Nina Kennedy Receives 2024 Gay City News Impact Award

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Nina Kennedy (photo: Arian Clay-Sirop)
New York City -- Several LGBTQ leaders and allies were honored on November 21st for their outstanding achievements and dedication to the community at the ninth annual Gay City News Impact Awards, presented by Bethpage Federal Credit Union. The Impact Awards... "Honors individuals who make a difference to leave people better than they found them."

There were honorees from various backgrounds, including activism, the arts, filmmaking, law, education, non-profit, government, and medicine. A VIP Power Hour was held before the actual awards ceremony, where honorees addressed the room from the stage to introduce themselves and their organizations.


"It was a very delightful, inspiring evening," said Nina Kennedy. "As the owner of a production company, I've been very concerned about the huge discrepancy between men and women when it comes to film financing. Women are not producing enough feature-length films, as compared to the gay male and trans communities. Why is that?" asks Kennedy. "The answer is simple: financing."

"I am committed to making sure that more of our stories are told," she said.


Kennedy began her career as a classical pianist, earning a master's degree from the Juilliard School. She then spent several years in Europe, performing and residing in Vienna, Cologne, and Paris.

"I had an idea for a screenplay while I was living there, and met with a literary agent in Paris who told me to write the book first. I did, and that book (Practicing for Love: A Memoir) became a Lambda Literary Award Finalist."


Kennedy's first short film, Verbal Sex, was screened at New York City's NewFest and several international film festivals across the globe. Her feature-length documentary, Matthew Kennedy: One Man's Journey, had its world premiere at the Nashville Film Festival (NaFF) where it was awarded the Rosetta Miller Perry prize for Best Film by a Black Filmmaker.


"During the VIP Power Hour, I asked everyone if they had heard of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, who were a main subject of my film since my father had directed them for 30 years. No one had. So I went on to explain that they were the reason why Nashville is called 'Music City' today, because of Queen Victoria's quote that '... they sing so beautifully that they must be from the Music City of the United States.'"

Kennedy went on to found INFEMNITY Productions, an entity that produces music videos, documentaries, and the award-winning television talk show The Noshing with Nina Show.


Terrace on the Park Ballroom (photo: INFEMNITY)

Throughout the awards presentation, honorees were asked to walk the red carpet to a song/recording that they had selected in advance. Nina chose a recording of her own performance of Schumann's "Widmung" (arranged by Franz Liszt). The audience applauded warmly when it was announced that the music heard was Nina's own performance.

"I look forward to building relationships with the honorees I met last night, especially now when we need to nurture each other and build community more than ever," said Kennedy.


Nina Kennedy is seated in the front row, 3rd from right (photo: Ralph DePas)

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INFEMNITY Productions LLC is a woman-owned business dedicated to the creation of compelling visual content for companies and artists of all backgrounds. We are an equal opportunity company that also openly welcomes women, WOC, and the LGBTQIA community; proclaiming our dedication to further their equality in business and the arts. It is our assertion that it is imperative to affirm and normalize the continued existence and success of women, WOC, and the LGBTQIA community, in the business and art industry.

infemnity.com

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