Dear WIFSFBA members, WGA writers, SAG-AFTRA members and supporters,

As Women in Film San Francisco Bay Area, we wholeheartedly support the ongoing strikes by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, and we commend your unwavering dedication to achieving fair and equitable conditions in the entertainment industry.

In this era of concentrated technological power, it is crucial that we come together and advocate for the public interest. We understand the complexities you face and stand in solidarity with your pursuit of improved compensation, working conditions, and representation.

Our support extends beyond the picket lines. As women in the San Francisco Bay Area film community, we actively raise awareness, engage in discussions, and use our platforms to amplify your cause. We firmly believe that collective action holds the power to bring about significant change.

Moreover, we call upon the industry to address the emerging challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI). It is essential to include contractual clauses that safeguard the rights and interests of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA in relation to AI-generated content. These clauses should ensure fair compensation, proper attribution, and uphold the creative integrity of talent and human authors.

There have been many important women trailblazers in film and cinema history who have made significant contributions to the industry as directors, producers, screenwriters, actors and more. 

In each monthly newsletter, we will highlight a different one:

LILLIAN GISH

Lillian Gish was an American actress and filmmaker, known for her work in silent films and as a pioneer in the early years of Hollywood. She was born on October 14, 1893, in Springfield, Ohio, and passed away on February 27, 1993, in New York City.

Gish began her acting career on the stage, performing in various theatrical productions before transitioning to film in 1912. She quickly became one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood and starred in several iconic silent films, including The Birth of a Nation (1915) and Broken Blossoms (1919).

Throughout her career, Gish worked with some of the most influential filmmakers of the era, including D.W. Griffith, who directed many of her most famous films. She also worked with other notable directors, such as Victor Sjöström and King Vidor.

Gish was known for her natural acting style and her ability to convey emotion through subtle facial expressions and gestures. She was also known for her dedication to her craft, often performing her own stunts and enduring grueling filming conditions.

In addition to her work as an actress, Gish was also a filmmaker and producer. She co-founded the production company The Gish Sisters in the 1920s with her sister, Dorothy Gish, and produced several successful films, including The Scarlet Letter (1926).

Gish's contributions to the film industry were recognized with several awards and honors throughout her career, including an Honorary Academy Award in 1971. She continued to act well into her later years, appearing in films and television shows throughout the 20th century.

Lillian Gish's talent and dedication to her craft helped to shape the early years of Hollywood and establish the film industry as we know it today. She remains an icon of American cinema and a beloved figure in the history of film.

By Tasha Nesbitt

Board of Advisors, WIFSFBA 2023-Present

Former WIFSFBA President 2019-2022

*This article was researched and written with the help of ChatGPT & Jasper.ai, artificial intelligence driven writing tools.

Stay tuned for this series and our next featured filmmaker in the next newsletter!

Thanks for coming out to Epicurious Garden for our WIFSFBA mixer!

We had a great event on 7/22 at Epicurious Garden in Berkeley. Thank you to all our members and non-members for stopping by! Congratulations and gratitude to board member Nichole Carlson for conceiving of and bringing to life this opportunity to be together!

It was exciting to spend time IN-PERSON and the turnout exceeded our expectations. As the air was buzzing with conversations about films people are working on at all stages of production, contact info was exchanged by many who are looking forward to new collaborations!  One of the questions everyone had was, “When and where is the next in person event?”  

We look forward to spending time with WIFSFBA members, friends, and newcomers at more in-person events, mixers, and meetups in the future (even as we continue virtual programs and events for increased accessibility) and hope to see you in person at Cinequest for the August 20th, 1:30pm screening of 7000 Miles directed by piloted by local director Amy Glazer!

Internship/Volunteer Opportunity with WIFSFBA 

Becoming a WIFSFBA intern or volunteer is a unique and exciting opportunity to be a part of a highly respected organization in the film industry. Come join our wonderfully diverse team!

Position Description:

We offer school credit for those attending a HigherEd institution, AND volunteer opportunities for non-students of all backgrounds and experience levels.  During their internship, applicants will have the opportunity to work and interact with experienced working producers, directors, writers, editors, etc. on projects that expand WIFSBA’s community outreach, and will be invited to attend all of our events.  In return, we ask interns to contribute 5-10 hours a week to WIFSFBA and attend mandatory monthly Zoom team meetings.

We are looking for interns to support our work in one or more of the following areas:

●Events

●Tech Support for Zoom Events

● Graphic design

● Work with Photoshop

● Marketing

● Canva -- assist in photo editing and marketing materials

● Updating website

● Manage social media, including: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and WIFChat

If you are experienced or trained in one or more of the areas listed above, and are interested in expanding your skills professionally, please APPLY by sending the following materials addressed to Julie Rubio, WIFSFBA President, at bod-admin@wifsfba.org

● Resume

● Cover letter -- please include:

-which area(s) above interest you

-your experience/training in that area(s)

-reason(s) for wanting to work with WIFSFBA

-if you are a student OR non-student

-If student: which semester/quarter/summer you are available

-If non-student: when you could begin a 6-month time commitment

We strongly encourage applicants from all backgrounds, including but not limited to BIPOC, gender diverse individuals, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, bilingual individuals.  Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified applicants with disabilities may participate in the application process.

