Welcome to NYWIFT, Carol Welter!

Carol grew up in the United Kingdom, steeped in classical theatre, before crossing the Atlantic in 1977 and making the United States her home. Trained on the English stage from girlhood, she spent years acting and directing before discovering that writing was her true creative playground. Through Masters-level workshops and decades of artistic exploration, she turned her talents toward stage plays, screenplays, and poetry—crafting stories that blend imagination, humor, and heart.

A woman who has worn more hats than a Shakespeare festival costume rack, Carol has directed, designed, and shaped productions from the ground up. Now a spirited senior storyteller, she writes across continents and galaxies, drawn to tales of transformation, unlikely heroes, and tender love stories.

In our interview, Carol reflects on her journey from the stage to the page, the themes that inspire her work, and the new projects she’s most excited to share.

NYWIFT Member Carol Welter

Welcome to NYWIFT! Could you give our readers a brief introduction to yourself?

I was raised in the United Kingdom, steeped in classical theatre, where I happily lived under stage lights — acting, dancing, and breathing in the magic of live performance.

Now at 70, my spotlight has shifted. I’m drawn to the delicious solitude of writing — crafting stage plays, screenplays, and poems that feel like grand new adventures. The stage was my first love. The page is my lasting romance.

What brought you to NYWIFT?

The call of women being heard — loudly, clearly, unapologetically. The idea of standing shoulder to shoulder with a network of sister storytellers was irresistible. There’s power in collective voices, and I wanted to be part of that chorus.

Carol Welter interviewing on set of the short Belle

What initially drew you to storytelling for the stage and screen?

I’m drawn to stories of acceptance and transformation — stories about those often overlooked or underestimated. A character with a physical challenge. Someone misunderstood. Someone dismissed. I love giving them an epic adventure where they become seen, valued, even heroic.

And then there’s fantasy — slipping inside the mind of an animal or an unexpected being and seeing the world through their eyes. What do they value? What do they fear? What do they teach us? That imaginative leap never stops thrilling me.

Carol Welter on the set of Hamlet

Are there particular themes that inspire your work as a writer and director?

Social change. The hero’s journey. Humor wrapped around something deeply meaningful. And always — always — a tender, lasting love story. I believe audiences can laugh, reflect, and fall in love all at once. That’s the sweet spot.

Carol Welter on location for the short Belle

As a dramaturg and writer, what challenges have most shaped you artistically, and what lessons have stayed with you?

As a dramaturge, I’ve learned the discipline of restraint — allowing writers to tell their story, not the one I might prefer. Structure matters. A strong narrative arc is everything.

As a writer, I’ve learned the power of stillness. The quiet, meditative moments are essential. I interview my characters like a therapist would — gently, persistently — until they confess who they really are. I don’t always like them. Especially the villains. But understanding them is non-negotiable. If I can see their humanity, the audience might too.

Carol Welter plotting out the blocking for the premiere of her stage play Cranes

With several new publications and projects on the horizon, what kinds of stories are you most excited to share with audiences next?

I’m currently part of the Solidarity Festival in Atlanta, directing one of several powerful new plays. I’ve also submitted two films to festivals — which feels both thrilling and nerve-wracking.

And I’m deep into the third rewrite of my stage play Tillie of Bright. Tillie is a sprite — mischievous, searching, brave. It’s a fantasy and a hero’s journey that has taken me on my own in-depth exploration. Rewriting is excavation work — and I’m loving every surprising discovery.

Follow Carol Welter’s latest projects at caroldwelter.com and learn more about her work with Atlanta Dramatists at atlantadramatists.org.

(All images courtesy of Carol Welter)

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Welcome to NYWIFT, Maria Giese!

Maria Giese is an American film director, screenwriter, and longtime advocate for equity for women directors in Hollywood. 

She wrote and directed the feature films When Saturday Comes (starring Sean Bean) and Hunger (based on the classic  Knut Hamsun novel). 

A member of the Directors Guild of America for over 25 years, Giese is widely recognized for her role in initiating the 2014 ACLU and 2015 EEOC investigations into systemic discrimination against women directors. 

Her work is featured in the documentaries This Changes Everything (2018 Netflix), Half the Picture (2018 Amazon), and the Sundance hit Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power (2022 Kino-Lorber).

Maria spoke to us about her career trajectory, her turn to advocacy, and what she sees for the industry moving forward. 

NYWIFT Member Maria Giese

What brought you to NYWIFT?

I’ve been involved with NYWIFT for the past decade, collaborating with many members during the Provincetown Women in Media Summit in 2017 and 2018. We were also together at the 2019 Bloomberg Equality Summit and at the Disney Power of Inclusion in Auckland, New Zealand.

There, we worked with WIFTI and the New Zealand Film Commission brainstorming ways to advance women filmmakers globally, and I was able to address the New Zealand Parliament on our findings. I’m grateful to be a full member now. What has always stood out to me about NYWIFT is its seriousness about both craft and structural change. That combination matters.

Could you give our readers a brief introduction to yourself? Let’s start at the beginning. 

I’m a film director and screenwriter, and—somewhat unexpectedly—an advocate for equity for women directors in Hollywood. I studied film at Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Wellesley College, and UCLA’s Graduate School of Film.

While at UCLA, I wrote, directed, and produced a short film called A Dry Heat, which won a Spotlight Award, a CINE Golden Eagle, and was a finalist for a Student Academy Award. That briefly convinced me that merit might be enough.

It wasn’t.

You had a directing career early on. What did that look like?

After graduating with my MFA in 1994, I wrote and directed the 1996 British feature film When Saturday Comes, starring Sean Bean, Pete Postlethwaite, and Emily Lloyd. It received global theatrical distribution, screened at Cannes, and I was signed at William Morris Agency.

I assumed I was going to rocket. I didn’t.

Later, I wrote and directed Hunger (2001), adapted from Nobel Prize–winner Knut Hamsun’s existential novel. It followed an out-of-work screenwriter wandering around Hollywood and became the first digital feature adapted from a classic literary work. It was praised at festivals, but never widely distributed.

I’ve always been drawn to stories about people wrestling with systems they don’t yet understand.

At what point did you realize something had gone seriously wrong for women directors?

After nearly a decade of not getting work, I looked around and noticed that my extraordinarily talented female classmates and colleagues had quietly vanished from directing—while the men became “boy wonders” and won Oscars.

By 2011, the internet made it possible to actually count hires. Once I did, the numbers were so bad they looked like a typo. Women directors were being employed at rates lower than any other industry in the United States. That’s not taste. It’s structural discrimination.

Why did you decide to count?

I used to joke, “We count because we want to count.” But it was true. Anecdotes are easy to dismiss; numbers are not. I wasn’t trying to become a statistician. I was trying to survive reality.

Counting is unglamorous, unpaid, and deeply unfashionable work—which is precisely why it’s effective. No one expects the person with the spreadsheet to be the problem.

You first took your findings to the EEOC—and were turned away.

