WIFV Filmmakers capture and make history through their powerful storytelling. In this 45th Anniversary Year, WIFV will host four newsworthy panels.
Panel #4 - Protecting the Gains Women Have Made focuses on the current negative trend to erase the accomplishments of women and how we will ensure that underrepresented voices continue to be heard. We will hear from industry trailblazers who will share their journey - inspiring and reminding the audience of what we must fight to keep.
The confirmed panelists are:
Joan Darling was the first woman nominated for an Emmy® for television direction. She was nominated four times winning both the Emmy® and the DGA Award. She is considered the first woman director of the modern age. She is widely recognized for her talents as a director and actress. In the early 1970s, Joan had a recurring character role in the television series OWEN MARSHALL, COUNSELOR ATLAW. In her early directorial career, Joan directed the pilot and many other episodes in the first season of the hit TV series MARY HARTMAN, MARY HARTMAN. She also directed episodes of M*A*S*H*, RICH MAN, POOR MAN, and MAGNUM P.I., among others. She directed the "Chuckles Bites the Dust" episode of THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW, which was named "the number one TV episode of all time" by TV Guide and The New York Times named it "the funniest episode ever on TV". Her first film, FIRST LOVE, was released in 1977, and was named one of the year's ten best by CBS. Joan created the Directing the Actor workshop for the Sundance institute and has taught directing at the Sundance Lab for 30+ years. She will be joining us via Zoom.
Abby Greensfelder is the founder and CEO of Everywoman Studios, a full-service media company with a mission to tell female-focused, female-driven stories, creating positive cultural impact. It was founded to address the massive gender gap in the media ecosystem via high-quality and commercial content. The company's first feature doc, LFG, chronicles the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team's fight for equal pay. Greensfelder also executive-produced for MTV Entertainment Studios, UNCHARTED, a documentary featuring Alicia Keys and how her music camp opens opportunities for young black and brown women. In 2020, Greensfelder launched "Propelle" – an accelerator program for women creators – in partnership with Realscreen. Propelle seeks to open doors for up-and-coming women creators who might not otherwise get the opportunity to share their important stories. Everywoman Studios is Greensfelder's second entrepreneurial venture. She is the co-founder of Half Yard Productions, an award-winning production company specializing in non-fiction series and documentaries, including the global hit franchise SAY YES TO THE DRESS (TLC), HOW THE STATES GOT THEIR SHAPES (History), and the critically acclaimed THE LAST ALASKANS (Discovery). In 2014, Greensfelder spearheaded the company's acquisition by Red Arrow Studios. Before starting Half Yard, Greensfelder was senior vice president of programming and development for the Discovery Channel. While at Discovery, she was named one of The Hollywood Reporter's ‘Next Generation: 35 under 35.
Based in Richmond, Virginia, Megan Holley was named one of Variety's 10 Screenwriter's to watch in 2005. Her screenplay, Sunshine Cleaning, won the 2003 Virginia Governor's Screenwriting competition and was made into a feature film starring Amy Adams, Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin. Sunshine Cleaning screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2008 and made its theatrical release in 2009. Megan has several other feature film projects in development and is currently writing a television pilot for Showtime.
Additional panelists are being confirmed.
FREE for WIFV Members / $25 for Public
Registration Closes at 5:00pm Monday, September 8
You MUST register at this link: https://www.wifv.org/calendar/#id=32238&cid=783&wid=401&type=Cal
