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The Brookside Women’s Club of Harlan County

In 1973 the 13-month Brookside Strike brought almost 200 workers to battle Eastover Coal Company’s Brookside Mine and Prep Plant, a company owned by Duke Power. When filmmaker Barbara Kopple traveled to Harlan County, Kentucky, the resulting Academy award-winning documentary, Harlan County, U.S.A. (1976) captured a historic story. We look back on the film, which screens this Sunday, February 25th at UnionDocs.

Terry’s Picks: Inspiring Muse, Sheila Nevins, Golden Globes

Inspiring Muse: Thanks to all who joined us at the Muse Awards last week, particularly special guests MOME Commissioner Julie Menin and New York’s Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, who had the audience on their feet and cheering! Sheila Nevins: Longtime NYWIFT member and supporter Sheila Nevins, who has hosted countless NYWIFT events and given her time...

Five Takeaways – True Crime Stories: Relationships and Responsibilities

True crime producer Dana Rossi shares insights from NYWIFT's panel on the relationships and ethical responsibilities of true crime documentary filmmakers.

Terry’s Picks: Changing Times, Tiffany Haddish, Agnès Varda

Changing Times: Every day brings another story of sexual harassment (and worse) in Hollywood, from Louis C.K., to Kevin Spacey to Supergirl’s Andrew Kreisberg. Kudos to all the women and men who continue to speak out and support one another. Tiffany Haddish: Tiffany Haddish made Saturday Night Live history on Saturday by becoming the first...

NYC Indie Filmmaker Vigil Chime Wins the Academy’s Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting

The Writers Lab, presented by New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) and IRIS and funded by Meryl Streep and Oprah Winfrey, pairs twelve women screenwriters over the age of 40 for a weekend of one-on-one mentoring and script development with accomplished film industry leaders. One of this September’s participating writers may be on the path to becoming one of those leaders herself: Vigil Chime has been awarded the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for her script Bring Back Girl, about a Nigerian teen kidnapped by Boko Haram – the same project she took to The Writers Lab.

Terry’s Picks: Ravenal Grant, Wonder Women, Nancy Schreiber

Ravenal Grant: NYWIFT is seeking additional submissions for the Ravenal Foundation Feature Film Grant, which supports a woman second-time feature film director who is over 40 years of age in the production of a dramatic feature film. Learn more here, and submit your project to us by November 1st. Wonder Women: Director Angela Robinson discusses...

Women’s Stories in Film and the Need for an Authentic Ending

Why is it that when men make poignant films about a male’s coming-of-age, they are allowed to explore the pain, heartache, betrayal, danger, and the need for getting even or choosing a lesser evil to right a wrong—while women-centric films are expected to carry out a fairy tale romance? NYWIFT member Heidi Philipsen tackled this question as she made her first feature film.

Signature Move Director Jennifer Reeder is Surrounded by Women Behind the Camera

Signature Move is a multi-cultural romance about life, love and lady Lucha-style wrestling is opening in NYC this Friday, October 13th. We caught up with filmmaker Jennifer Reeder as she heads to Friday’s opening screening event to get her perspective on breaking down doors.

Terry’s Picks: Swim Team, Shonda Rhimes, Nancy Malone

Swim Team: Tune in or set your DVR for Swim Team’s PBS premiere on POV at 10 PM next Monday, October 2nd! The documentary was a recipient of NYWIFT Loreen Arbus Disability Awareness Grant. Congratulations to director Lara Stolman! #SwimTeamPBS Shonda Rhimes: The must-see TV mastermind launched a new website, Shondaland. As she notes in...

Terry’s Picks: Reed Morano, Lena Waithe, Silent Revival

Reed Morano: Congrats to The Handmaid’s Tale director Reed Morano, the first woman to win for the Emmy for drama series directing in 22 years. Lena Waithe: Kudos to Lena Waithe, who is the first black woman to win an Emmy for best comedy writing for her spectacular Master of None episode, “Thanksgiving.” (Our own...

She Said She Said: Director Lauren Anders Brown and Composer Daisy Coole

NYWIFT member and director Lauren Anders Brown met composer Daisy Coole at a networking event for Women in Film & TV UK, our sister chapter across the pond and are now collaborating on a short documentary together. They discuss early career beginnings, working for "free" and more.

Terry’s Picks: Big Difference, Pitch Perfect, Sound Women

Big Difference: ABC News shines a light on one of the age-old problems of film: pay inequity. They spoke with experts in both Hollywood and the field of economics to break down the disparity and see why there’s a $40 million difference between the highest paid actor and actress this year. Pitch Perfect: Reed Morano...

Terry’s Picks: Dialogue Study, Rachel Feldman, Dope Queens

Dialogue Study: The Signal Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory at USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering recently released preliminary results of a study on the representation of gender, race, and age in a collection of about 1,000 films. One of the major goals of the study was to determine the extent to which female characters were essential...

Terry’s Picks: Female Forward, Writers Lab, Honeysuckle Magazine

Female Forward: Kudos to NBC, which just announced it is upping its inclusion efforts with an annual initiative called Female Forward, which will help work toward gender parity among scripted series directors across the network. Writers Lab: Congratulations to the participants selected for this year’s The Writers Lab for women screenwriters over 40, funded by...

Terry’s Picks: Diversity Reports, Swim Team, Stony Brook

Diversity Reports: In a push to encourage diversity across New York State’s film and television industry, applications for the New York State Film Tax Credit Program now include two new forms that will provide critical information to support that effort. Swim Team: Catch NYWIFT member Lara Stolman’s documentary Swim Team it at its Oscar-qualifying run...

#SummerHours TV Episodes to Watch (#Pride Edition): Master of None: “Thanksgiving”

Goodbye, winter caps—hello, summer hats! It’s that glorious time of year where many of us can switch from content creators to content consumers. NYWIFT members Mellini Kantayya and Kathryn O’Kane have put together #SummerHours, a series of fun summer books, movies, and TV shows by or about women. We kick off this series with a special #Pride Edition, focusing on Master of None's coming-out story "Thankgiving" as the first of #SummerHours' TV episodes to watch.

Terry’s Picks: Nicole Kidman, Band Aid, Crystal Emery

Nicole Kidman: Nicole Kidman, who stars in Sofia Coppola’s The Beguiled, has pledged to work with a woman director every 18 months. Band Aid: Here are two great interviews, from The New York Times and Lenny Letter, with actor/director Zoe Lister-Jones, who explains her decision to hire an all-women crew for Band Aid. Crystal Emery:...

Terry’s Picks: Dusty Awards, Handmaid’s Tale, Gabourey Sidibe

Dusty Awards: The SVA Dusty Film & Animation Festival runs May 5-8. We look forward to partnering once again for their annual Dusty Awards! Board President Alexis Alexanian will present the NYWIFT award. Handmaid’s Tale: Can’t wait to start binging on The Handmaid’s Tale. Eight of 10 episodes are directed by women – good for...

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