Welcome back to the wild heart podcast. In todays episode we are chatting with Yvonne McCormack- Lyons. In the episode Yvonne will discuss why and how she created a women’s film festival and streaming platform that’s whole mission is to get more women led films out into circulation to empower women’s visions and voices. Think you guys are really going to enjoy this story
About Yvonne:
McCormack Lyons is a persistent advocate and catalyst for empowering women and changing how women are portrayed and perceived in the media.
In 2005, Yvonne founded The Women's International Film & Arts Festival (WIFF) with the mission to empower women's visions and voices; to create a safe venue for women to screen, promote and market their films; and to address issues that impact women globally while celebrating women's accomplishments.
After only two years, WIFF was awarded withThe New Times Newspaper’s Miami's Best Film Festival award. WIFF received this prestigious recognition once again in 2013.
McCormack Lyons is also the creator of the recently launched WIFF-TV, a new, online, streaming platform featuring films, television, podcasts and webinars made by women for women.
She is lalso the host of the podcast Reel Moments: With BadAss Women in Film & Entertainment, which was launched in partnership with PBS Channel 2 (WPBT-2) and UVUvideo.org and is now streaming on I-Tunes, Pandora, Amazon Music, Spotify, I-Heart Radio, and where most podcasts are found.
Yvonne is often asked to speak around the world including Cartegnia Colombia; Liverpool, England; Toronto, Canada; and throughout the US regarding women in film, women in entertainment and media, and women in business.
Through the success of the Women’s International Film Festival, McCormack-Lyons was invited to develop a women’s film component for the Cartagena, Colombia Film Festival as well as the Liverpool ’08 European Capital of Culture Celebrations in England. And in October 2013, the city of Medellin, Colombia invited Yvonne to host its first WIFF event in South America.
Throughout the years, WIFF has hosted such talents such as Academy Award Winner Halle Berry, Actress/ Producer Vivica A. Fox (Independence Day, Kill Bill, Empire), Actress/ Producer Zoe Saldana (Avatar, Colombiana, Star Trek), Actress Kellita Smith (Z Nation, Bernie Mac Show), Actress/ Director Amy Jo Johnson (Power Rangers, Flashpoint), The Breakfast Club’s Ally Sheedy, and actors such as Shemar Moore (SWAT, Criminal Minds), Bill Belamy (Self Made, Kindergarten Cop2), and others.
McCormack Lyons is a recipient of the 2012 Iconic Woman of the Year Award from Women In The Arts, The 2012 Florida Entertainment and Recording Committee, The 2010 Women In The Arts Award presented by In-Focus Magazine, and The 2009 Pearl Award from Girl Power.
Currently McCormack-Lyons serves on a number of Boards and was inducted as a Board Member of United Nations (UN) Women.
McCormack-Lyons is married to storyteller Baba Adekemi Lyons and is the proud mother of a 22-year-old student at the famous Lee Strasberg Acting School at NYU Tisch School of The Arts, Ojobayo Lyons.
Connect With Yvonne:
https://www.yvonnemccormack.com
https://www.instagram.com/filmfestdiva/
If you are interested in subscribing to WIFFTV use our discount code WILDHEART in the link below
https://wifftv.com/join