Below are just a few of the most recent accomplishments of our talented members! If you would like to join this dynamic community, we invite you to consider applying for NYWIFT membership.
NYWIFT members, do you have an upcoming screening, event, campaign or other news to share? Tell us! Contact communications@nywift.org.
NYWIFT member Anais DerSimonian invites you to meet at The People’s Forum (320 W 37th St) for an evening exploring the cultural history, food traditions, and agricultural heritage of Armenia through the lens of ancient viticulture preservation — while supporting the production of Gini, an immersive documentary amplifying the underrepresented stewards preserving Armenia’s ancient agricultural traditions.
More than a story about wine, the evening of Saturday, July 11 from 5:30 PM-9:00 PM will explore how sustainable farming practices, foodways and intergenerational knowledge shape cultural identity and survival across the Armenian Highlands and Levant — regions deeply affected by conflict, displacement, and cultural erasure. Tickets.
Join past NYWIFT Board Members Yvonne Russo (director and writer) and Simone Pero (executive producer), for an unforgettable night under the stars and screening of their Oscar-nominated documentary, Viva Verdi! on Saturday, June 27. The special, one-night-only screening will be held at Magazzino Italian Art in beautiful Cold Spring, New York, with a talkback, food, drink, and networking.
Leave Manhattan behind for a few hours, take in the beauty of the Hudson Valley, enjoy food and refreshments in Magazzino’s stunning courtyard, and experience our film that has touched audiences around the world. Viva Verdi! is an intimate glimpse into the lives of the celebrated opera singers and musicians currently living out their ‘third act.’ Viva Verdi! features “Sweet Dreams of Joy,” Academy Award nominee for Best Song, by Nicholas Pike, performed by Soprano Ana María Martínez. Doors Open: 5 PM. Screening Begins at Dusk. Shuttles are available from NYC. Tickets and information. Learn more about the film.
Member Erika Goyzueta‘s short film, When Papá, Dad, Daddy Died, will be screening at Cinema Village as part of New Faces New Voices Film Festival June 25 at 6:05 PM. Get tickets.
Member Eva Munz is publicist for the award-winning Bolivia–Spain co-production by director Alberto Sciamma, Cielo. She invites fellow members to see the film when it makes its New York theatrical premiere at Quad Cinema, June 26–July 5. Filmed on location in Bolivia, this magical realist road movie has been celebrated for its breathtaking visuals and emotional storytelling. Winner of 9 international awards, including the Special Jury Award, Audience Award, and Best Cinematography at Fantasporto 2025, and an official selection of SXSW London and Fantasia 2025. Director Alberto Sciamma will join for a Q&A moderated by HFFNY Artistic Director Diana Vargas. In Spanish with English subtitles. Tickets.
Join Capsule Studio NYC for an open studio and see why we’ve quietly remained the longest-running queer, woman-owned corporate event and photo studio in New York. Tucked away on Broadway by Union Square, this is a rare chance to step inside our versatile loft, meet our team, and see why Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, and photographers continue to trust CSNYC. If you’re planning a meeting, film screening or photoshoot, or simply exploring new venues, we would love to meet you. Capsule Studio NYC located in Union Square, Manhattan for corporate meetings, events and photo production. safe space, M/BE certified, member NGLCC and GVCCC. Founded by photographer NYWIFT member Haruko and run by concierge. Learn more and schedule a visit.
Yvette Joseph is sharing something very close to her heart with fellow members. She has officially launched Clarity Mentorship. She created Clarity Mentorship to provide a supportive space where individuals and professionals can organize their thoughts, gain clarity, reconnect with themselves, and move forward with greater confidence and purpose.
Her mentorship sessions blend practical guidance, reflection, creativity, and soulful insight to help people clear mental clutter and make aligned decisions in both their personal and professional lives. She’ll be offering one-on-one clarity sessions, mind decluttering and confidence-building programs, support for life transitions, burnout, and decision-making, professional and group coaching sessions. Learn more.
