Opportunites for Women in Film

Women have had a big hand in filmmaking from the earliest days of cinema to the present. From Alice Guy and Gene Gauntier to Sofia Coppola and Kathryn Bigelow, the history of women in filmmaking is as long as film production itself. However, as a woman in this male-dominated industry, there can be many obstacles we might experience along the way. Luckily, there are many organizations that provide support and various services to women involved in filmmaking.

Women Make Movies is an awesome non-profit media arts organization that provides distribution services, fiscal sponsorship, low-cost media workshops and information services for women in the film industry, with a special emphasis on women of color. Women can especially benefit when it comes to fundraising, a hurdle most independent filmmakers experience with their projects. Click here for more information on WMM.

New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) is another great non-profit organization that offers support for women in film, television and digital media. They provide training and grants to women in the industry through a variety of funding programs. Our own Roz Sohnen has been involved with NYWIFT for quite some time. Click here for more information on NYWIFT.

I'll end this post with one of my favorite quotes from a female director:
"If there's specific resistance to women making movies, I just choose to ignore that as an obstacle for two reasons: I can't change my gender, and I refuse to stop making movies." - Kathryn Bigelow