New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) is a non-profit membership organization for
women in film
Women are involved in the film industry in all roles, including as film directors, actor, actresses, cinematographers, film producers, film criticism, film critics, and other film industry professions, though women have been underrepresented in ...
,
television
Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
, and
digital media
In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, viewed, distributed, modified, listened to, an ...
. The organization is an educational forum for media professionals and a network for the exchange of information and resources.
History
NYWIFT was founded in 1977 by New York producer/director Lenore DeKoven and Hollywood Reporter bureau chief Morna Murphy Martell. The first meeting consisted of 25 women. In 1978, New York Women in Film, Inc. received a certificate of incorporation from
New York State
New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...
, and they published their first roster of 52 members.
Today, NYWIFT has a membership of more than 10,000 peopl
(5) Members work in different areas of the entertainment industry. It is a component of the Women in Film network, which consists of 40 international chapters and has more than 10,000 members.
Presidents
* Marilyn Casselman (1977–1980)
* Gail Frank (1980–1981)
*
Jeanne Betancourt
Jeanne Betancourt (born October 2, 1941, in Vermont) is an American author and television script writer best known for her ''Pony Pals'' series of books.
Biography
Betancourt was born and raised in rural Vermont. She lived across from a dairy fa ...
(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
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.
The annual New York Women in Film & Television Muse Awards is a luncheon to honor prominent film and television personalities. Designing Women, an annual gala co-presented by ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'', was created by NYWIFT to acknowledge and celebrate the influence and impact of costume designers, makeup artists, and hair stylists on film and television.
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.
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. 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
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep (born June 22, 1949) is an American actress. Known for her versatility and adept accent work, she has been described as "the best actress of her generation". She has received numerous accolades throughout her career ...
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.
As of the announcement, "The Writers Lab" is the only initiative in the world for female screenwriters over forty years old.
See also
*
Women in Film and Television International
Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI) is a global network of non-profit membership chapters. Established in 1997, it is dedicated to advancing professional development and achievement for women working in all areas of film, video, an ...
*
Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards
A woman is an adult female human. Before adulthood, a female child or adolescent is referred to as a girl.
Typically, women are of the female sex and inherit a pair of X chromosomes, one from each parent, and women with functional uteru ...
*
Women in Film and Television (South Africa)
References
External links
New York Women in Film and Television(official website)
{{DEFAULTSORT:New York Women in Film and Television
Non-profit organizations based in New York (state)
Women's film organizations
Organizations established in 1977
1977 establishments in New York (state)
Women in television
Sculptures of women in New York City
Women's organizations based in the United States