WIF (Women in Film) and ReFrame have partnered to release the “Who to Watch” TV FYC guide, highlighting the contributions of women, non-binary and transgender people in the TV Series Awards’ least gender diverse categories.
Notable female creators include Quinta Branson (“Abbott Elementary”), Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky (“The Hack”), Jenny Han and Sarah Kuselka (“Beautiful Summer”), and Jess Brownell (“Bridgerton”). Haley Z. Boston (“Something Very Bad Is Happening”). Jenni Konner (“Nobody Wants This”) and Rebecca Perry Cutter (“The Hunting Wives”).
“The People to Watch on TV FYC list is a call to action for awards voters. These directors, screenwriters, cinematographers, composers and VFX supervisors are doing extraordinary work in a category with the least advanced gender representation,” WIF CEO Kirsten Schafer said in a statement to Variety. Schafer added, “This list is uniquely powerful because it was built by our community of WIF members, tastemakers, executives, creators, and actors who know the entertainment industry from the inside out. See their work, support their shows, and remember their names when it’s time to vote.”
ReFrame’s research highlights that women, non-binary and transgender people are significantly underrepresented in multiple television award categories, awards that provide industry access and career development.
According to the report, from 2024 to 2025, 28% of narrative TV series will have a female showrunner. At last year’s Emmy Awards, 33% of the nominees for narrative television series had female showrunners. This year’s featured shows include “Abbott Elementary,” “All Her Fault,” “Fallout,” “Deli Boys” and “The Diplomat.”
The report also reveals that from 2024 to 2025, 26% of narrative television cinematographers will be women, nonbinary, or transgender. At last year’s Emmy Awards, 6% of narrative film nominees were women. This year’s guide focuses on women vying for consideration in this category. They include Katherine Roots (It: Welcome to Derry), Anna Patalakina (The Ponies), Alicia Robbins (Bridgerton), Caroline Costa (Monster: The Ed Gain Story) and Johanna Coelho (The Pit).
According to the data, the supervision field shows some growth. From 2024 to 2025, 36% of narrative television episodes were directed by women, nonbinary, or transgender people. At last year’s Emmy Awards, 44% of narrative director nominees were women. This year, Emmy nominees include Jamie Babbitt (Only Murders in the Building), Lucia Aniello (The Hux), Zetna Fuentes (Pluribus), Fauzia Mirza (The Deli Boys), and Amanda Marsalis (The Pit).
Read WIF & ReFrame’s 202502026 TV FYC Guide here.