After two years of research and writing within the DGA and the Los Angeles County Courthouse, on Valentine’s Day 2013 I walked into the downtown L.A. EEOC office with a legal brief and hiring data showing prima facie discrimination under Title VII.

The response was polite, but dismissive.

A few months later, I went to the ACLU of Southern California. Hollywood didn’t look like a civil-rights case to them—until it did. It took months of convincing and the gathering of a “class” of women directors willing to stand together.

That led to the investigations.

Yes—though “led” makes it sound orderly.

In 2014, the ACLU launched a year-long investigation into discrimination against women directors. In May 2015, it sent a 14-page letter to the EEOC calling for a federal probe. The New York Times published that letter in full.

Five months later, in October 2015, the EEOC opened the first industry-wide civil-rights investigation into Hollywood hiring practices.

That sequence matters. These were not parallel efforts. One caused the other.

At some point, this stopped being just about jobs, didn’t it?

Yes—because it had global civil-rights significance.

I realized that if roughly 80% of the world’s most culturally influential entertainment media is created in Hollywood, and women are systematically excluded from directing and shaping those stories, then this isn’t simply an employment issue. It’s cultural censorship.

Storytelling is how societies define power, leadership, morality, and possibility. If women are shut out of authorship at that scale, they’re shut out of the global narrative and economically marginalized. That’s not symbolic—it’s real.

Once that clicked, it was clear this wasn’t about a few careers. It was about how a two-class civilizational system quietly reproduces itself.

What changed after federal scrutiny began?

Everything.

Under federal pressure, from 2015 onwards studios suddenly discovered women directors. Female hiring nearly tripled. Hundreds of episodes of femme-themed series content were greenlit. Dozens of feature films—from Wonder Woman (2017), which started principle photography in 2015, to Barbie (2023) —appeared.

More women were nominated for and won Best Director Oscars during that period than in the previous 90 years combined. The progress was real—and also an indictment of how low the bar had been.

#MeToo was part of all that. How do you see that moment now?

#MeToo didn’t emerge in a vacuum. It emerged in 2017 a climate where accountability had already been forced open by civil-rights law through the largest federal investigation into sex discrimination in Hollywood history.

So when The New York Times published the Harvey Weinstein exposé in 2017, it did so after years of ACLU and federal investigation into the industry. That pressure made speaking safer. It changed the risk calculus—for journalists as much as for workers.

But then something curious happened: the legal origin story was quietly replaced by a cultural one.

You’re referring to Time’s Up, the Hollywood Commission, and the Inclusion Rider.

Exactly. Hollywood didn’t dismantle power—it rebranded it.

Instead of strengthening enforcement, between the industry created its own internal “solutions”: panels, pledges, riders, glossy initiatives that looked like reform but required no legal accountability. Law was replaced by optics through the lens of #MeToo.

It was a master class in narrative control. And now, in 2026, most of those organizations have collapsed, and some of them in scandal.

You point out that recent reporting on the Epstein case has further complicated the moral authority of that infrastructure.

Several individuals involved in the creation or early advising of Time’s Up have now been publicly linked to Jeffrey Epstein. This does not suggest equivalence of crimes.

But it raises an uncomfortable question: how did an industry so deeply enmeshed with elite patriarchal power structures position itself as the ethical arbiter of women’s voices and workplace safety while sidelining the only mechanism that actually produced change—federal civil-rights enforcement?

When symbolism replaces law, accountability becomes optional.

Do you regret taking this on?

No. I regret how hard Hollywood worked to erase the cause while celebrating the effect, and minted money doing it.

But history has a way of resurfacing inconvenient facts. Numbers don’t disappear. And neither does law.

What’s the lesson, 10 years later?

Women have to remain vigilant. We have to watch the numbers, protect one another, and fight for the next generation.

That only happens in community. That’s why NYWIFT matters so much to me. I’m grateful to be here—and I hope to give back fully.

Connect with Maria Giese on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, subscribe to her Substack, or reach out by email at mariagiese7@gmail.com.

(All photos courtesy of Maria Giese)

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When award-winning journalist Shahnaz Mahmud set out to write and direct her first narrative film, she landed on a deeply personal story inspired by her parents’ own arranged marriage. And when it came time to a select an editor to collaborate with, she turned to the NYWIFT membership directory, where she found veteran editor Susan B. Ades – the perfect match for her project.

Members Shahnaz and Susan sat down with us to discuss their adventures (and misadventures!) making the short film The Blossom, how their partnership brought new elements of the story to light, and the unique path to bringing such an intimate tale to the screen.

NYWIFT Members Shahnaz Mahmud and Susan B. Ades

The Blossom explores memory, grief, and uncovering hidden truths within a family. What first inspired you to tell this particular story, and how did your vision evolve from concept to final film?

Shahnaz: This story is very personal to me, though greatly fictionalized. I’m proud to say my mother was my stills photographer on-set—the mother’s character takes her own life in the film. She has been incredibly supportive throughout my journey.

I took some family truths to create a story with the goal of exploring my parents’ failed arranged marriage and how that affected me. I was interested in examining myself, but also to ask the question: How well do we really know our parents? There are things children just don’t know, but with a better understanding of their experiences, this might help us to grow in some way. 

The short was actually born out of the feature script. It was imperative for me to make this film, as I intend to direct the larger feature. Once I got the short script into good working order, I hand drew each shot with crayons on small slips of paper and pasted them to poster boards. That was a great exercise for me, and helped me to communicate what I wanted to my cinematographer. Much of the final film is what I had in my head. 

As a first-time filmmaker, what were some of the most surprising challenges you encountered during the process, and how did you navigate them?

Shahnaz: The biggest challenge to overcome came on day one of the shoot when we shot the beginning scenes later than expected. We ended up losing daylight and had to switch some scenes night for day. Good lighting technique saved the (now) night scenes so that I could still emphasize shadow and light, which was critical for me in the storytelling.

I also got a much more dramatic and beautiful reflection shot in the window against the night sky—one of my favorite shots, in fact. Accepting what wasn’t working and then being pleasantly surprised taught me that you don’t have to be married to everything on the shot list—there’s beauty in the alternative.

I also ended up being one of the drivers to the location set. There was an unfixable problem at the car rental place, which saw me get behind the wheel. I hadn’t driven in eight years—and with very little driving experience in general—and cars have changed such that I didn’t even know how to turn it on. Sam Jackson, one of my wonderful set P.A.’s, gave me second-by-second navigational directions, and we somehow safely made it to Orangeburg, N.Y., which is about 40 minutes outside of Manhattan. Overcoming my fear of getting on the highway gave me this oddly empowering moment, and I felt more ready to step into my directing role when we arrived. 

The emotional core of The Blossom is deeply personal and nuanced. How did you approach working with your actors to bring that authenticity to the screen?