I Was the Wife, How Did I Become the Mistress? is member Bernice Walker‘s book-to-film project exploring love, betrayal, healing, and self-worth through the emotional journey of both women and men affected by toxic relationships. This story is designed to make audiences feel deeply connected, seen, and inspired to reclaim their strength. She is raising funds through Kickstarter to support production, casting, filming, and post-production for this independent feature film. With the support of NYWIFT and the creative community, this project can open important conversations about relationships, identity, faith, and personal transformation while bringing a bold and emotionally impactful story to the screen.
Move from idea to page with NYWIFT member Marilyn Horowitz‘s calming, neuroscience-based writing method that helps writers begin with clarity and confidence. Whether you’ve been carrying a story for years without writing a page, or you’re a seasoned writer stuck circling the runway, the hardest words are often the first ones. In this inspiring, down-to-earth webinar, Marilyn Horowitz will share techniques to quiet the inner noise, loosen perfectionism’s grip, and help you enter the kind of creative state where writing stops feeling forced—and starts flowing.
Begin with a guided somatic and relaxation practice using the Beyond Happiness Method to help calm the nervous system and create emotional safety—an essential part of creativity. When we feel settled and connected to ourselves, ideas flow more freely, and writing becomes clearer, easier, and more enjoyable. RSVP for the webinar on June 15 from 7 PM-8:15 PM.
Entertainment Career Coach/NWIFT member Jim Arnoff is inviting NYWIFT members to his next free NYC in-person workshop, Taking Control of Your Professional and Person Life….Creating Your Own Momentum. In this immersive, interactive workshop, you will learn the skills to focus on what you can control in all areas of your life to build your own momentum. Maximize your life by living in your passion zone, creating winning collaborations, communicating with clarity and envisioning the ideal life you deserve. RSVP for the event on Thursday, June 25 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Location – 16 Madison Square West at 25th. Street (1115 Broadway, 11th. floor conference room).
Members are invited to a special screening of recent release, O Horizon followed by a Q&A with writer/director and NYWIFT member Madeleine Rotzler and actors Paulina Porizkova and Alysia Reiner (NYWIFT member), moderated by NYWIFT member Iliana Guibert. The film stars Oscar nominees Maria Bakalova and David Strathairn and is written and directed by Emmy Award winner Madeleine Rotzler. A neuroscientist mourning the loss of her father is suddenly able to speak with him through a new technology, causing her to question everything from her relationships to her life’s work. For a special discount to the screening on Saturday June 13 at 7:10 PM show, show the image above at the Quad Cinema (34 W 13th St) box office.
Big news for NYWIFT member Caitlin McCarthy: Little Audrey will make its world premiere on Opening Night of the Woods Hole Film Festival on Saturday, July 25, at 8:30 PM. McCarthy wrote the original screenplay and served as Associate Producer on the feature film, which stars Emily VanCamp, Jennifer Esposito, Aidan Quinn, and Josh Bowman. In Little Audrey, a Jewish agnostic child psychologist joins a Vatican-ordered commission investigating a comatose girl surrounded by claims she is a “victim soul,” only to become drawn into a case where alleged miracles defy explanation and challenge everything she believes. The film is based on a true story.
Festival ticket packages are on sale now through the Woods Hole Film Festival. Individual tickets are on sale. Watch the trailer and get tickets.
Join NYWIFT member and writer-director Al Oxborough Karr at BRIC for the world premiere of their LGBTQ+ psychological comedy short Welcome to Paris, screening in-competition in the PROcreative narrative block tomorrow, Friday June 5 at 6 PM .
Starring Emmy Wheeler (The Materialists and Poker Face), with a cameo by comic legend Mo Collins, Welcome to Paris is a biting satire of the degrading nature of survival jobs, wrapped in a surprising and delightful queer meet-cute. Watch the trailer and get tickets.
NYWIFT Leadership Circle member and filmmaker Andrea Ocampo invites members to see her work with the United Nations on YouTube. Andrea Ocampo is a filmmaker and storyteller drawn to stories that explore memory, identity, resilience, and the systems that shape how we see one another. Her recent projects include Not My Words: The Actor Who Carries the Voice of Genocide and After Coca: Colombia’s Risky Bet on Legal Farming, both rooted in human-centered storytelling and social impact. For Andrea, NYWIFT represents a community that champions bold voices, meaningful collaboration, and the power of film to create connection. As both a filmmaker and founder, she values spaces that remind creators they do not have to build alone. Andrea is also currently building VertyFlicks, a platform designed to help short films continue finding audiences beyond the festival circuit — because great films shouldn’t disappear after one screening.
