Not Your Daddy’s Films Expands With Film Independent as Fiscal Sponsor (EXCLUSIVE)

Not Your Daddy’s Films, a social impact organization focused on educating and elevating women and nonbinary filmmakers, is now fiscally sponsored by Film Independent, the non-profit independent media arts organization.

News of the partnership comes as Not Your Daddy’s Films celebrates its fourth anniversary. The Los Angeles-based organization was founded in 2022 by Kourtney Bell, Katherine Hughes, Nicole Lipp, Vika Stubblebine and Carlye Tamaren — five multi-hyphenates who were “frustrated by the persistent lack of gender equity and diversity behind the camera.”

“We started NYDF because we wanted the kind of community we weren’t finding anywhere else… ambitious, accessible and actually fun to be part of,” the founders said in a joint statement. “Becoming a fiscally sponsored project of Film Independent means we can take the momentum we’ve built over the last four years and continue to uplift and empower filmmakers, without losing the energy that made people want to show up in the first place.”

NYDF began as a bimonthly screening for 25 people, and has since grown into a thriving “Daddy community” with events drawing more than 300 attendees. Over the last four years, the organization has hosted screenings, workshops, panels and parties spotlighting women and nonbinary filmmakers, and partnered with industry institutions including the American Cinematheque, Alliance of Women Directors, SXSW, Women In Film (WIF) and The Black List.

NYDF will host its next event, a fourth anniversary party, on Friday at the Aster in Hollywood. Six up-and-coming filmmakers will showcase their work to the crowd of industry insiders before participating in a Q&A.

In addition to its events schedule, NYDF has expanded its reach beyond L.A. through “Daddy Dailies,” a podcast spotlighting women and nonbinary creatives. Guests have included Patty Jenkins, Diablo Cody, Meaghan Oppenheimer, Mary Bronstein, Ashley Nicole Black, Lena Khan, Hannah McMechan and Danya Jimenez. NYDF also publishes its annual Daddy’s List, which highlights emerging filmmakers to watch. Notable alumni include Haley Z. Boston (showrunner of “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen”), director Giselle Bonilla (the 2026 Sundance standout “The Musical”) and director Gia-Rayne B. Harris (“Bridgerton”).

The organization plans to use the increased funding via Film Independent to expand its screenings and educational programming, develop more workshops and resources for emerging filmmakers, build out its advisory leadership and organizational infrastructure, grow the “Daddy Dailies” podcast, strengthen its presence at major film festivals and create more direct pathways connecting filmmakers with professional opportunities.