Shahnaz: I met with each actor individually and gave them their character’s backstory. I was very open about this story being loosely based on my family, and so I felt I could share personal conversations easily with the talent. For the children in the film, ages 7 and 11, I did weekly calls to build trust, and to work on the weightiness of the emotions they needed to communicate. Because there is so little dialogue in the script, I needed them to show this self-awareness of the tension between the parents. I felt they did a good job in the film.

In working with Raquel Orendain Shrestha—who was excellent, and who held the main role of Maya, I remember telling her once that she captured Maya’s tough veneer, but in the aftermath of her mother’s suicide, she still needed to show that her heart was breaking at the same time. As a director who values the work of artists as a guide when it comes to framing a shot, I sent Raquel a few images of paintings by Edward Hopper. I wanted to capture the stillness he did in much of his work to communicate isolation and desolation. I was thrilled when she sat forward in her chair hunching her shoulders during filming, mirroring the woman in his “Hotel Room.”

These are just a few examples, but of course, as this story is personal to me, I worked to make the actors understand the underlying emotions that existed within my family.  

You found your editor, Susan B. Ades, through the NYWIFT member directory. Can you talk about that experience and how collaborating with a fellow NYWIFT member shaped the final film?

Shahnaz: When I read Susan’s bio, I immediately wanted to work with her. Susan has a B.A. in painting and an M.A. in art education. What that translated into for me was she could bring a measure of artistry to my film. The creative choices I made with certain shots veer more to the artistic side. And in fact, art is a big influence, particularly the work of Edward Hopper for this film because of his emphasis on shadow and light. I felt Susan and I could communicate in “art terms” as well. In the end, I made the absolute correct choice—Susan added poetry to the film with her thoughtfulness and keen eye, and beautiful sensitivity. 

Susan, what was that collaboration like from your perspective, and how did that connection influence your creative process on the film?

Susan: Well, I just fell in love with Shahnaz right from the start! Such intelligence, drive and happy determination! To create something these days as a new filmmaker takes a lot of passion and perseverance as all of us in Independent Film are very well aware. So just to get to the point where you’re delivering footage to an editor is a huge accomplishment. I so appreciated Shahnaz’s openness about her experience producing the film. Communicating honestly about both her trials and tribulations as well as successes about the process helped bring us closer into alignment quickly. We forged a solid working relationship from the start and strategized how best within her resources, to achieve a beautiful finished product. Our conversations were always productive and respectful. I think for me, knowing I am working with another NYWIFT member always brings me pride, and I am always so happy to share my years of knowledge and experience. And if a new filmmaker is interested, I do try to mentor in any way I can.

NYWIFT has really been a gift both personally and professionally for the many years I’ve been connected with it. I am so happy that Shahnaz found me and I look forward to working with her and my many other NYWIFT sisters in the future.

As the editor of The Blossom, how did you approach shaping such an emotionally layered story, particularly when working with themes of memory and revelation?

Susan: My job as editor is always, first and foremost, to understand at the deepest levels what the director wants to say, and how they want to say it. When Shahnaz first came to me with her footage, we had these essential discussions up front, and very quickly identified creative strategies for pulling everything together. 

A challenge for shaping this edit was balancing the family relationships seen both through memory as well as present day action, in a very compressed amount of time with very little dialogue. Very early on in the process we discussed possibilities of reinforcing some of the storyline with additional memory shots. Shahnaz was open to collecting that additional footage even though it meant bringing back actors and crew. That said a lot to me about her passion to go the extra mile when it came to telling her a story. And it really paid off! With that additional footage, we were able to illuminate moments unseen by the daughters, helping to clarify the mother’s emotional turmoil that lay at the heart of the film.

Folding in those moments both at the beginning and the end of the film, strengthened both the story structure as well as the understanding of the daughter’s internal struggle to come to terms with her mother’s suicide really enriched the film.

Shahnaz, looking back on the production, is there a particular moment, either on set or in post-production, that felt especially meaningful or affirmed that you were on the right path?

Shahnaz: I would point to what emerged from the pick-up shots during the post-production process. I appreciated Susan’s close study of the script. She noted that one thing was missing for her: a shot of the mother standing at the water’s edge. Susan reiterated this when she started to weave all of the footage together. She felt this would better connect the dots where the theme of water is concerned. I took her advice on this and what else was necessary to fix or add, particularly the reflection shot in the water at the end of the film, which was not working due to the time of year on Day 2 of the shoot.

When I sifted through all of the pickup shots, I found I could create a more captivating way in for the audience. I took three different angles of the mother’s character standing by the water, inter-splicing it with the Over Black dialogue —the conversation between the two sisters—which was the original start to the film. That was a significant moment for me, now making sound directing choices for the film and feeling secure in moving away from what was on the page. 

Now that The Blossom is beginning to reach audiences, what do you hope viewers take away from the film, and what’s next for you as a filmmaker?

Shahnaz: I hope The Blossom resonates with viewers in a few ways. Self-reflection is always a key part to our growth, and I hope this film inspires a little bit of that. Elsewhere, my wish is that people reflect back on their own family history, particularly the relationship they had with their parents growing up, and if it is necessary, to look at anything that may have been painful, but through a different lens. This film is really about memory and time, and how our perspective changes when we are older. 

What’s next for me: I am planning my next short film. The script is ready with some of the talent in place, and so the search begins for funding, with an aim to shoot by November. I do hope to translate this short into the bigger feature, and am working on that.

Shahnaz wrote more about her experience as a first-time filmmaker for Muse by Clios, and you can check out a review of the film at Unseen Films.

Connect with Shahnaz Mahmud on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @shahnaz__mahmud.

Connect with Susan B. Ades via her website www.pullingittogetherproductions.com or on LinkedIn.  

About the Writer/Director

Shahnaz Mahmud is a filmmaker, writer and journalist. She was selected to participate in the 2020 Athena Film Festival’s Writers Lab. She is a participant of the Sundance Institute’s Press Inclusion Initiative launched in 2019. She is a recipient of the 2017 Development Studio Screenwriting Fellowship through the NYU Production Lab. 

An award-winning journalist, Shahnaz has worked both in the U.S. and abroad. She was based in the U.K. for four years covering global finance. She has written for such publications as Adweek, Cineaste, FIFA Professional Football Journal, Screen Daily/Screen International, Sports Business Journal, Sundance Institute and The Hollywood Reporter, The New York Times/The Athletic. 

Shahnaz began her career as a researcher with ABC News and also worked on documentary programming for the A&E Television Networks. She has an M.A. with concentrations in screenwriting and film studies and a B.A. in English & American literature and journalism from NYU. 

Shahnaz is based in New York City. 

About the Editor

Susan B. Ades has edited numerous award-winning documentary and narrative films for over 20 years. Those include her first feature film, For The Next 7 Generations (2009) produced and directed by Emmy winners Carole and Bruce Hart; Nrityagram: For the Love of Dance (2010) shot by New York Times dance photographer Nan Melville; The Rescue of the Jews of Syria (2012) directed by Lisa Ades (GI Jews); the comedy series The Other F-Word (2016-2017) directed by Caytha Jentis, to name a few.

