Solidarity, protest and persistence the message at this feminist film event.
After a year which saw many setbacks for minorities and women, especially the disappointing results of the presidential election, the New York Women in Film and Television’s 37th annual Muse Awards, gave many women hope and courage to continue the good fight for equality in business, in politics, in civic life, and in the film and television industries.
The event, which took place on Thursday, December 8th at the New York Hilton Midtown hotel, honored some remarkable high profile women: Mary-Louise Parker, Debi Mazar, Martha Plimpton, Jacki Kelley, Marcia Smith, and Amy Goodman.
In a festive and inspiring atmosphere, which saw the ballroom packed to capacity and the onstage dais boasting a lineup of powerful and diverse women, the Muse Awards recognized the outstanding vision and achievement of key women in the film, television and digital media industries.
Emceed by the wise and entertaining actor and CBS commentator Nancy Giles, the afternoon offered countless laughs, two standing ovations, and many moving moments as the honorees shared their struggles and triumphs with an adoring audience.
Highlights included award-winning journalist, host and executive producer of Democracy Now! Amy Goodman, who received the 11th annual Loreen Arbus Changemaker Award. Segments of her reportage of Standing Rock’s Dakota Access Pipeline protest was chilling, infuriating, and reminded those gathered of the importance of investigative reporting.
“As journalists, our job is to go to where the silence is,” she told the crowd. It is largely thanks to Goodman that many of us know about the importance of the protests at Standing Rock.
Other highlights included award-winning actor Martha Plimpton, who has defied conventional expectations of women’s roles for her entire career; and Mary-Louise Parker, who has been an ally of LGBTQ audiences for many years with her performances in films such as Longtime Companion, Fried Green Tomatoes and Angels in America.
Debi Mazar, who is currently starring as an Orthodox Jewish lesbian, Maggie in the TV series Younger, pledged her support to women and minorities everywhere, and reminded women that career success is possible, no matter your identity or origins.
A message of inspiration for corporate women was delivered by Jacki Kelley, Chief Operating Officer of Bloomberg Media and 2016-2017 President of the Board of Directors for New York Women in Communications, Inc. Kelley has been listed as one of Variety’s Power of Women New York, and is included in many lists of powerful women.
With the political tide turning so strongly against women, it is heartening to see NYWIFT approaching its 40th anniversary with such vision and commitment, and we cannot wait to see which wonderful women receive top honors next year.