Nora Lee Mandel is a member of New York Film Critics Online. After high school weekends spent learning film history at NY’s Museum of Modern Art, she studied film criticism at New York University. In addition to many years of writing for national and New York City organizations in the arts, education, history, and city planning, her reviews of documentaries, independent, and foreign-language films, books, television, exhibitions, and music have also appeared in such outlets as: Film-Forward.com, FilmFestival Traveler and Lilith Magazine, the independent Jewish feminist quarterly. Her ongoing Critical Guide to Jewish Women in Movies, TV, and Pop Music has been the basis for her talks around the New York region.

Currently Browsing: Nora Lee Mandel

“Huesera,” Winner of 10th Annual Nora Ephron Award, Now Streaming

Mexican writer/director Michelle Garza Cervera won the 10th Annual Nora Ephron Award for first-time female filmmakers at the 21st Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) with her debut ‘horror’ film Huesera. The New York City fest screened June 8–19, 2022 in person, and selections streamed online through July 3.… read more.

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Michelle Garza Cervera Wins 10th Nora Ephron Award at 2022 TFF

Mexican writer/director Michelle Garza Cervera has won the 10th Annual Nora Ephron Award for first-time female filmmakers at the 21st Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) with her debut ‘horror’ film Huesera. The New York City fest screened June 8–19, 2022 in person, and selections will streamed online through July 3.… read more.

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Compelling Films by Women at 33rd Annual HRW Film Festival

New York’s 33rd annual Human Rights Watch Film Festival continues, with ten sets of screenings — often with post-screening Q&A sessions — spread across auditoria at Lincoln Center (on the Upper West Side) and IFC Center (in Greenwich Village).

But the good news is that if you don’t live in Manhattan — and even if you do — you can stream these invaluable films at your convenience on the Festival’s digital platform through Thursday night (May 26th) when the Festival closes.… read more.

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Petra Volpe on Swiss Myths of Neutrality in WW2 & After

Filmmaker Petra Volpe grew up “half-Italian” in Switzerland and looks askance at the myths of Swiss history: “We are connected to the past because it also determines our present.” Her directing debut film The Divine Order – winner of the Nora Ephron Prize at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival – entertainingly showed international audiences how Swiss women organized to finally get the right to vote at the late date of 1971.… read more.

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‘as of yet’ Wins Nora Ephron Award at 2021 Tribeca Film Festival

FF2 is proud to present Nora Lee Mandel’s coverage of the Tribeca Festival’s Annual Nora Ephron Award. Thank You, Nora!

The pandemic creatively inspired the winners of the 9th Annual Nora Ephron Award for female filmmakers at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival. Directors Chanel James and Taylor Garron won the Ephron Award, with its $25,000 prize, for as of yet.… read more.

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‘Varda’ tribute leads women directors at 2019 NY Film Festival

For 57 years, New York Film Festival at Lincoln Center has been U.S. flagship of “auteur” cinema.  Writer/directors who dominate their films were presumed male – with the exception of Belgian-born Agnès Varda.  Every decade, the Festival selected a film by her. She died March 29 at age 90. In tribute, the September 27 – October 13 Festival was dedicated to her memory, and an enamel pin of her visage quickly sold out.  read more.

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