New York Women in Film & Television

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New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) is a non-profit membership organization for women in film, television and digital media. The organization is an educational forum for media professionals and a network for the exchange of information and resources [citation needed].

History[edit]

NYWIFT was founded in 1977 by New York producer/director Lenore DeKoven and Hollywood Reporter bureau chief Morna Murphy Martell [citation needed]. The first meeting consisted of 25 women [citation needed]. In 1978, New York Women in Film, Inc. received a certificate of incorporation from New York State, and they published their first roster of 52 members [citation needed].

Today, NYWIFT has a membership of more than 2,000 people [citation needed]. Members work in different areas of the entertainment industry[citation needed]. It is a component of the Women in Film network, which consists of 40 international chapters and has more than 10,000 members [citation needed].

Presidents[edit]

  • Marilyn Casselman (1977–1980)
  • Gail Frank (1980–1981)
  • Jeanne Betancourt (1981–1982)
  • Victoria Hamburg (1982–1983)
  • Celeste Gainey (1983–1985)
  • Mary Feldbauer Jansen (1985–1986)
  • Nancy Leff (1986–1987)
  • Pat Fili (1987–1988)
  • Pat Herold (1988–1989)
  • Mirra Bank Brockman (1989–1990)
  • Marjorie Kalins (1990–1991)
  • Grace Blake (1991–1992)
  • Beth Dembitzer (1992–1994)
  • Harlene Freezer (1994–1996)
  • Joy Pereths (1996–1998)
  • Ellen Geiger (1998–2000)
  • Marcie Setlow (2000–2003)
  • Linda Kahn (2003–2005)
  • Carey Graeber (2005–2007)
  • Laverne Berry (2007–2010)
  • Alexandra Levi (2010–2012)
  • Alexis Alexanian (2012–2017)
  • Simone Pero (2017–2019)
  • Jamie Zelermyer (2019–present)

Programs[edit]

NYWIFT produces over 50 programs and special events annually, which are meant to recognize and encourage the contributions of women in the field of entertainment [citation needed].

The annual New York Women in Film & Television Muse Awards is a luncheon to honor prominent film and television personalities [citation needed]. Designing Women, an annual gala co-presented by Variety, was created by NYWIFT to acknowledge and celebrate the influence and impact of costume designers, make-up artists, and hair stylists on film and television. [1]

In 2016 NYWIFT partnered with The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival to produce a panel titled 'Women in Entertainment: Power Players Changing the Parity Game' that discussed women's representation in front of and behind the camera.[2]

New York Women in Film & Television is involved in several special funds that support future and current filmmakers and preserve the past work of women filmmakers [citation needed]. They include: The Archive Project, Loreen Arbus Scholarship, Women in Film Finishing Fund, Scholarship Fund, and Women's Film Preservation Fund.

In 2015 it was announced that Meryl Streep had funded a screenwriters' lab for female screenwriters over forty years old, called "The Writers Lab", which was to be run by "New York Women in Film & Television" and the collective IRIS.[3][4] As of the announcement, "The Writers Lab" is the only initiative in the world for female screenwriters over forty years old.[4]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Hill, Shelby (December 5, 2011). "Muse Awards honors femmes". Variety.
  2. ^ "NYWIFT | Women in Entertainment: Power Players Changing the Parity Game". Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  3. ^ Cox, Gordon (April 19, 2015). "Meryl Streep Funds Lab for Women Screenwriters Over 40". Variety. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  4. ^ a b Kang, Inkoo (April 20, 2015). "Meryl Streep Launches Fund for Women Screenwriters Over 40". Women and Hollywood. IndyWire. Archived from the original on April 24, 2015. Retrieved April 28, 2015.

External links[edit]

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