Cynthia Lopez News

New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) is pleased to announce the presentation of two grants funded by the Alan M. & Mildred S. Ravenal Foundation.

New York Women in Film & Television has announced two exciting multi-day virtual animation workshops, one for teens and one for adults, in late July as part of its commitment to advancing the filmmaking and storytelling skills of the greater New York City community. Participants in the NYWIFT Women's Media Workshops will be encouraged to draw on their community's experience of the COVID-19 crisis to create their personal animated stories. The program is presented with the support of New York City Council Members Joe Borelli (District 51), Keith Powers (District 4), and Carlina Rivera (District 2). Completed projects will have a unique NYWIFT premiere on a live virtual platform and be available via the NYWIFT Vimeo channel.

New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) is pleased to announce the presentation of the Loreen Arbus Disability Awareness Grant to Ashley Eakin for her narrative short film Single. The film completion grant, now in its 13th year, is provided through the generosity of longtime disability rights advocate Loreen Arbus and awards $7,500 to a woman filmmaker for a film on physical or developmental disability issues.

 DOC NYC, America's largest documentary festival, announced the full lineup for its expanded tenth anniversary edition, running November 6-15 at the IFC Center in Greenwich Village and Chelsea's SVA Theatre and Cinépolis Chelsea. The 2019 festival includes 136 feature-length documentaries among over 300 films and events overall, making this landmark year DOC NYC's biggest edition yet. Included are 28 world premieres 27 US or North American premieres and 59 NYC premieres, with more than 500 doc makers and special guests expected in person to present their films or participate on panels. 

New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Board of Directors President, Jamie Zelermyer. Zelermyer has served on the NYWIFT board for four years, most recently as Vice President of Special Events through which she oversaw the production of the 2017 and 2018 NYWIFT Muse Awards. She has been a New York-based Producer and Production Executive for over 20 years and is currently producing Independent Feature Project's signature program, IFP Week. Zelermyer was the VP, Physical Production at Focus Features / Rogue Pictures for six years, where she oversaw films including Admission, One Day, Jane Eyre, Sin Nombre and Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day. Most recently, she was the Program Manager of the Made In New York: Pilot Competition, a program founded by The Mayor's Office of Film Media and Entertainment to tackle gender inclusivity in the television industry; she Executive Produced the two winning half hour pilots and Executive Produced season one of the winning show, Half Life.

New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) is thrilled to announce the honorees for the 20th anniversary of its Designing Women Awards, co-presented by Variety, on Tuesday, June 11th at 7 PM for the first time at the prestigious Directors Guild of America Theater. Designing Women celebrates the alchemy of design, character and story by honoring distinguished costume designers, makeup artists and hair stylists in moving image media, and is attended by designers, actors, producers, directors, writers, and fashion industry leaders. The 2019 ceremony,hosted by comedian Zainab Johnson (Last Comic Standing, Late Night with Seth Meyers), will feature costume displays from Game of Thrones and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) is pleased to announce the presentation of two grants funded by the Alan M. & Mildred S. Ravenal Foundation. The NYWIFT Ravenal Foundation Grant supports the production of a dramatic feature film from a female second-time feature film director over 40 years of age. Grant funds may be used for pre-production, production, or post-production.

New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) and The Writers Lab co-founders Elizabeth Kaiden and Nitza Wilon are pleased to announce the return of The Writers Lab for 2019. Now in its fifth year, the groundbreaking program provides exclusive mentorship opportunities with leading filmmakers to women screenwriters over the age of 40, increasing opportunities for content made by women. The program has been supported every year since its inception by Academy Award winner Meryl Streep, fostering work written by and about women, with 48 writers having completed the program to date. The Writers Lab offers a unique and nurturing experience for 12 talented female screenwriters. Selected writers will attend a four-day retreat with outstanding female film mentors, engaging in panels, peer discussions and one-on-one meetings October 2-6, 2019, at the Guest House Retreat Center in Chester, Connecticut. This year the Lab is proud to welcome two new mentors, Academy Award- and Golden Globe Award-nominated screenwriter Robin Swicord (The Promise, Wakefield, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Memoirs of A Geisha) and Pulitzer playwright nominee and multi award-winning screenwriter Theresa Rebeck (355,Smash, THE FAMILY of Mann, NYPD Blue, The Bells).