NYWIFT member Fou Gharib‘s short film, Night of Melancholia got into the Cannes Indie Shorts Awards and is premiering online as part of the “New Waves” showcase! The film was previously selected for Big Apple Film Festival and New York Short Film Festival. The film will be available on-demand for a limited time, and the viewing window is May 21 (12:00 PM CEST) to May 24 (11:00 PM CEST). Use login email NewWaveCannes and password: NWACCESS to view the film.
Co-director and NYWIFT member Cameron Kit invites you to the premiere of her short documentary, Silver Linings, today, May 21, 9 PM at Cinema Village for New York Short Film Festival. About the film: This year, on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, we celebrate the journey to posttraumatic resilience of Samantha Silverman, 9/11 survivor and a therapist. The short film adapts her autobiography of the same name, Silver Linings. Watch the trailer. Get tickets.
Jessie Fahay invites fellow members to attend the Ripple Effect Artists Production of Building The Wall. At Ripple Effect Artists, for 17 years, we pair our productions with Talk-Back conversations and challenge our audiences to make an impact. This year, we address the topic of Immigration with an Oscar-Nominated Director and talk-backs with the Immigration Defense Fund and New York Immigration Coalition.
Members can attend our production June 11-21 for 15% off with the code BTWGroup. Tickets.
Avani’s Adda is a monthly creative networking hangout for NYC & visiting Film, Theater, TV, and Performing Arts professionals, curated by Casting Director & Producer, Avani Parikh Dhar. Adda is Hindi for a gathering place where people meet to chat, hang out, and socialize.
This month, on May 27, we come together for our first of many community screenings with 5 amazing short films by 5 amazing South Asian filmmakers.
Doors open at 6:30 PM for networking, and the screenings begin at 7 PM. Free admission. Cash bar and kitchen. Tickets.
NYWIFT Member Amy Gossels invites you to a star-studded night of comedy to benefit Woodstock Film Festival at the Gotham Comedy Club (208 West 23rd Street). From SNL and Will & Grace to Aquafina is Nora from Queens, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, 2 Dope Queens, City on a Hill, Wet Hot American Summer, What Men Want and Netflix and HBO Max specials and beyond, these celebrated comedians have lit up stages and screens around the world. The inaugural NYC comedy benefit in November 2025 was a SOLD OUT smash success, so be sure to get your tickets early for the upcoming June 1 benefit! Doors open at 6:30 PM for the 7:30 PM show. Tickets.
Director and NYWIFT Board member Luchina Fisher won production funding for her documentary Hiding in Plain Sight with the film award at PitchBLACK 2026. For the second time in three years, the Emmy Award-winning director took home the top prize aimed at supporting independent filmmakers. Congrats, Luchina!
NYWIFT member Yael Melamede’s film, Ada–My Mother The Architect, the award-winning documentary feature has been made available for 10 days only to celebrate Mother’s Day. Discover the extraordinary work of an architect you have probably never heard of as seen through the eyes of her daughter – a filmmaker and former architect. A true pioneer, Ada Karmi Melamede—like many successful working mothers of her time—was forced to make impossible choices between motherhood and professional ambition. A celebration of a unique mother-daughter bond, the film explores Ada’s reflections on roots, family and home. You can rent the film through May 13 or send it as a gift. Find a screening.
NYWIFT member Denise Tomasetti recently sat down with writer Tally Daniels to discuss her book Food Talks. The book combines the nuances of food and dating to reveal how choices and actions around food can uncover deep insights into a person’s values, personality, and relationship compatibility. Learn more about Denise and the book release. Congrats, Denise!
NYWIFT Leadership Circle member Dali Adekunle invites members to The Debt Gala on Sunday, May 3 at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. This year’s theme is “Body of Werrrk,” so go bare bones out on a limb; your anatomy is the fashion inspo. The Debt Gala features some of New York’s best in comedy, drag, music, and performance, raising funds to address medical debt disproportionately impacting queer, trans, and Black communities. This year, don’t just accessorize, get organ-ized. Tickets
Dalí Adekunle is a creative director, actor, and multidisciplinary artist whose storytelling bridges the worlds of healthcare, art, and strategy. She helps shape The Debt Gala’s creative heartbeat through digital design, short-form content, and community-centered programming.
