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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

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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 10,000 people.(5) 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

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  • 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

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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, makeup 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

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References

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  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.
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