Susan resides in New York City, where in 2014 she created her production company Pulling It Together Productions, LLC.

In addition to freelance work as an editor and consultant, she produces original works, and mentors aspiring filmmakers. 

 (All images courtesy of Shahnaz Mahmud; set photos by Shireen Mahmud)

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Welcome to NYWIFT, Kate Dolan!

Kate Dolan is a New York City-based actress with a passion for storytelling. Her commitment to authenticity and restless pursuit of refining her craft is a reflection of her energetic dedication. 

Kate is interested in playing characters that both challenge her and resonate deeply with audiences. Having been booked for her first feature film, she is already emulating the actors that have inspired her since childhood. 

Her experience interning at NYWIFT and Prospect Musicals have given her an advantage as a young actress, providing her with a behind-the-curtain perspective on many aspects of the entertainment industry.

In our interview, Kate discusses her experiences, inspirations, and goals.

NYWIFT Member Kate Dolan

Welcome to NYWIFT! Could you give our readers a brief introduction to yourself?

Hello! I’m Kate, an actress based in New York City! I’m originally from Philadelphia (go birds!), and moved to the city in May for two internships: one at NYWIFT and one at Prospect Musicals. Since the summer, I’ve been acting & auditioning throughout the city, refining my craft at The Barrow Group, and creating my podcast Amateur Hour with Kate R Dolan. I love this city and I love my job!

Why did you choose to intern at NYWIFT, and what did you take away from the experience?

I chose to intern at NYWIFT because I wanted to better understand the business of the film and TV industry. I primarily have a background in theater, and I wanted to grow my understanding of the field I want to be a part of as well as learn from professionals already flourishing.

NYWIFT gave me the opportunity to meet and work with established artists, one of which ended up casting me for my first professional acting job. Being an intern at NYWIFT taught me so much about the intricacies of our industry and has helped me grow into a young artist entering it.

What originally drew you to a career in the film industry? Was there a specific moment in your life that set you on this path?

I always loved movies, TV, and theater as a kid. Often after I’d seen some kind of performance, I’d leave wanting to be whoever the actor was in the production. Then I realized, maybe I just want to be the actor, so now that’s what I am – an actor! I feel so at peace when I’m acting, even when I was just starting and wasn’t very good at it, and now that I have years of experience and training, my love for acting has only grown.

Is there anyone whose creative trajectory inspires you?

SO MANY! Rachel Sennott, Ayo Ebdibiri, Meryl Streep, Janelle James, Nathan Fielder, Andrew Scott, Quinta Brunson, and so so many more. Actors and creatives that are unapologetically themselves and bring that into their art throughout their career is a quality I too hope to emulate as I move forward.

Are there any projects that you’re currently working on, or hope to work on in the future?

I recently booked my first feature film, a horror movie shooting this spring! In the future, I would love to be cast in a project set in New York City (my favorite city in the world) in a character that represents girlhood and womanhood in a way that resonates with my community and others. Also, I would love to play someone incredibly unlikeable because it requires a lot of an actor, and it’s a challenge I would love to take on. 

What do you think makes film a special medium?

Film has the ability to capture and emulate the human experience in a raw, honest, and vulnerable way. As an actor, it asks me to be human in whatever way that feels authentic in the context of the story. The littlest things can make a monstrous impact in film, which is one of the reasons it’s sacred to me.

Connect with Kate Dolan on Instagram at @katerdolan, and check out her podcast, Amateur Hour with Kate R Dolan

(All photos courtesy of Kate Dolan)

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Welcome to NYWIFT, Alison Hirsch!

Alison Hirsch is a native New Yorker, with a background spanning development, production, and representation. She bridges storytelling with commercial strategy, bringing a keen understanding of how content is identified, shaped, and circulated. 

After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Princeton, Alison assisted Linda Yellen on her film, which won the Indie Spirit Best Picture and Best Director awards at BIFF. 

At Little Monster Films, Alison researched potential projects and evaluated their market viability. Following two years at WME in the Motion Picture and Scripted TV departments, Alison recently joined Assemble Media as their Coordinator. 

NYWIFT Member Alison Hirsch

Could you give our readers a brief introduction to yourself?

My name is Alison Hirsch, and I’m passionate about transformative stories. My strength lies at the intersection between the creative and commercial side of the entertainment industry. I strive to bridge artistic vision with commercial strategy, bringing a deep understanding of how content is identified, shaped, and consumed. 

What brought you to NYWIFT?

NYWIFT held an immediate attraction as an organization that not only advocates for women’s visibility and leadership in film, but also nurtures New York’s unique blend of grit and innovation. 

Alison as a Jury Liaison at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival

What set you on the path of a career in the entertainment industry? 

Storytelling has been my lodestar. I’ve always been compelled by the power of stories to illuminate the human experience, challenge perspectives, and connect us.

Has your previous experience in editorial roles with Artforum International Magazine and The New Yorker impacted the ways in which you engage with film-oriented work?

My time at Artforum and The New Yorker focused on visual storytelling and reader engagement. I learned to examine every detail and how each choice affects the reader’s experience. These experiences shaped me: I approach projects with an artist’s eye, an editor’s discipline, and an audience’s perspective.  

BTS, Alison preparing to step in as an extra for Linda Yellen’s One Stupid Thing.

Having studied Art History at Princeton, do you feel this background has given you an advantage in creative spaces?

Studying art history trained me to think critically and to communicate with precision. Formal analysis and cultural context are invaluable. The ability to identify why a work of art succeeds or fails – and to what effect – is empowering. Art history enables me to better understand how a narrative operates within the historical landscape.

What inspires you? Do you seek it out, or does it come to you?

Curiosity! New York hosts an endless array of lectures, exhibitions, screenings, and performances. Every day I’m inspired by the opportunity to learn — from the people I work with, the projects I take on, and the ever-evolving ways stories are told. My best ideas are often sparked by conversations with people across different fields, both within, but especially beyond, entertainment. 

Alison (center) volunteering on behalf of WME at The Brooklyn Museum.

Tell us about what you’re currently up to!

I recently transitioned from talent representation and joined Assemble Media as their Film and TV Coordinator. I help oversee a slate that spans feature films, scripted series, and documentaries. One thing I love about Assemble is that we’re not confined to a single format or genre — we’re encouraged to pursue ideas that excite us. As a result, we have some incredible projects in the pipeline… So stay tuned!

Connect with Alison Hirsch on LinkedIn

(All photos courtesy of Alison Hirsch)

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For more than four decades, renowned actress Nia Long has defined what it means to bring authenticity and emotional depth to the screen. A cultural icon in her own right, she now takes on one of her most meaningful roles to date, portraying Katherine Jackson in the highly anticipated biopic Michael.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by Graham King, this collaboration between Lionsgate Films and Universal Pictures brings to life the extraordinary journey of Michael Jackson. The film traces his rise from a gifted child performing with The Jackson 5 to a global superstar whose influence reshaped music, performance, and culture.

