibyl Reymundo-Santiago has built a remarkable career championing diverse voices and meaningful storytelling. As President of Sitting Cat Productions, Executive Director and Head of Programming for the SOHO International Film Festival, and Board Member for NYWIFT, she has dedicated her career to creating opportunities for filmmakers and bringing impactful stories to audiences worldwide. This year, Reymundo-Santiago serves as Consulting Producer on Kaya (ᜃᜌ), a powerful film featured during the 25th anniversary of the Tribeca Festival. The story follows Nia, a half-Filipina young woman who secretly trains with queer outcast Malic in hopes of joining an elite Filipino Martial Arts team and proving she is “Filipino enough.” Through themes of identity, belonging, cultural connection, and self-acceptance, Kaya explores experiences that resonate far beyond its cultural roots.
READ MORENYWIFT Member Susan Margolin Brings “Time Warp” to Tribeca’s 25th Anniversary Documentary Competition
For more than three decades, NYWIFT member Susan Margolin has championed independent storytelling that sparks conversation, challenges perspectives, and amplifies voices that deserve to be heard. As an award-winning producer and trailblazer in documentary distribution, she has helped bring hundreds of impactful films to audiences worldwide. Now, she returns to the festival circuit as one of the producers of Time Warp, a powerful new documentary making its world premiere in the Documentary Competition at the 25th anniversary of the Tribeca Festival. Directed by Allison Berg and produced alongside an accomplished creative team, Time Warp follows a drag theater company in Rock Springs, Wyoming, as they stage a shadow cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show 50 years after the cult classic first captivated audiences. For Susan, whose career has been defined by elevating meaningful stories and underrepresented voices, the film arrives at a pivotal cultural moment.
READ MORENYWIFT at DOC NYC: In Conversation with Joyce Pierpoline
Congratulations to NYWIFT Board Member Joyce Pierpoline, Executive Producer of Mediha, which just took home the U.S. Competition Grand Jury Prize at DOC NYC! In this immensely collaborative film, a Yazidi teen once held captive by ISIS takes us into her world of grief, pain, and hope. We spoke to Pierpoline (prior to the exciting win) about her involvement in this important film.
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