The Get Set! Podcast sat down with NYWIFT Board President Kim Jackson for their Indie Producing episode. The episode explores the ever-evolving nature of the industry and what that means for Indie Producers now, how to be adaptable, and where to go to create a network of trusted filmmakers to build your career with. Listen on Apple Music, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
NYWIFT member Gabrielle Lansner is an associate producer for Movies TV Mayhem, a new play by Dean Taucher running at Theatre Row (42nd St) from April 23-May 9. The play is directed by Richard Caliban, former Artistic Director of the Cucaracha Theater and features Jason Donovan Hall, Grant Neale and Oneika Phillips. This dark-comedic, ironic, and wonderfully weird stage play is inspired by the four decades of experience of renowned production designer Dean Taucher who worked on Law & Order, SVU, The Sopranos, Miami Vice, New York Undercover and more. Drawing on his extensive work behind-the-scenes on major films and television series, Dean delivers a no-holds-barred look at the idiosyncratic personalities and chaotic situations he encountered throughout his career. The play serves as both an homage to the entertainment industry and an irreverent critique, filled with biting humor, unexpected twists, and unforgettable characters.
Tickets are $25 and $20 dollars for students with promo code: STUMTM5. Tickets.
NYWIFT member Christine McBurney wrote and performs in DNA Doesn’t Lie But My Mother Did! at Tada! Theater/28th Street Theater (15 W 28th Street) on April 24 at 7 PM-8:15 PM. DNA Doesn’t Lie But My Mother Did! follows an interrupted childhood in Brooklyn as Christine is sent to her grandparents in Ohio. She moves back to NYC, traipses around Europe, and lands back in Ohio, married with a child. Deciding to become an actress, a surprising DNA test leads her back to New York to claim the role of her life. Get tickets.
NYWIFT Member Wendy Richardson‘s recent short documentary is now on Amazon Prime. The Lone Star Three are a trio of courageous University of Texas twenty-three-year-olds who started a campus birth control information center in 1969, but their mission turned to helping women obtain safe, illegal abortions under the surveillance of the FBI, risking felony charges, their educations and initiating the lawsuit that became Roe v. Wade. A true story. Rent or buy the film.
Teddy’s Doll House, the recent short film written by NYWIFT member Kathleen Kaan, directed by Daryl Denner, and produced by NYWIFT member Vanessa Corwin, will screen at the Hang On To Your Shorts Film Festival in Red Bank, NJ. Get your tickets to see the film on May 1 during the festival’s 5-6:21 PM block.
NYWIFT member Linda Manning‘s short film Deborah at Work is screening today, April 23 at the Ashland Independent Film Festival. Logline: After throwing a birthday party for her boss, Deborah finds herself in an unexpected sparring match with the office’s intelligent cleaning robot, unearthing startling revelations about her past, and the possibility of a remarkable new future. Get tickets. See the festival program. Learn more info about the movie.
Wait List: A Love-ish Story is a new feature film by NYWIFT member Debra Markowitz. It follows the story of Carter Morgan who has always had a crush on his childhood friend’s mother, Lisa Chase. When Carter finds out that Lisa has gotten divorced, he decides to go for it despite the obstacles that are placed in their way. Wait List stars comedian actor, Travis Grant, Bec Fordyce, Robert Clohessy, Abigial Hawk (Blue Bloods), Kim Director (The Deuce), Lukas Hassel (The Blacklist) and Tara Westwood (The Grudge). Wait List: A Love-ish Story has been released on its first platform. Support Debra by watching and reviewing the film on Prime Video. Reviews on IMDb (and eventually rottentomatoes.com) are also greatly appreciated. More information and additional platforms can be found on the film’s website.
NYWIFT member Karen Goeller is proud to share that her anti-bullying film, Missy’s Voice, is now available to watch on YouTube. Missy’s Voice is about a talented young singer whose love of music is tested when she becomes the target of relentless bullying. As the pressure builds, Missy must find the courage to reclaim her voice. It’s an intimate, moving story about finding light in dark moments and the power of being heard. Follow and watch to support a film with an anti-bullying message.