Michael is portrayed by his real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson, with Juliano Krue Valdi making his debut as a young Michael. The supporting cast, including Colman Domingo (Joe Jackson), helps build a narrative that feels both expansive and deeply personal.

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Nia Long for the NYWIFT Blog, and what stood out most was her intention behind the role and her message to audiences. She encourages fans to fully embrace the experience: put on your best Michael Jackson–inspired attire, step into the theater, and allow yourself to feel joy. Be inspired. Celebrate the magic.

Long’s connection to NYWIFT dates back to 2018, when she served as a presenter at the organization’s Designing Women event. Reconnecting with her now, at such a pivotal moment in her career, makes this conversation even more meaningful.

Please enjoy our interview below.

Watching Michael, I found myself immersed not just as a media professional, but as a lifelong fan. What unfolds on screen is a powerful blend of artistry, dedication, and emotional storytelling. The film offers a sense of transportive escapism, taking audiences to Gary, Indiana, where Michael’s journey began. We witness the discipline, sacrifice, and relentless work ethic that shaped a young boy into the greatest entertainer the world has ever seen.

The story flows from the Jackson 5 era into Michael’s groundbreaking solo career, capturing the essence of the Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad years with striking detail and care. But beyond the spectacle, the film reveals something more intimate and something deeply human. At its heart is the bond between mother and son.

Nia Long’s portrayal of Katherine Jackson is subtle, powerful, and deeply moving. Her performance is anchored in warmth, protection, and quiet strength. The chemistry between Long and Jaafar Jackson, as well as her scenes with Juliano Krue Valdi, adds an emotional layer that grounds the film in authenticity. Through their interactions, we see a side of Michael rarely explored which is the reassurance, the guidance, and the support he received at home from his mother.

Nia presents Katherine as a nurturing force, a mother who consistently reminded her son that he was special, that he carried a light, and that he should never be afraid to let it shine. Drawing from her own experiences as a mother, she taps into the emotional reality of raising children while navigating a household shaped by differing parenting approaches. The result is a portrayal that feels honest, respectful, and deeply resonant. It is a performance worthy of recognition.

NYWIFT members LaKisa Renee and Tammy Reese attend Michael pre screening.

From direction to production design, from costumes to makeup, every detail in Michael reflects a commitment to excellence. The recreation of some of the most iconic moments in Michael Jackson’s early career is handled with precision and care, allowing audiences to relive history while gaining a deeper understanding of the man behind the legend.

Nia Long’s legacy in this industry spans over 40 years, and with this role, she continues to demonstrate why her presence remains so impactful. Her portrayal of Katherine Jackson is not loud, but it is lasting — subtle, yet undeniably powerful.

This is a film where every cast and crew member understood the assignment. Congratulations to all involved for creating a cinematic experience that honors a legacy while inspiring a new generation. Michael is more than a film, it’s a moment. Don’t just watch it. Experience it.

(All images courtesy of Lionsgate Publicity)

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Welcome to NYWIFT, Khrystyna Komarovska!

Khrystyna is a New-York based filmmaker, actress, and digital strategy leader, where her work touches on the intersection of storytelling, audience growth, and social impact.

Her projects explore human connection, contemporary relationships, and mental health through narrative film and digital projects. Alongside her creative work, she leads digital strategy for brands and founders, informing how projects are positioned, distributed, and scaled.

Khrystyna is the creator of the short series Nina’s Files, which has received festival recognition and media attention. She is also currently developing new narrative work focused on Gen Z audiences and intentional storytelling.

In our interview, Khrystyna discusses her background, recent projects, and what she has learned from working in the media industry.

NYWIFT Member Khrystyna Komarovska

Could you please give our readers a brief introduction to yourself?

Hi, I’m Khrystyna Komarovska. I’m a New York-based filmmaker, actress, and digital strategy leader working at the intersection of storytelling, audience engagement, and social impact. My work focuses on human connection, contemporary relationships, and mental health, often through narrative projects designed to live both on screen and across digital platforms. I’m especially interested in building meaningful creative work with limited resources and strong collaboration.

Khrystyna Komarovska on the set of Nina’s Files

What brings you to NYWIFT?

I joined NYWIFT because I value community, mentorship, and shared experience, especially among women working across different roles in film and media. As someone who operates both creatively and strategically, I’m excited to connect with women who are navigating similar paths, building independent work, and supporting one another through collaboration, conversation, and visibility.

How has your background influenced your creative work?

Growing up in Crimea and later relocating to New York shaped how I observe people and environments. Experiencing different cultures and systems made me more attentive to nuance, emotional subtext, and the quiet moments that often define human connection. Moving to New York, in particular, reinforced my independence and pushed me to create intentionally, to build work that reflects curiosity, resilience, and presence rather than surface-level storytelling.

What initially drew you to acting, filmmaking, and creating?

Acting was my entry point because it allowed me to explore character, emotion, and vulnerability in a very immediate way. Over time, that curiosity expanded into filmmaking and creating my own projects. I wanted more agency over the stories being told and how they reached people.

Creating became a way to combine performance, narrative, and responsibility, turning observation into something tangible and shared.

Still from Nina’s Files

What are some of the lessons you’ve learned from making your successful series Nina’s Files? Can you also share what the experience has been like from creating it to premiering it in festivals?

Nina’s Files taught me the importance of clarity and collaboration. The series was built in New York with no traditional budget and the support of a volunteer team, which meant trust, communication, and intention were essential.

Watching the project evolve from a simple idea into a festival-recognized series reinforced that meaningful work doesn’t require perfect conditions, it requires commitment and alignment. The festival experience has been validating, but the creative growth and relationships formed during the process have been just as significant.

Connect with Khrystyna Komarovska on Instagram at @kristikmr and on LinkedIn.  

(All images courtesy of Khrystyna Komarovska)

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Welcome to NYWIFT, Belén Vilarrasa-Corriero!

Belén is a Spanish-American documentary filmmaker making her directorial debut with Entre Las Paredes (Within the Walls), an intimate, feature-length project in development that follows her Abuela’s final days.

Born and raised in New York City in a bilingual household, Belén brings a deeply personal lens to her work, believing that some of the most powerful stories live within our own families.

Alongside her own projects, Belén works as an assistant director across narrative and commercial productions, where her focus, adaptability, and collaborative spirit help keep sets running smoothly. A graduate of the School of Visual Arts, she continues to grow her craft through diverse filmmaking experiences, driven by a dedication to emotionally resonant, visually compelling storytelling.

In our interview, Belén reflects on documenting her family’s history, navigating grief and memory through film, and the projects she’s most excited to explore next.

NYWIFT Member Belén Vilarrasa-Corriero

Welcome to NYWIFT! Could you give our readers a brief introduction to yourself?

Hello, my name is Belén Vilarrasa Corriero! I am an independent documentary filmmaker drawn to exploring the complexities within one’s own family. I believe some of the most powerful narratives emerge from our personal histories and upbringings.

