About

Welcome to AWFJ!

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists, Inc. (AWFJ), was founded in 2006 by Jennifer Merin, Maitland McDonagh, Joanna Langfield and Jenny Halper. We were incorporated as a not-for-profit charitable organization in New York State in October, 2006.

Our members are highly qualified professional female movie critics, reporters and feature writers working in print, broadcast and online media.

Our purpose is to support work by and about women - both in front of and behind the cameras - through intra-group promotional activities, outreach programs and by presenting the annual EDA Awards in recognition of outstanding accomplishments (the best and worst) by and about women in the movies.

AWFJ keeps an active and interactive record of fiction feature and documentary films by and/or about women, and/or are of particular interest to women because they focus on women’s issues. We welcome information that will allow us to keep our lists updated. Lists are made available to members and the general public on our Web site.

AWFJ’s annual EDA Awards are announced in December. Films by and about women are eligible for awards. There are two classification of awards categories: “Best of” and “Special Mention”. Each of the awards in the “Best of” category is presented annually, while “Special Mention” Awards categories are subject to change each year, depending on the list of films released during the year.

AWFJ supports outreach initiatives made by members and/or other groups with analogous interests, similar values and comparable professional standards. We look forward to collaborating with organizations that, like AWFJ, work to support women in all aspects of filmmaking.

Our Mission:

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists, Inc. (AWFJ), a not-for-profit corporation, is an association of professional female movie critics, reporters and feature writers working in print, broadcast and online media, dedicated to supporting work by and about women - both in front of and behind the cameras - through intra-group promotional activities, outreach programs and by presenting awards in recognition of outstanding accomplishments (the best and worst) by and about women in the movies.

Members:

  • Erica Abeel - IndieWire
  • Thelma Adams - US Weekly
  • Marjorie Baumgarten - Austin Chronicle
  • Amy Benfer - Metro NY
  • Sheila Benson - Interview
  • Carol Cling - Las Vegas Review Journal
  • Sheigh Crabtree - Los Angeles Times
  • Laura Emerick - Chicago Sun Times
  • Lexi Feinberg - Big Picture Big Sound
  • Nikki Finke - LA Weekly/DeadlineHollywood.com
  • Cynthia Fuchs - PopMatters.com
  • Mihal Gartenberg - WKCR/NY 1
  • Susan Granger - SSG Syndicate
  • Jenny Halper - Spare Change News
  • Esther Iverem - SeeingBlack.com
  • MaryAnne Johanson - Film.com/FlickFilosopher.com (Vice President)
  • Lisa Kennedy - Denver Post
  • Joanna Langfield - The Movie Minute (Vice-President)
  • Karina Longworth - SpoutBlog
  • Moira Macdonald - The Seattle Times
  • Karen Martin - Arkansas Democrat Gazette
  • Maitland McDonagh - MissFlickChick.com
  • Brandy McDonnell - The Oklahoman
  • Jennifer Merin - About.com (President)
  • Carla Meyer - Sacramento Bee
  • Nell Minow - BeliefNet.com
  • Katerine Monk - Can West News Service
  • Rebecca Murray - About.com
  • Betsy Pickle - Knoxville News/Scripps Howard News Service
  • Mary Pols - Tme.com/MSNBC
  • Claudia Puig - USA Today
  • B. Ruby Rich - The Guardian
  • Katey Rich - CinemaBlend.com
  • Carrie Rickey - Philadelphia Inquirer
  • Eleanor Ringel - WMLB/The Daily Report
  • Shelli Sonstein - Clear Channel
  • Ruthe Stein - San Francisco Chronicle
  • Amy Taubin - Film Comment/Sight and Sound
  • Anne Thompson - Thompson on Hollywood, IndieWire
  • Erin Trahen - The Independent/New EnglandFilm.com
  • Sara Voorhees - KOB-TV
  • Kim Voynar - Movie City News
  • Susan Wloszczyna - USA Today
  • Jeanne Wolf - Parade Magazine
  • Jen Yamato - Cinematical

Board of Directors:

  • Jennifer Merin, President and Treasurer
  • MaryAnn Johanson, Vice President and Web Guru
  • Joanna Langfield, Vice President and Secretary

Board of Advisors:

  • Richard Pena - Columbia University, Lincoln Center Film Society, NY Film Festival
  • Mary Schmidt Campbell - Dean, Tisch School of the Arts, New York University
  • Sally Berger - Curator, Film Department, Museum of Modern Art
  • Dr. Martha M. Lauzen - Director, Center for the Study of Women in Film and Television at San Diego State University
  • Carol Jenkins - Director, Women’s Media Center
  • Barbara Morgan - Austin Film Festival
  • Karen Cooper - FilmForum
  • Kathleen Carroll - film critic, retired
  • Jonathan Gray, Esq. - Gray Krauss, LLP