The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) and Brooklyn College's Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema today announced the launch of a citywide scriptwriting contest highlighting stories by, for, or about women in New York City.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen, and Media & Entertainment Commissioner Cynthia Lopez today announced that New York City's filmed entertainment industry now contributes $8.7 billion to the local economy, an increase of more than 1.5 billion, or 21 percent, since 2011. Full-time equivalent jobs in the city's industry have grown 10 percent, from 94,000 to 104,000 over the last four years, according to an independent study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) that details the growth and economic impact of New York City's media and entertainment industries. According to BCG's report, New York City is one of only three cities in the world with a filming community large enough to enable a production to be made without needing any roles to be brought in from other locations, including cast, crew members, and the creative team. Additionally, a rich real-life history, iconic locations, diverse storytellers and top talent are among the reasons productions choose to film in New York City.

STARS IN THE ALLEY, presented by United Airlines, was held just yesterday in Shubert Alley, hosted by Darren Criss who is currently playing Hedwig in the 2014 Tony Award-winning Best Musical Revival, Hedwig and the Angry Inch. To add to the festivities leading up to the Tony Awards, the free outdoor concert in the heart of the Theatre District celebrated Broadway with star appearances and exciting performances from over 20 new shows and long-running favorites, accompanied by a 12-piece live orchestra, including many of this year's 2015 Tony Award - nominated plays and musicals! BroadwayWorld was there for the special day and you can check out photos of all of the stars on the red carpet below! 

The Public Theater just presented a special 40th anniversary tribute to A CHORUS LINE last night, April 16 in honor of the first performance of this legendary musical that premiered in The Public's Newman Theater 40 years ago and went on to make musical theater history. To commemorate this landmark event, the cast of the critically-acclaimed musical HAMILTON, currently playing on the same Newman stage, presented original cast members of A CHORUS LINE with a plaque that will hang in the Ford Foundation Lobby of The Public. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from inside the special event below!

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge celebrated the creative industries at a Creativity is GREAT Britain reception earlier today at the private work collective NeueHouse in Manhattan. Hosted by the British Ambassador to the United States of America, Sir Peter Westmacott and the British Consul General to New York, Mr. Danny Lopez, the event recognized the impact of the creative sectors to the UK economy including film, television, publishing, art, architecture, fashion, advertising, music, and design and theatre.

Over 150 performers and supporters of the SAG Foundation turned out in the rain to celebrate the opening of the SAG Foundation Actors Center.

Paley Center NY has released their November shows, featuring Seth Meyers, Nick Kroll, David Cross, James Ellroy, and more.

Paley Center NY has released their November shows, featuring Seth Meyers, Nick Kroll, David Cross, James Ellroy, and more.

POV (Point of View) , launched on PBS in 1988, is celebrating its 25th anniversary on-air, online and on the ground in communities across the United States. American television's longest-running independent documentary series, POV is spearheading a wide array of activities featuring the brightest names in nonfiction film to complement its 2012-2013 season.

World Channel presents AMERICA REFRAMED, a 26-week-long series to document the emotional stories of everyday America, beginning Sunday, September 9 at 8 p.m. on public television stations (check local listings) Presented by American Documentary, Inc. and public television's WORLD Channel WORLD Channel commits to more independent documentaries for public television

The Tribeca Film Institute (TFI) announced the award winners for the TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund and first-ever Heineken VOCES grant at a celebration over the weekend for Latin American filmmakers during the Tribeca Film Festival. The funds, totaling $60,000, support innovative Latin American film and video artists to help them explore stories reflecting diverse cultures and gain exposure in the film industry.

The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by founding partner American Express, today announced its jurors - a diverse group of 39 individuals, including award-winning filmmakers, writers and producers, acclaimed actors, respected critics and global business leaders.