The Alliance of Women Film Journalists, Inc. (AWFJ), a not-for-profit corporation, is a nation-wide membership association of highly qualified professional female movie critics, reporters and feature writers working in print, broadcast and online media.
Founded in 2006 by Jennifer Merin, Maitland McDonagh, Joanna Langfield and Jenny Halper, AWFJ was incorporated as a not-for-profit charitable organization in New York State in October, 2006. The organization is dedicated to supporting films made about and by women - working both in front of and behind the cameras - and to focusing attention on women's critical writings about film.
AWFJ publishes Women On Film, its' online magazine, at www.awfj.org. Women On Film aggregates AWFJ members' reviews of releasing films, interviews with filmmakers, original essays on women working in the film industry, statistics and commentaries pertaining to gender bias in Hollywood and trend pieces, as well as AWFJ opinion polls on current issues and topics having to do with female filmmakers and female critics, and Top Films lists compiled by the membership.
AWFJ presents the annual EDA Awards in recognition of each year's outstanding accomplishments (the best and worst) by and about women in the movies. The awards, announced each December, are divided into two classifications: "Best of" categories such as Best Film, Best Actress, Best Director, etc., are presented annually. "Special Mention" categories, such as Actress Most In Need of a New Agent, Best Depiction of Nudity or Sexuality, Best Social Activism, etc., are subject to change from year to year, depending on the list of films released during the year.
AWFJ's outreach program supports initiatives made by members and/or other groups with analogous interests, similar values and comparable professional standards.
Current AWFJ members include:
AWFJ'S Board of Advisors includes 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 (Director, Austin Film Festival), Karen Cooper (Diretor, FilmForum), Kathleen Carroll (Film Critic, retired), Rhea Gordon, Esq. (Debevoise and Plimpton, LLP), Jonathan Gray, Esq. (Gray Krauss, LLP)