We are accepting applications on a rolling basis.

Questions? Please contact bod-admin@wifsfba.org and put INTERNSHIP in the subject line. 

Cinequest Film Festival with WIFSFBA

When: Aug 20, 2013 @1:30PM

Where: California Theatre, San Jose, CA

We’ll be  partnering with the Cinequest film festival again this year and will be getting together for a movie + member event! WIFSFBA will be co-presenting the film 7000 Miles: 

7000 Miles follows the story of a passionate pilot (Jo), who must return home to Hawaii to care for her ailing grandmother (Meli). Although feisty and spry, Meli continues to get lost in her visions, struggling to put the pieces of her life’s puzzle together. As her Gran’s fragmented memories blur the lines of past & present, real & wondrous, Jo begins to suspect that Meli might actually be history’s most celebrated aviatrix.

Stay tuned for more info!

MORE INFO: 7000 Miles Info and Tickets

When:  July 20 - August 6

Where:  Castro Theatre - 429 Castro Street, San Francisco (July 20-30)

                    Landmark’s Piedmont Theatre - 4186 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland (August 1-6)

Presented by the Jewish Film Institute, this year’s Festival showcases films from American and international filmmakers that explore the complexity, diversity and vitality of Jewish life around the world.

WIFSFBA is a community partner with the JFI and will be co-sponsoring two films at the festival. We're proud to co-present Queen of the Deuce. An offbeat and extraordinary portrait of Chelly Wilson, the undisputed skin flick matriarch of the “Deuce,” the seedy underbelly of Manhattan that operated on 42nd Street in the 1970s and 80s. 

And we’re also proud to co-present The Artist's Daughter at the festival. Filmmaker Margarita Linton hopes that her estranged father’s newest exhibition of paintings will serve as the catalyst for their reconnection, but as his excuses mount, she resolves to tell her story regardless, resulting in an inspired turn of events. 

Both films have already been shown but there's plenty more this weekend at the festival!

MORE INFO:  Jewish Film Festival

When: every second Thursday of the month, free for members of WIFSFBA

Where: Zoom online, link found in WIFT-US mailing list newsletter

Early-bird Submission deadline: July 17, 2023 -- Final Deadline: September 5, 2023

Submission Fee: Early-bird ($40) - General ($50)

"The mission of the American Zoetrope Screenplay Competition is to find and promote new and innovative voices in cinema. The competition considers feature-length film scripts, as well as pilot scripts for television/streaming services. Every script is read closely by a select handful of professional readers, and the American Zoetrope staff and Francis Ford Coppola choose a winner from among ten finalists."

MORE INFO:  American Zoetrope Screenplay Competition | Submit

Finalists Announced August 1, 2023

Next Season Opens August 15, 2023

"The 16th Script Pipeline TV Writing Competition is searching for extraordinary television writers and original pilots for exposure to production companies, managers, and agencies. The company’s unique process—consisting of long-term writer development, promotion, and circulation of material—gives finalists proper one-on-one guidance to advance their careers."

MORE INFO:  Script Pipeline TV Writing Contest

“Everyone is welcome to apply. We especially encourage directors from traditionally excluded backgrounds to apply (women, people with disabilities, parents returning to work, people over 45, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, etc.).

Applicants must have five years minimum directing/production/post experience and have a strong interest in family programming. This is a paid opportunity.

To apply, send a letter of interest to info@makazanfilms.com

What to include:

• Tell us about yourself and your director’s voice. We want to know what makes you unique as a filmmaker.

• Attach a resume.

A selection committee will review all applications. Advancing applicants will be interviewed."

Applications open: July 3, 2023

Non-Member Deadline: August 28, 2023

Film Independent Member Extended Deadline: September 11, 2023

“The Screenwriting Lab is a two-week workshop held in the first quarter of the year, designed to provide individualized story and career development for emerging screenwriters with a fiction feature screenplay.

Each Screenwriting Fellow will be paired with a Creative Advisor, with whom they’ll work one-on-one and in group sessions to further develop their project over the course of the program. The Screenwriting Lab also helps to further the careers of its Fellows by introducing them to film industry veterans who can offer guidance on both the craft and business of screenwriting. A variety of guest speakers may screen and discuss their own films and offer career insights, and a final pitch event offers further opportunity for individualized feedback and discussion with industry executives.”

MORE INFO: FI Screenwriting Lab 2024

Submission deadline: August 15, 2023

“40 Under 40 celebrates emerging talent in the documentary world, including directors, producers, cinematographers, and editors. Honorees will be celebrated at the 2023 DOC NYC festival on the festival’s website and social media channels, and feted in an exclusive cocktail reception.

The 2023 edition of 40 Under 40 will be selected from an open applications process, in which documentary creatives from across the field are invited to apply for the honor directly. Two letters of recommendation and a comprehensive biography are required as part of this application process. In addition, to qualify for consideration, applicants must have been born on or after November 26, 1983 and be based in the U.S.,Canada and/or Mexico, regardless of their U.S. citizenship or immigration status. Applicants must also have at least one credit in the position of director, producer, cinematographer or editor on a feature-length documentary with national distribution via theaters, television or a digital platform.” 

MORE INFO: DOC NYC 40 under 40