NYWIFT member Akiva Penaloza is an award-winning screenwriter who creates dynamic film content with diverse and inclusive storytelling. She’s currently crowdfunding for her film Awakening Georgie. After a devastating car accident leaves Georgie with a traumatic brain injury, the world no longer sees her the same way—and she struggles to see herself at all. Hoping to reclaim a piece of dignity, Georgie, her loving wife, and her charismatic mother-in-law enter a small Mexican barbershop with a difficult request: will anyone cut her hair, scars and all? Inside the shop sits a cross-section of a divided America—immigrants living in fear, customers wrestling with their own prejudices, and a barber unsure if he is brave enough to say yes. But as Georgie’s story unfolds, something shifts. Fear softens. Barriers fall. And one simple act of care becomes an act of courage and transformation. Awakening Georgie, inspired by a true story, is a moving tale about reclaiming dignity, challenging prejudice, and rediscovering the humanity that connects us all. Featuring an all Latinx cast. Filmmakers are women over 40!
EP/Writer is NYWIFT Member Akiva Peñaloza (Hannah Henri, La Chiva)
Producer is NYWIFT Member Claudia Murdoch. (Sora)
Directed by Nancy Schreiber (P Valley, Station 19)
Starring Paula Andrea Placido (Hacks, L Word, Grey’s Anatomy)
Casting Director Carla Hool (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Emilia Perez)
Production Design by Astrid Anderson
Make a tax-deductible contribution.
NYWIFT member Christine McBurney asks fellow members to contribute to the crowdfunding campaign for her upcoming film, Tutto. The premise: Surprising DNA results reveal Christine’s Italian heritage, sending her to her first Sunday family dinner, where her biggest wish comes true. Amid the chaos and pathos, secrets are revealed, a life-long wish comes true, and she learns la famiglia really is tutto, everything. See the campaign.
Shanda is a romantic comedy with just a sprinkle of arthouse–irreverent, ironic, and Jew-ish, made with a diverse cast and crew in Ridgewood, Queens. We had to ask: What if the non-Jewish partner cares more about the Jewish aspects of a wedding than their Jewish partner? And what’s the worst way someone could object to a wedding in 2026? Shanda is about an interfaith couple attempting to elope, but the past has a way of catching up with them. Co-writers Aaron Gold and NYWIFT member Christine Stoddard are a real-life romantic couple and Shanda draws on Aaron and Christine’s real-life interfaith relationship as inspiration. Make a contribution.
Bottled Up is a darkly comedic crime thriller produced by NYWIFT member Lana Young and Rogue Donkey Productions. The film follows a gentle young man who releases a volatile genie from a mysterious bottle, freeing him from his sadistic ex-master. Together they form an unexpected alliance that challenges power, control, and moral agency.
They’re currently raising development funds on Seed&Spark to attach key creatives, finalize their budget, and package the film for production. The campaign supports women-led independent storytelling and a bold, character-driven feature that blends grit, heart, and dark humor. Contribute to the campaign.
Order My Steps, written by NWIFT member Kathryn Grant and produced by Mulberry Queens Films (NWIFT members Dolores Diaz & Eva Minemar), will be screened as part of the NYC Short Film Showcase on March 27 at 7 PM at New Plaza Cinema. The premise: An incarcerated woman reaches out to her daughter after twenty years of silence. Watch the trailer. Get tickets.
HAUS of Infinity Studios presents the inaugural Euphoria Salon Series: an intimate four-part gathering centering women’s creativity, joy, and storytelling. In honor of Women’s History Month, Session I features an all-women film showcase. This evening brings together five distinct voices exploring themes of identity, resilience, creativity, and freedom through the art of film. Each filmmaker will be present to share their vision and connect with the audience in an intimate salon-style setting. Featured Filmmakers: Sonia Bekam, MéLisa Best, Raven Irabor, Jadea Knight, Nedgé Victome
Euphoria: In Session Series supports Black Women Euphoria, a film and multimedia experience that debuted in 2025 and continues to expand. A portion of the proceeds from this event will support future chapters of Black Women Euphoria and the filmmakers featured in this showcase. Join host MéLisa Best, Founder of HAUS of Infinity Studios & NYWIFT member Friday, March 27 in Brooklyn, NY at Fabrik in Dumbo (20 Jay St Suite 218, Brooklyn). For press inquiries or partnership opportunities, contact HAUS of Infinity Studios. As a thank you to the NYWIFT community, members can get reserved special pricing on tickets. Use discount code coupon NYWIFTLOVE.