I began my career as an assistant director and developed a deep appreciation for the controlled chaos of working on set. At the same time, I have always been drawn to a more intimate approach to filmmaking, inspired by Chilean documentarian Maite Alberdi, whose films The Mole Agent and The Eternal Memory deeply resonate with the kind of stories I hope to tell.

What brought you to NYWIFT?

Being born and raised in New York City, surrounded by the art world and fellow female creatives, I knew NYWIFT would feel like home. The chance to meet women from different backgrounds and generations, all connected by a shared love for documenting the world in one way or another, genuinely excites me for what’s ahead in my career and for the relationships I hope to build along the way.

What initially drew you to filmmaking, and when did you realize that telling personal, family-rooted stories was the path you wanted to pursue?

I was raised by two artists—my father a sculptor and my mother a painter. From the beginning, I was surrounded by art and its influence on everyday life. My father always told me, if you are going to be any artist, your biggest tool is your curiosity.

As I began exploring film, I found my way into first assistant directing, which gave me invaluable experience on set. But still, I found myself drawn to stories rooted in real life, beyond constructed scripts and controlled sets. I wanted to explore the everyday, the small gestures and moments that carry real-time emotion.

A major influence for me was the documentary Fire of Love, which tells the story of volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft through archival footage in a deeply intimate way. Its naturalistic, observational style, allowing curiosity to guide the camera, opened my eyes to the power of documenting real lives with presence.

It was not until I was completing my BFA in Film Directing at the School of Visual Arts that I felt drawn to the quiet life my Abuela was living in Madrid, Spain. Speaking with her almost daily, she would often express that her life now felt like waiting until the day God decided to take her. It was not depression, but an acceptance that her time was nearing its end. That realization opened my eyes to the strange and tender space of being near the end of life and looking back on everything that brought you to now. Filmmaking became a way to sit with her, to listen, to document, and to be curious.

Belén Vilarrasa-Corriero and her Abuela in Entre Las Paredes

Your short documentary Entre Las Paredes centers on your relationship with your grandmother. What inspired you to turn your camera inward and explore your own family’s story?

My Abuela and I were very different. She came from the Silent Generation, shaped by the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, when people learned to carry hardship quietly and keep pain behind closed doors. I was raised in New York City in a multicultural environment that encouraged curiosity and speaking openly. I often challenged my Abuela, asking her to dig deeper into our family history and the lives of those I never had the chance to meet.

Those differences unexpectedly brought us closer. We shared a deeply honest relationship. Living in New York while my Abuela remained in Madrid, I became increasingly aware of her loneliness. When I noticed how quickly she was aging, I felt a strong pull to be present. My Abuela was notorious for hating to be photographed, yet when I suggested documenting our family’s story, she opened herself up. She understood how important it was for me to ask these questions, and the process also gave her company during what we did not yet know would be her final months.

The responsibility of remembering inspired my Abuela and me to explore our family’s story. Now that she has passed, the duty falls to me, shaping the way I tell personally rooted stories, to continue the legacy and, most importantly, not to forget her or those that came before me.

Belén Vilarrasa-Corriero and her Abuela in Entre Las Paredes

Why do you think personal stories rooted in heritage, memory, and humanity resonate so deeply on a universal level?

My family’s story is about love and loss, an experience that connects us all regardless of where we come from. Documenting my Abuela allowed her to share our family history with honesty, all of it held within the walls of her home. The space carried her memories, her grief, and her resilience, becoming a witness to both the best and worst moments of her life.

While the story is deeply personal, it reflects something every family endures. I now carry the pain of her passing, but I also carry this film as a reminder of her strength and of how our homes, like our families, hold memory and pass it forward through generations.

Belén Vilarrasa-Corriero in Entre Las Paredes

Looking ahead, what kinds of projects or stories are you most excited to explore next in your filmmaking journey?

I am excited to announce the development of Entre Las Paredes, the feature-length documentary, which expands on the conversations between my Abuela and me that were condensed in the 24-minute short, while also exploring the aftermath of her passing.

In addition, I aim to explore political documentaries, examining the current state of immigration and the internal harm in families of those wrongfully affected by the current administration. As the daughter of an immigrant, I hope to be part of a movement that protects and encourages people from different countries to stand together and fight.

Alongside my directing work, I continue to pursue my career as an assistant director, with the goal of becoming a DGA Assistant Director.

Learn more about Belén Vilarrasa-Corriero’s work on Instagram at @belenvilarrasa.

(All images courtesy of Belén Vilarrasa-Corriero)

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Welcome to NYWIFT, Delfine Paolini!

Delfine Paolini is a multifaceted filmmaker whose critically recognized work explores themes of life and loss. Her unique and powerful visions draw from an intimate familiarity of cinematic storytelling, philosophy, and a deeply thoughtful reflection of self.

Her feature debut, A Wonderful Way with Dragons, has won numerous international awards. Its distinct style and emotional evocations are reflective of Delfine’s creative journey. Coming from a background of photography, she is highly attuned to expressive visuals. 

Community and mentorship have remained essential values to Delfine, who has faced both hurdles and victories on her directorial path. 

Delfine’s resolve and creative momentum have led to the development of multiple exciting projects. She is a director to watch; her upcoming films Le Rouge Originel, Reds Hearten, and Sky, Zyprexa, Night will continue to push boundaries and explore the profound power of the film medium. 

In our interview, Delfine discusses her background and inspirations. 

NYWIFT Member Delfine Paolini

Could you give our readers a brief introduction to yourself? 

Hi, my name is Delfine Paolini. I’m a Bronx-based writer, director, and visual artist whose work explores thanatological themes that bind interior life to the external world.

As a teenager immersed in New York’s punk scene, I was drawn to photography, which led me to apprentice with legendary photographer Mick Rock. That period shaped my understanding of image as something intimate and mythic—capable of holding vulnerability, identity, and loss without explanation.

As my focus shifted toward writing, my work was discovered by Johnnie Planco, former Vice President of William Morris Agency, who became an early and essential advocate for my voice. His guidance helped steer me toward becoming a director, and prepared me for my feature debut, A Wonderful Way with Dragons. Following its international recognition, I am now focused on producing my next two films—stories centered on psychologically complex characters, often women, navigating moments of transformation and agency.

What brought you to NYWIFT?

I was drawn to New York Women in Film & Television because it represents a rare space where women filmmakers are supported not only at moments of success, but throughout the long, uncertain process of building a sustainable creative life. As a New York filmmaker whose work has developed outside traditional industry pathways, I have often relied on community, mentorship, and peer exchange to sustain my work as an independent filmmaker. 

NYWIFT’s dedication to advocacy and education strongly resonates with me, especially its support of women telling complex, interior stories with rigor and autonomy. I view NYWIFT not only as a professional organization, but as a cultural community that actively supports women’s creative voices.

Your debut feature A Wonderful Way With Dragons has won dozens of international awards. What advice would you give to others who are working on their first directorial features? 

