New York Women in Film & Television

'''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.{{No source|date=April 2024}}

== History == NYWIFT was founded in 1977 by New York producer/director Lenore DeKoven and Hollywood Reporter bureau chief Morna Murphy Martell.{{No source|date=April 2024}} The first meeting consisted of 25 women.{{No source|date=April 2024}} 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.{{No source|date=April 2024}}

Today, NYWIFT has a membership of more than 10,000 people.[https://www.nywift.org/about/ <sup>(5)</sup>] Members work in different areas of the entertainment industry.{{No source|date=April 2024}} It is a component of the Women in Film network, which consists of 40 international chapters and has more than 10,000 members.{{No source|date=April 2024}}

== Presidents ==

* 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 (2019–2022) * Leslie Fields-Cruz (2022-2024) * Kim Jackson (2024-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.{{No source|date=April 2024}}

The annual New York Women in Film & Television Muse Awards is a luncheon to honor prominent film and television personalities.{{No source|date=April 2024}} 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.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hill |first=Shelby |date=December 5, 2011 |title=Muse Awards honors femmes |url=https://variety.com/2011/film/news/muse-awards-honors-femmes-1118046996/ |newspaper=Variety}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nywift.org/article.aspx?id=6057|title=NYWIFT {{!}} Women in Entertainment: Power Players Changing the Parity Game|access-date=June 30, 2017}}</ref>

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.{{No source|date=April 2024}} 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.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cox|first=Gordon|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/meryl-streep-women-screenwriters-lab-1201475337/ |title=Meryl Streep Funds Lab for Women Screenwriters Over 40 |website=Variety |date=April 19, 2015 |accessdate=April 28, 2015}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web |last=Kang |first=Inkoo |url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/womenandhollywood/meryl-streep-launches-fund-for-women-screenwriters-over-40-20150420 |title=Meryl Streep Launches Fund for Women Screenwriters Over 40|website=Women and Hollywood| publisher=IndyWire |date=April 20, 2015|accessdate=April 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424014055/http://blogs.indiewire.com/womenandhollywood/meryl-streep-launches-fund-for-women-screenwriters-over-40-20150420 |archive-date=April 24, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> As of the announcement, "The Writers Lab" is the only initiative in the world for female screenwriters over forty years old.<ref name="auto"/>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [http://nywift.org/ New York Women in Film and Television] (official website)

{{DEFAULTSORT:New York Women in Film and Television}} Category:Non-profit organizations based in New York (state) Category:Women's film organizations Category:Organizations established in 1977 Category:1977 establishments in New York (state) Category:Women in television Category:Sculptures of women in New York City Category:Women's organizations based in the United States