NYWIFT members Oriana Cyprus and Mirra Bank, along with producer Shareen Mitchell, are proud to announce that their film, A Tantalizing, is screening at the Big Apple Women’s Spotlight Edition on March 26 at 9:45 PM at the Angelica Village East.
Based on the play by William Mastrosimone. Starring two-time Tony winner John Cullum, and lifetime Actor’s Studio member Shareen Mitchell. Directed by Katie Prael.
Dafne, grieving the loss of her father to hypothermia, is reminded of him by the sight of Ambrose, a homeless man. As the temperature in New York City drops, Dafne feels a growing sense of urgency to protect Ambrose from the same fate as her father’s. She strikes up a tenuous relationship with this stranger and, on impulse, invites him home for dinner. A precarious dance begins. Ambrose takes on the position of the critical and controlling patriarch, frustrating Dafne’s every attempt to please him, and calling forward her rage. Get your ticket.
See the documentary Viva Verdi! with a talkback, food, drink, and networking. The free event will be at the SVA Theatre on
Saturday, March 28, starting at 2 PM. Past NYWIFT Board Members Yvonne Russo (director and writer) and Simone Pero (executive producer), along with NYWIFT members Regina K. Scully (executive producer), Christine La Monte (executive producer, writer and producer) and Ruth Ann Harnisch (executive producer) are the team behind this intimate glimpse into the lives of the celebrated opera singers and musicians currently living out their ‘third act.’ Viva Verdi! features “Sweet Dreams of Joy,” Academy Award nominee for Best Song, by Nicholas Pike, performed by Soprano Ana María Martínez. RSVP for Women Arts Day.
New York Women in Film & Television is proud to announce that 9 of our members are involved in 9 films selected for the 2026 South by Southwest Conference & Festivals.
The SXSW Film & TV Festival & Conference will take place in Austin, Texas from March 12 – March 18. Badges and packages are currently on sale and can be purchased here.
See the full Film & TV lineup!
Congratulations to Sara Eolin (Visitors), Luchina Fisher (The Dads), Ruth Ann Harnisch (Cookie Queens), Jess Jacobs (Freedom At Stake), Gilana Lobel (Visitors), Sheila Nevins (Manhood), Jamie Kiernan O’Brien (Gender Studies), Clara Peterson (Stairs) and Elivia Shaw (One Another, The Oldest Person in the World)!
In addition to being an early NYWIFT member, costume designer Ruth Morley was behind the iconic looks of several characters now considered legendary in cinema history. A child refugee from Vienna, in the 1950’s she studied under German-American painter Hans Hofmann and went on to design costumes for opera and ballet before moving into theater, film and television. Her work can be seen in such iconic films as The Hustler (1961), The Miracle Worker (1962), Taxi Driver (1976), Kramer vs Kramer (1979), One from the Heart (1981), The Chosen (1981), Tootsie (1982) and Ghost (1990). In the 1980’s, she began teaching and mentoring costume design graduate students at Brandeis and NYU. Today, on March 12, join esteemed panelists Deborah Nadoolman Landis and Susan Gammie (Emmy award-winning costume designer, protege and friend of Ruth Morley), with moderator Julie Salamon (author of The Devil’s Candy, Net of Dreams) for a discussion about Ruth Morley’s career and her impact on the field of costume design. RSVP.
NYWIFT member Karen Goeller is proud to share that her anti-bullying film, Missy’s Voice, will be screened at the Garden State Film Festival! Asbury Park, NJ’s Berkeley Continental will host the screening on Saturday, March 28 at 12:30 PM. Missy’s Voice is about a talented young singer whose love of music is tested when she becomes the target of relentless bullying. As the pressure builds, Missy must find the courage to reclaim her voice. It’s an intimate, moving story about finding light in dark moments and the power of being heard. This film is already sparking conversation and emotion. Get tickets & details.