For first-time filmmakers, preparation requires endurance and resolve as much as organization.

Before stepping onto set, it is important to know your film intimately—its color palette, the images envisioned for each scene, the sound design imagined long before post-production begins. That intimacy extends beyond aesthetics to emotional understanding: writing from lived experience, not as autobiography, but as emotional truth. When a film is grounded in what the filmmaker knows deeply—memory, hardship, loss, or longing—those choices become stabilizing forces as circumstances inevitably shift.

Equally vital are the practical foundations: a trusted production team capable of absorbing logistical strain, reliable hard drives, secure backup systems, and contingency plans for unideal weather. Without these supports, the pressure can wear down even the most focused director.

It is also important to acknowledge that, given the number of variables involved, setbacks are inevitable, and effective directing requires flexibility and a willingness to adapt. This reality is often intensified for women filmmakers. Research on workplace bias suggests that women in leadership roles are frequently evaluated more harshly for perceived emotional fluctuations, even when those moments are minor or situational. In such environments, maintaining trust on set becomes especially critical, as uncertainty can quickly undermine collective focus and confidence in the director’s leadership.

Another reality worth acknowledging is that a film’s budget is rarely fixed, and shifts in financing often force difficult decisions about what is essential to preserve and what must be relinquished for the sake of completion. In our case, despite having a capable line producer, unforeseen events meant that, in order to finish production, we entered post-production without a budget. At that point, I recognized only two viable paths: abandon the film under untenable circumstances, or move forward knowingly, without guarantees, and find a way to complete it. I chose the latter—not out of bravery, but out of necessity—and in doing so placed myself in a precarious position. Within American independent filmmaking, the lack of structural support frequently creates such no-win scenarios, in which filmmakers are forced either to exceed reasonable personal limits or to walk away from work developed over many years.

To ensure that A Wonderful Way with Dragons could be completed, I worked across multiple departments—teaching myself Pro Tools to edit dialogue, collaborating closely on the cut while our editor worked remotely from Egypt, and overseeing post-production workflows myself. I independently drafted contracts, spent thousands of dollars on software, and ultimately surrendered all of my remaining backend points to secure access to a post-production studio.

That is why the film feels something like a miracle to me—the strain I carried a year earlier had felt impossible to overcome. As the film began to receive recognition, what mattered most to me was that the care and commitment behind it were felt.

This experience made clear how increasingly difficult it is to complete thoughtful, arthouse films in the United States, particularly for women. Too many voices are lost not because of a lack of talent or vision, but because the economic barriers prove insurmountable. Other countries recognize cinema as a cultural good worthy of public investment. If film is to remain a shared language—one that shapes how we understand ourselves and one another—then the artists who create it must be supported accordingly.

What kinds of stories are you compelled to write?

From an early age, philosophy shaped my short stories and poetry, particularly the work of Lucius Annaeus Seneca. Seneca’s tragedy Hercules Furens uniquely portrays the figure of a consciousness displaced from the world it once recognized. Hercules’ question —“Where am I? Under the rising of the sun or beneath the wheeling course of the frozen bear?”— articulates a state of profound epistemic rupture: a subject surviving catastrophe without coordinates. That condition mirrors the emotional logic of my work, in which characters must navigate interior devastation without the promise of clarity or return.

Much of my work emerges from an early familiarity with instability, loss, and emotional silence, and from an impulse to observe rather than explain. I’m compelled by characters—often women—who are navigating transformation not through grand gestures, but through restraint, endurance, and private reckoning.

Formally, I am interested in how images can carry what language cannot—how space, light, duration, and stillness reveal psychological truth. I am drawn to painters like Edward Hopper, whose work captures isolation and longing without sentimentality, and to filmmakers like Terrence Malick, who trust the audience to inhabit ambiguity. The stories I write privilege atmosphere over exposition, allowing memory, grief, and desire to surface indirectly.

Is there a piece of media that continuously inspires you? 

There are several works I return to repeatedly, but they are bound by a shared understanding of image as an emotional language. As a child, my grandmother made me watch foreign films without subtitles. When I asked why, she told me that the image should carry everything—that language should only deepen what is already felt. That lesson has remained foundational to my practice.

I return often to the work of Krzysztof Kieslowski, particularly Three Colors Trilogy and The Double Life of Véronique, for their ability to render interior life through color, rhythm, and silence. Similarly, Andrei Tarkovsky’s Mirror remains essential to me for the way memory fractures and reconstitutes itself without explanation—how time, grief, and childhood coexist in the same emotional space.

I am equally drawn to filmmakers who locate interiority within the physical body and landscape. Lynne Ramsay’s Ratcatcher has been especially influential in its use of restraint—how violence, neglect, and tenderness are conveyed through texture, sound, and absence rather than narrative declaration. Likewise, Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank continues to inform my work for its raw intimacy and moral clarity, allowing character psychology to emerge organically through movement, environment, and gaze.

In shaping my upcoming international feature Reds Hearten, I have also been influenced by the moral and psychological rigor of Jacques Audiard’s Un prophète, particularly in its attention to interior transformation and consequence. 

These works continue to inspire me because they trust the audience to feel—to inhabit uncertainty, memory, and loss—without instruction. That trust is at the core of my own artistic approach.

Your work has a distinct visual tone: beautiful, haunting, ethereal… Is this something that came natural to you, or did you search for it?

While craft and intention continue to refine my work, the visual language itself was never constructed; the images arrive not because I seek beauty, but because beauty is the only way I know to express our capacity to endure loss and despair—the burden of continuing in their aftermath. As Wordsworth writes, “A timely utterance gave that thought relief, and I again am strong”—a reminder of language’s capacity to steady the interior life. If beauty exists in my work, it emerges only through engagement with what must be endured..

This sensibility was present in my debut feature A Wonderful Way with Dragons, which was shaped by dark fairy tales, such as J M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Match Girl, and most powerfully The Shadow. These stories understand that innocence and terror coexist, that wonder is never without consequence, and that loss is often the price of imagination.

Translating A Wonderful Way with Dragons from page to screen was possible only through my collaboration with Abdelsalam Moussa, the film’s internationally recognized cinematographer. Our work together is grounded in a deep emotional and artistic intuition. While interviewing cinematographers for my debut, Moussa—an Egyptian filmmaker based in Cairo—immediately understood that I was telling a story closer in spirit to Peter Pan than Lord of the Flies. No other English-speaking cinematographer articulated that distinction, and it revealed the depth of his perception.

Although he could have chosen any number of higher-paying projects, Abdelsalam chose to shoot my super-independent, low budget film, returning his salary to the production because he believed in the story. Without him, I would not have been able to visualize the script with the clarity and emotional depth we ultimately achieved.

What are you working on currently, or hope to work on in the future?

