Gender Inequity in Film: A Discussion about Pathways to Balance, Inclusion, and Careers in the Industry

Published on April 14, 2021

Gender Inequity in Film: A Discussion about Pathways to Balance, Inclusion, and Careers in the Industry 

 

A panel discussion & breakout rooms with industry experts.

 

Register here for event!

 

Panelists:

Jessica Sharzer: is a screenwriter, director, producer, and editor primarily in TV. She was an episode writer and supervising producer for the serial horror-drama television series American Horror Story. The Horror Writers Association awarded her the 2011 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Screenplay for her episode "Afterbirth". In 2016, she wrote the screenplay of the feature film Nerve, based on the novel of the same name. She adapted Darcey Bell's novel A Simple Favor into a screenplay for a 2018 film of the same name.

 

Nisha Ganatra: is a Golden Globe winner and an Emmy nominee for her work as the Director/Producer for Transparent. Recently she directed The High Note for Working Title and Focus Features. Nisha’s feature film, Late Night, sold to Amazon in a record-breaking deal. She has sold a drama project to ABC and a comedy pilot to NBC with Amy Poehler producing. Nisha was co-executive producer/director for Better Things, You Me Her, and created Code Academy for ITVS/PBS series Futurestates.

 

Christine Swanson: is a filmmaker and producer. She directed For the Love of Ruth, To Hell and Back, and biopic Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story. Other award-winning projects Christine has written and/or directed in her career include Two Seasons, All About You, All About Us, and Women Thou Art Loosed. Christine received a 2015 NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Television Motion Picture for For the Love of Ruth.

 

Michel Waxman: is Executive Producer at Nonfiction Unlimited, creative production home to a roster of notable documentary directors working on commercial and branded entertainment projects. Prior to Nonfiction Unlimited, Michel was Executive Producer at Chelsea Pictures helming the LA office and prior to that she was Executive Producer at Serial Pictures in Culver City. She has over 20 years in advertising in branded entertainment.

 

Sarba Das: is a seasoned film and television executive who currently works on documentaries at A24. Das was formerly Vice President/Head of Documentaries at Pilgrim media Group, a Lionsgate Company, and she held high-level influential positions at Sony Pictures Television and ABC Television. Prior to working as a producer in unscripted television, Das co-wrote, produced and directed independent feature film Karma Calling which was released by Netflix in 2012 and then to Amazon Video in 2016.

 

Leah Myerhof: is  an award winning independent filmmaker. Leah’s films have screened in over 200 film festivals and aired on IFC, PBS, LOGO and MTV. She is a fellow of the IFP Narrative Labs, Tribeca All Access Labs, and Emerging Visions program at the New York Film Festival. Leah is also the founder of FILM FATALES, a non-profit organization which advocates for parity in the film industry and supports a membership community of over a thousand women and non-binary feature film and Television directors nationwide.