Women in Film (WIF)

Overview

Women in Film (WIF) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1973 in Los Angeles that advocates for gender equity across the screen industries. WIF builds the pipeline, sustains careers, and pushes for structural change through fellowships, grants, mentorship, research, and direct industry partnerships. The organization is led by CEO Kirsten Schaffer (since 2015) and Board President Syrinthia Studer. In 2025, WIF elected six new board members including Stacey Abrams, Sasha Lloyd (A24), Deborah McIntosh (WME Independent), Keleigh Thomas Morgan, Ivette Rodriguez, and Rachel Rusch (CAA).

WIF membership is open to all screen industry professionals, not only women. The organization explicitly serves women, nonbinary, and trans professionals across every department: above and below the line, in front of and behind the camera, from crew members to executives. In 2024, WIF received a three-year grant from the Gates Foundation to strengthen its international network, with an initial focus on Kenya, Nigeria, and India. Over two years, WIF helped launch or grow more than 10 chapters across India, Kenya, South Africa, Senegal, Cameroon, and Zambia.

If you are a woman or nonbinary filmmaker in Los Angeles looking for mentorship, grant funding, or industry community, WIF is the primary organization designed to provide those resources. If you are a production company or studio looking to improve gender equity on your productions, WIF's ReFrame initiative provides the framework and data to do that.

Membership Tiers and Costs

WIF operates a tiered membership system with six levels. Through May 31, 2026, WIF is running a member drive with seasonal rates:

All members receive invitations and priority access to panel discussions, screenings, networking events, and skill-building workshops. Members also get a complimentary six-month subscription to The Ankler and discounts from partner affiliates. Memberships are not refundable or transferable.

WIF Fellowships

The WIF Fellowship is the organization's flagship program. Launched in 2023 for WIF's 50th anniversary, it is a year-long program of mentorship, master classes, career strategy sessions, and industry network-building for mid-career professionals. In 2025, WIF confirmed over 50 fellows from 740 applications across cohorts of directors, writers, cinematographers, producers, line producers, executives, representatives, artisans, and below-the-line crew.

The 2026 WIF Fellowship runs from June 2026 through May 2027 and includes five core career tracks. Fellows receive at least six mentoring sessions with professionals from their field. The program requires Los Angeles-area participation for in-person programming. The 2026 Business Fellowship cohort is supported by STARZ through its #TakeTheLead initiative. The Director and Cinematographer Fellowship circles are supported by Netflix.

WIF | The Black List Episodic Lab

This lab is a partnership with The Black List that selects six to eight TV writers each year for a four-week program of script development, pitching, a mock writers room, and roundtables with established writers and executives. All participants automatically become WIF Fellows for an additional year of support.

Eligibility requirements for the Episodic Lab:

• Must be the sole and exclusive author of the submitted television pilot (writing teams eligible)
• Cannot have received more than $25,000 in aggregate compensation for television writing work
• Must be based in Los Angeles
• Must be available for in-person evening and weekend sessions

Application fee: $40 per script for non-members. WIF members at the Creative level and above receive reduced or waived fees. Applicants can submit up to three scripts, each requiring its own application.

ReFrame

ReFrame is an official WIF initiative, originally founded in 2017 by WIF and the Sundance Institute. It uses a peer-to-peer approach in which ReFrame Ambassadors engage with senior industry decision-makers at over 50 Partner Companies to implement systemic change programs. The goal is to provide research, support, and a practical framework that Partner companies can use to mitigate bias during creative decision-making and hiring, celebrate successes, and measure progress toward gender-representative hiring at all levels.

ReFrame is directed by Erica Fishman. The initiative maintains relationships with studios, networks, and streaming platforms, giving it direct access to the decision-makers responsible for hiring and development practices.

Film Finishing Fund and Grants

WIF's Film Finishing Fund provides cash grants and in-kind gifts to a select group of women-directed films to help them complete production. Films supported through this fund have gone on to gain distribution, receive top honors at film festivals, and win Academy Awards and Peabody Awards. The fund specifically addresses the post-production funding gap that delays completion of independently financed films directed by women.

WIF also operates a fiscal sponsorship program for aligned projects, currently including the Women's Production Society (WPS), Pay Up Hollywood, and the Think Tank for Inclusion and Equity (TTIE). Fiscal sponsorship is by invitation only.

WIF Shorts Night and Shorts Lab

WIF Shorts Night showcases short films created by WIF members, including fellows and alumni, with a Q&A following each screening. The next edition is scheduled for Winter 2026. WIF Shorts Lab, supported by Google, has provided three filmmaking teams with funds and support to produce short-form content, including mentoring for writers, directors, creative producers, and line producers, plus resources to hire women-focused crew.

International Programs

WIF's international work, directed by Andria Wilson Mirza, has expanded significantly with the 2024 Gates Foundation grant. The initial focus on Kenya, Nigeria, and India has grown to include chapter development or support across Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. This work includes research, infrastructure development, and resource creation for artists and industry professionals in those regions.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For Women and Nonbinary Filmmakers

WIF membership at the Creative level ($95/year) or above unlocks the most practical benefits: waived fellowship application fees, Shorts Night eligibility, and member pricing on WIF Honors tickets. The Fellowship program is the most intensive career-advancement resource WIF offers, providing a year of structured mentorship and master classes. The application cycle opens each fall (October 1) with deadlines in January. The $40 application fee per project is waived for Storyteller-level members and above. If you are based in Los Angeles and have a clear career focus you can articulate, the Fellowship is worth applying to.

For Productions and Studios

Productions looking to improve gender equity on their crews can engage with ReFrame, which provides practical hiring frameworks and bias-mitigation tools rather than public statements. ReFrame works with over 50 Partner Companies and maintains data on hiring outcomes. Contact WIF directly through womeninfilm.org to explore partnership options.

For Students

Student membership is free and includes invitations to guild and studio screenings, priority access to events, and 20% off career program application fees. Students can upgrade to a paid tier (Ally at $65 or Creative at $95) if they want fellowship application fee waivers, Shorts Night eligibility, and other member-only benefits.

See Also

For diversity-focused independent distribution, see Neon and Magnolia Pictures in this directory. For advocacy context around industry diversity standards, see Film Independent in this directory. For help estimating production budgets that account for equitable hiring practices, use the Indie Film Budget Calculator. For current membership rates and program details, visit womeninfilm.org/membership.