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. Members are required to meet AWFJ membership criteria.
Our purpose is to amplify the voices of women critics, provide a platform for the expression of women’s perspectives on film and 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 three classifications of awards categories: “Best of,” “Female Focus” and “Special Mention”. Each of the awards in the “Best of” and “Female Focus” categories are presented annually, while “Special Mention” Awards categories are subject to change each year, depending on the list of films released during the year. A record of winners, nominees and news coverage is available in the Eda Awards Archives.
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.
Board of Directors:
- Jennifer Merin, President
- Betsy Bozdech, Vice President
- Julide Tanriverdi, Vice President
- Liz Whittemore, Vice President
Board of Advisors:
- Melanie Lynn Addington – Director, Tallgrass Film Festival
- Sally Berger – Independent Film Curator
- Jonathan Gray, Esq. – Gray, Schwartz LLP
- Carol Jenkins – Director, Women’s Media Center
- Sharon Kahn – Kahn Media Strategies
- Dr. Martha M. Lauzen – Director, Center for the Study of Women in Film and Television at San Diego State University
- David Magdael – David Magdael & Associates. Public Relations
- Shauna Hardy Mishaw – Director, Whistler Film Festival