Back to All News
Women in Film and Netflix Join Forces to Support Mid-Career and Early Career Women Directors and Cinematographers
Social Impact
26 July 2022
United States
ReFrame Rise, the talent development program from Women In Film Los Angeles (WIF) and Sundance Institute's ReFrame Project, is returning for its second cohort and expanding to include both directors and cinematographers in 2022 Women in Film is also announcing the new WIF Emerging Directors and Cinematographers Fellowship in 2023Both programs supported by Netflix's Fund for Creative Equity July 26, 2022 - For Immediate Release
Los Angeles, CA - Women in Film is expanding its offerings to help elevate women directors and cinematographers at multiple stages of their careers through a newly expanded ReFrame Rise accelerator, and a new WIF Directors and Cinematographers Fellowship. These programs are made possible by support from the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, an initiative to build new opportunities for underrepresented communities within entertainment.
ReFrame Rise is a comprehensive and customized two-year program designed by ReFrame, a Women in Film and Sundance Institute collaboration, to accelerate high-level, sustainable advancement for mid-career talent. Building off the success of the inaugural ReFrame Rise class, the program is now expanding to support Cinematographers as well as Directors. Today, ReFrame is announcing the new ReFrame Rise class which includes 7 mid-career directors (Ally Pankiw, Angel Kristi Williams, Ekwa Msangi, Mounia Akl, Nijla Mu'min, Terrie Samundra, and Yoko Okumura) and 4 cinematographers (Ava Benjamin Shorr, Barbie Leung, Laura Merians Gonsalves, and Mariscela Mendez), who will each be matched with a mentorship team of industry professionals and a career coach.
Each year, ReFrame reviews the top 100 feature films and top 200 TV series as part of its ReFrame Stamp Program, releasing annual reports on gender equity in hiring. Through this research, it became clear that there was a significant gap in representation of women cinematographers.
The numbers of women cinematographers hired on our industry's largest projects remains stagnant - only 7 films in the Top 100 releases last year were lensed by women, said Andria Wilson Mirza, ReFrame's Director. Through applying our career acceleration model - which has proven to be successful for directors - to this talented group of DPs as well, we aim to demonstrate our commitment to developing both above and below-the-line talent, and the urgent need for a cross-industry investment in these roles in which women remain underrepresented.
"We are very excited to support this supremely talented cohort of Directors and Cinematographers as a partnership between Women in Film and the Sundance Institutes Women at Sundance Program. We have learned first hand the value of the sponsorship opportunity for women artists and look forward to supporting this next group as they level up and find sustainability in their careers," said Michelle Satter, Sundance Institute Founding Senior Director, Artist Program, ReFrame Leadership Council.
With support from Netflix, Women In Film will also launch a new WIF Directors and Cinematographers Fellowship in 2023. This initiative will provide participants with a year of mentorship from entertainment leaders, collaboration with the Rise class through advice and shadowing on their projects, and access to industry experts and special events. More information and dates for this program will be announced in the fall.
Said WIF Director of Programs, Maikiko James: This program will build critical relationships between people across different stages of their careers. As we intentionally deepen the community of women and gender non-conforming creatives we see opportunities grow, so we must nurture these connections.
As ReFrame's research shows, there continues to be great need to elevate more women as cinematographers and directors in film and television. We are thrilled to support Women in Film's innovative approach to elevating women in these positions through different stages of their careers, said Niija Kuykendall, Netflix VP, Film and WIF board member.
The inaugural class of ReFrame Rise,which ran from 2019 to early 2022, supported acclaimed directors Desiree Akhavan (Hacks, HBO), Haifaa al-Mansour (Tales of the Walking Dead, AMC), Patricia Cardoso (Shelter, Amazon), Hanelle Culpepper (Anansi Boys, Amazon), Sydney Freeland (Echo, Marvel Studios), Zetna Fuentes (This is Us, NBC),Tina Mabry (Pose, FX) and Meera Menon (Ms. Marvel, Marvel Studios).
INTRODUCING: The 2022-24 ReFrame Rise Class
From L to R: Ally Pankiw, Angel Kristi Williams, Ava Benjamin Shorr, Barbie Leung, Ekwa Msangi, Laura Merians Gon alves, Mariscela M ndez, Mounia Akl, Nijla Mu'min, Terrie Samundra, Yoko Okumura
DIRECTORS:
Ally Pankiw
Writer/director Ally Pankiw's accomplishments in TV include directing and executive producing the first season of the Netflix comedy series, FEEL GOOD (which stars Mae Martin and Lisa Kudrow), and blocks of episodes on Hulu's SHRILL and THE GREAT. Ally recently completed her first feature film, a dark dramedy which she wrote and directed, called I USED TO BE FUNNY. It stars Rachel Sennott (SHIVA BABY, BODIES BODIES BODIES) and Jason Jones (THE DAILY SHOW, THE DETOUR). Previously, Ally served as a writer on SCHITT'S CREEK, and she is now developing an original comedy series with its star and creator, Dan Levy, for Hulu and 20th Century Fox Animation. The duo are also co-writing a feature for Universal Pictures. She has directed commercials for brands like Amazon, adidas, Pepsi, Chanel and Nylon, and music videos for artists like Phoebe Bridgers, MUNA, Janelle Monae, and Lil Jon.
Angel Kristi Williams
Angel Kristi Williamsis an award winning fil
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
20/08/2026
Multiview available via SaaS for streaming platforms and operators through broadpeak.io, with live demonstrations at IBC2026
Broadpeak , a leader in streaming ...
20/08/2026
Techex, a leading provider of live broadcast infrastructure solutions, has appointed Stuart Almond as Chief Revenue Officer, further strengthening its executive...
20/08/2026
Avid today announced that MediaCity Studios has upgraded its production infrastructure with an enhanced end-to-end Avid production ecosystem, including the dep...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
IPC Expands Brazilian Presence with New Channel Partner CCATech
Industry veterans Carlos Abrah o and Bruno Lopes strengthen local support and expand IPCs prese...
20/08/2026
Zixi Enters Mauritius Market Through Strategic Deployment with MTC Jockey Club
Worlds Oldest Horse Racing Club in the Southern Hemisphere Selects Zixis Softwar...
20/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research assistant professor Tiantian Liu has received a five-year NIAID DP2 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Di...
20/08/2026
Audiences reveal appetite for multicultural Australia on-screen 20 August 2026
Dr Georgie McClean, Dr Rebecca Huntley (L-R)
By Dr Georgie McClean and Dr Rebec...
20/08/2026
How Mavis Studio Is Expanding Live Production Teaching at Sussex
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image displays a student about to mix be...
20/08/2026
Vertical Unscripted Series Legal Queens Captured with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Reality TV veteran Eric Gardner create...
20/08/2026
It's a new way into the cloud.
GeForce NOW welcomes Firefox support to the cloud, opening up another way to jump into high-performance PC gaming straight ...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
Back to All News