I am currently in pre-production on Le Rouge Originel, a feature-length prequel to my forthcoming international film Reds Hearten. The project deepens my ongoing exploration of thanatological themes and interior life through an observational, restrained cinematic language. Conceived as the mythic and moral foundation beneath Reds Hearten, Le Rouge Originel is structured around proximity, duration, and the quiet conditions through which violence becomes procedural rather than exceptional. It represents a rigorous narrowing of my formal and ethical focus, and is the work I am most actively preparing at this moment.

In parallel, I continue development on Reds Hearten, a psychologically and philosophically driven feature set within a purgatorial space. The film examines corporeal romance, guilt, and the persistence of desire in the aftermath of irreversible loss. Conceived as an international co-production, it expands my interest in suspended moral and temporal states—where love endures without the promise of redemption.

I am also in pre-production on Sky, Zyprexa, Night, a 1993-set psychological drama rooted in faith, adolescence, and intergenerational mental illness. The project reflects my commitment to long-term creative collaboration, with a cast that includes Casey Likes, Jacob Moran, and returning collaborators Taylor Geare and Donnie Masihi from my debut feature.

Across all of these projects, my work remains unified by a sustained investigation into interior life, duration, and moral pressure—stories that resist resolution and ask how individuals endure once meaning, certainty, or redemption are no longer guaranteed.

Connect with Delfine Paolini on Instagram at @delfinepaolini, and check out @skyzyprexanight for news and info on her upcoming film, Sky, Zyprexa, Night.

(All photos courtesy of Julia Gillard; find her on Instagram @juliagillard777)

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Let’s welcome screenwriter, script supervisor, and playwright Sophia Baldassari to NYWIFT!

She was most recently an Associate Producer on the Radio Silence thriller LOSER, directed by Colleen McGuinness (30 Rock, Ramy) and starring Angourie Rice, Lukas Gage, and Julia Fox, having held the same role on the short film of the same name which screened at HollyShorts and the Oscar-qualifying Hamptons International Film Festival.

Her plays and pilots have been developed/produced at Luna Stage, George Street Playhouse, the McCarter Theatre Center, Haddonfield Plays and Players, and Manhattan Repertory Theatre, and have received accolades from the O’Neill Center Young Playwrights, Theatremania Young Playwrights, Beardance International Playwriting Festival, the Neil LaBute New Theatre Festival, the Austin Film Festival, among others.

She’s studied Writing at Sarah Lawrence and Egyptology at the University of Oxford, an experience she used to write a buddy comedy about the mummy of a Pharaoh’s 29th Favorite wife.

Sophia worked as a PA/Intern on the upcoming feature Paper Tiger, Saturday Night Live, My Favorite Murder for HBO, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Problem with Jon Stewart, the Broadway musical Mr. Saturday Night and, worst for her self-confidence, was once a stand-in for Louis C.K.

She is a member of the Writers Guild of America East, The New York Script Supervisors Network, and IATSE Local 111.

In our interview, we discussed uniting accessible and female driven stories with comedy and surrealism, the structural switches between playwriting and screenwriting, and the unexpected comedy of life in ancient Egypt. Let’s dive in!

Welcome to NYWIFT! Could you give our readers a brief introduction to yourself?

Hi! My name is Sophia Baldassari – I’m a 24-year-old filmmaker and playwright from Hoboken, NJ. I focus on character-driven comedies with a slightly biting, surreal edge.

I’ve been learning a ton working in production and Script/continuity and am developing my portfolio as a screenwriter. So far, I’ve written for both stage and screen, and I’m especially drawn to female-lead stories that feel smart but accessible – and hopefully leave audiences feeling seen.

What brought you to NYWIFT?

I became interested in NYWIFT because of its commitment to supporting women at every stage of their careers. Writing can often feel like such a solitary pursuit, so I was drawn to a community that champions mentorship, collaboration, and supporting female creators through their whole careers, rather than just a single project.

You are an accomplished screenwriter and playwright. What are your favorite similarities and differences between those storytelling techniques and opportunities?

At their core, both mediums are about character, voice, and conflict – if the audience doesn’t feel in response to the writing, then it’s not working. Period.

The biggest difference for me is the organization of ideas. There’s a saying, “screenwriting is structure.” For me, the exciting part of screenwriting is figuring out how to be creative and solve problems within the confines of the hero’s journey. Playwriting, on the other hand, can feel like the Wild West in terms of structure, but forces you to be a lot more in-depth and intimate with the characters since there’s not necessarily a three-act structure to hide behind.

I love moving between the two because each sharpens the other: playwriting strengthens my dialogue and characters, while screenwriting pushes me to think about how to organize these ideas to tell the most effective story.

You studied Egyptology at Oxford (so cool!!) and wrote a buddy comedy about the mummy of a Pharaoh’s 29th favorite wife. Tell us more about your academic learnings, experience, and how it inspired this project! 

Thank you for asking! One of the reasons why I wanted to study Egyptology was to gain experience in a topic that seemingly had nothing to do with film or screenwriting. But unexpectedly, I got to see that strange, human, and surprisingly funny history can be.

Ancient Egypt is often presented as this epic and serious civilization, but then you might stumble upon a tablet about one guy complaining that his neighbor is super annoying. If you’re looking for it, you’ll find plenty of petty rivalries, bureaucracy, and comedy in the past. Egyptology was a great exercise in terms of learning to tap into a character emotionally with whom I had nothing in common.

Do you have a formative “I want to be a writer!” story or early memory you can share?

I don’t remember a single lightning-bolt moment so much as a slow realization that writing was the thing that made sense to me. I was the kid constantly making up stories in elementary school, and would walk out of a movie immediately thinking how I would do it differently. At some point, I realized I wasn’t just consuming stories – I was constantly trying to get under the hood like a mechanic to figure out how they worked.

What has been the most fulfilling project you’ve worked on so far? How did it shape your passion for your work?

The most fulfilling project so far has been as an Associate Producer on LOSER, a project directed and written by Colleen McGuinness (30 Rock, Ramy). I first came onboard the project as a PA in 2023 when it was a short, then Colleen asked me back for the feature-length adaptation, which wrapped last December in NJ.

In both cases, I was grateful to be trusted to rise through the ranks quickly (I was still in college during the short!). I had to learn on the job all about gap loans, incentives, and about a million different kinds of tax forms. Seeing a project move from an early draft to a room full of collaborators – actors, directors, audiences – has continually reinforced my passion for the work and made me excited for the day when it can be based on my own words.

Tell us about a dream project you want to work on next!

Right now, I’m working on a handful of exciting spec scripts, and pilots. I also recently qualified to join the Writers Guild of America East and have been using their resources to polish up some scripts and get them out there.

My dream project would probably be a character-driven comedy that blends emotional realism with heightened, slightly absurd storytelling – something that feels grounded but takes big swings. I’m especially excited by stories about women navigating ambition, friendship, and identity in ways that are messy, funny, and unapologetically specific.

Connect with Sophia’s work at her IMDb page and on Instagram @sophiabaldassari! 

(All images courtesy of Sophia Baldassari)

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