A Special Event Co-Sponsored with the Society of Illustrators
Thursday, March 19, 5:30 p.m. ET
Society of Illustrators, 128 E. 63rd St., NYC
$25 for WMG and Society of Illustrators members; $30 for non-members
5:15 Doors open
5:30 Screening of Film: Women Laughing
6:10 Panel Discussion
6:40-7:30 Reception
Join acclaimed cartoonists Roz Chast, Liza Donnelly, and Emily Flake for a private screening of the acclaimed new documentary, Women Laughing, in which Donnelly, director and producer, set out to explore her lifelong passion for women’s humor and cartooning with a probing look at the history of women cartoonists at The New Yorker. The film offers a unique insider’s look at the state of women’s humor over the last century through the perspectives of pioneering women cartoonists, then and now, who have wrestled with some of the central social issues of our time in a field historically dominated by men. Inspired by Donnelly’s book, Very Funny Ladies, it includes intimate conversations with some of the most celebrated and groundbreaking New Yorker cartoonists, including our featured guests, plus Sarah Akinterinwa, Liana Fink, Amy Hwang, and Bishakh Som. In a panel discussion after the event, the film’s producer, Judith Mizrachy, talks with Chast, Donnelly, and Flake about their creative processes and current challenges and opportunities for women cartoonists.
Panelists:
Roz Chast was born in Brooklyn and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her cartoons and covers have appeared continuously in The New Yorker since 1978. She has published cartoon collections, graphic memoirs, and children’s books, including I Must Be Dreaming, Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? (National Book Critics Circle Award, Kirkus Prize, and short-listed for a National Book Award), and Going Into Town (New York City Book Award). In 2024, President Joe Biden honored Chast with a National Humanities Medal. You can learn more about her here: rozchast.com.
Liza Donnelly is a writer and cartoonist for The New Yorker, where she has been drawing cartoons and writing about culture for forty years. She has been a contributor to CBS News and CNN, creating political cartoons and animation, and writes and draws for publications including The New York Times, CNN, and The Washington Post. Donnelly’s popular TED Talk, Drawing on Humor for a Change, has been viewed over 1.5 million times. Donnelly was a Cultural Envoy for the US State Department and is the author/editor of many books, most notably Very Funny Ladies, a history of women cartoonists of The New Yorker. You can learn more about her here: lizadonnelly.com.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Pet the Dog Productions
Emily Flake is a cartoonist-writer-comic-teacher-illustrator from Brooklyn. She contributes cartoons and writing to The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, The New York Times, and many other publications. She has created backdrops for Broadway, runs a monthly stand-up show, is the owner and operator of St. Nell’s Humor Writing Residency in Pennsylvania, and was a Yaddo Fellow in 2025. You can learn more about her here: emilyflake.com.
Photo credit: Mindy Tucker
Judith Mizrachy is a New York City-based independent producer. Her films include The Martha Mitchell Effect (nominated for a 2023 Academy Award® for Best Short Documentary), The Booksellers, and Uncropped. Her films have been viewed on big screens around the world and on small screens via Netflix, the Criterion Channel, The New Yorker, and more. You can learn more about her here: judithmizrachy.com.
About the Society of Illustrators
The Society of Illustrators’ mission is to promote the art of illustration, to appreciate its history and evolving nature through exhibitions, lectures and education, and to contribute the service of its members to the welfare of the community at large.
Important Venue Note: this event will take place on the third floor, which is only accessible via stairs. Bathrooms are also only accessible via stairs.
By registering for this event, your email address will be added to the Society of Illustrators and Women’s Media Group mailing lists.
Refunds available up to 48 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 48 hours of the event.
