WIF Fetes This Year's 65 Female Oscar Nominees
Whereas past events took place at restaurants or party halls, this year's 18th annual WIF Oscar Nominees Celebration on Friday, Feb. 28 welcomed guests to a residence — Bette Davis' former estate on Orlando. And it proved the perfect backdrop for this year's Academy Award-nominated talent from in front and behind the camera to mingle, network and toast the progress of women in film.
"WIF has been working to advance gender equity in the entertainment industry," said WIF CEO Kirsten Schaffer when she took the stage. "Tonight, we gather to applaud the trailblazers, the visionaries and the incredible artists that have graced the silver screen — and to commend the remarkable achievements of the 65 women nominated for the 97th Academy Awards."
"Y'all, our industry has taken a beating in the past four years," Schaffer continued, "and that, combined with what's happening to women, to transgender people, to immigrants, to queer people and people of color across this country means that we need this community more than ever. We need to double-down on our efforts for inclusion as a community and not let up."
Then she spoke to WIF's history of supporting the community: "Our mission is gender equality, but in order to achieve that, people need to safe: physically, emotionally and financially," Schaffer said. "And that's why, in 2017, during the #MeToo movement, WIF took the lead by launching a sexual harassment helpline for entertainment workers. In 2020, we partnered with the Entertainment Community Fund to provide COVID grants. In 2022, we provided aid to workers impacted by strikes. And in 2025, with our now longtime partner the Entertainment Community Fund, we're raising money for those who lost their homes and livelihoods in the wildfires."
Schaffer revealed she is one of them: "My family is one of the 11,500 whose home and neighborhood was destroyed — ours in the Altadena fire. And we have experienced firsthand the love and generosity of Los Angeles. ... This is not over. The recovery process will take many years and may hands."
WIF Board President Syrinthia Studer would then come up, followed by this year's crop of contenders — who introduced themselves and named the film and role for which they are nominated. This included Cynthia Erivo (Actress in a Leading Role, Wicked) Monica Barbaro (Actress in a Supporting Role, A Complete Unknown), Arianne Phillips (Costume Design, A Complete Unknown), Coralie Fargeat (Best Director, Best Writing - Original Screenplay, The Substance), Diane Warren (Music - Original Song, 'The Journey' The Six Triple Eight), Frances Hannon (Makeup and Hairstyling, Wicked), Joslyn Barnes (Best Picture, Writing - Adapted Screenplay, Nickel Boys), Juliette Howell(Best Picture, Conclave), Mona Fastvold (Writing - Original Screenplay, The Brutalist), Patricia Cuccia (Production Design, The Brutalist), Samantha Quan (Best Picture, Anora) and Suchitra Mattai (Live Action Short Film, Anuja).
But before she left the stage, Schaffer ended with her hopes: "Let us continue to strengthen our bonds," she said, "to expand our community, and to build a Los Angeles that is thriving with well-paying jobs for everyone, equitable film and TV sets, clean air and water, and ecologically sound homes."
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