Join Marilyn Horowitz in the next free Word of the Day Webinar, where the focus is on using your writing time effectively.
Explore how to take a large writing project, such as a novel, screenplay, memoir, or article, and break it into manageable pieces that fit the time you truly have available. Monday, March 16, at 7 PM EST. Register.
NYWIFT member Dani Hanks‘ AFF-winning pilot, The G.Y.M., is being performed live with a full cast for Table Read Podcast, on the official podcast stage at South by Southwest 2026. Logline: When a neurotic woman spends her life savings to rescue her hometown’s infamous gym, she and her ragtag employees must turn their shithole into shinola to compete with the fancy fitness chain across the street. The reading is March 13 at 6 PM at Skybox on 6th. RSVP.
NYWIFT member Carolyn Butts invites you to join BAM and Reel Sisters for an evening of family-centered films in honor of Women’s History Month on March 25 from 7-9 PM. Enjoy a powerful selection of award-winning and notable films from Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival & Lecture Series, including their 2025 Oscar-qualifying short Shallow End, Laundry, directed by NYWIFT Board member Okema T. Moore and the highly acclaimed Superman Doesn’t Steal directed by Tamika Lamison. Get tickets and information.
See the documentary Viva Verdi! with a talkback, food, drink, and networking. The free event will be at the SVA Theatre on
Saturday, March 28, starting at 2 PM. Past NYWIFT Board Members Yvonne Russo (director and writer) and Simone Pero (executive producer), along with NYWIFT members Regina K. Scully (executive producer), Christine La Monte (executive producer, writer and producer) and Ruth Ann Harnisch (executive producer) are the team behind this intimate glimpse into the lives of the celebrated opera singers and musicians currently living out their ‘third act.’ Viva Verdi! features “Sweet Dreams of Joy,” Academy Award nominee for Best Song, by Nicholas Pike, performed by Soprano Ana María Martínez. RSVP for Women Arts Day.
NYWIFT member Karen Goeller is proud to share that her anti-bullying film, Missy’s Voice, will be screened at the Garden State Film Festival! Asbury Park, NJ’s Berkeley Continental will host the screening on Saturday, March 28 at 12:30 PM. Missy’s Voice is about a talented young singer whose love of music is tested when she becomes the target of relentless bullying. As the pressure builds, Missy must find the courage to reclaim her voice. It’s an intimate, moving story about finding light in dark moments and the power of being heard. This film is already sparking conversation and emotion. Get tickets & details.
NYWIFT member Alexis Alexanian invites you to join her 2-Day Making the Independent Feature Film online workshop on February 21 and 22. Learn the dynamics of indie filmmaking right now and what makes a film truly independent with this course. With over twenty years of industry experience as a producer and consultant to major industry players, Alexis Alexanian has produced low and big-budget films among her credits. In this two-day workshop, Alexis will provide students with a real-world view of how to assemble a successful team, how to prepare and read a budget, where and how to spend the money, insurance and legal issues, the art of troubleshooting problems and potential pitfalls, and how to navigate the divide between budgetary limitations and the creative needs of the production. Sign up.
NYWIFT member Karen Goeller is proud to share that her anti-bullying film, Missy’s Voice, will be screened at the Garden State Film Festival! Asbury Park, NJ’s Berkeley Continental will host the screening on Saturday, March 28 at 12:30 PM. Missy’s Voice is about a talented young singer whose love of music is tested when she becomes the target of relentless bullying. As the pressure builds, Missy must find the courage to reclaim her voice. It’s an intimate, moving story about finding light in dark moments and the power of being heard. This film is already sparking conversation and emotion. Get tickets & details.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) announced the nominations for the 57th annual NAACP Image Awards, which will be presented on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California.
Congratulations to Jade Edwards-Lovell (Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.), Danielle Genet (Hurricane Katrina: 20 Years After the Storm With Robin Roberts), Holly M. Kaplan (Number One on the Call Sheet), Veronica Mulero (Harlem), Geneva Peschka (Black Longevity); Liat Rubin (Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest 1977-2015) and Anna Wild Toomey (Left Behind)!
