ALL POSTS
Sally Menke Interview on The Treatment
Last night at the Oscars editor Sally Menke was one of the people remembered. She died last fall in a freak accident while hiking. I found out recently that her friend Elvis Mitchell of The...
Post-Award Thoughts
As I watched the Oscars and the Independent Spirit Awards this weekend you could see one clear difference between the two events (aside from the formal dresses and the hosts) — the presence of...
Melissa Leo — Hollywood’s Everywoman
I was really glad to see that Melissa Leo was able to pull out the Oscar win. It was looking really shaky there at the end when she got slammed for her “consider” ads. People felt the ads were...
Mildred Pierce — Poster and Trailers
In the good old days this actually would have been a movie (oh, yeah it was.) I’m probably not going out on a limb to think this will be one of the high points of the year creatively. Anything with...
Trailer Watch: Meek’s Cutoff Written and Directed by Kelly Reichardt
Will be released in the US in April
Keeping it All in Perspective
Hollywood is giving out a lot of awards this weekend but it’s also really important to keep a bigger picture in mind. While we fight for women’s rights and visibility in Hollywood, other rights...
Women at the Movies This Weekend — February 25, 2011
Women’s Films Now PlayingThe Other WomanOrgasm Inc. — directed by Liz Canner (doc) When We LeaveThe Roommate From Prada to NadaTrue GritBhutto (doc)The WoodmansThe Tempest — written and...
Who Goes to the Movies? Moviegoers Stats from 2010
The annual look at who went to the movies from the MPAA has been released. Here are the relevant stats. Women and men go to the movies in equal numbers. In 2010 women bought 50% of the tickets and...
From Feminist Frequency: Women’s Stories, Movies and the Oscars
This video completely speaks for itself. Think about it as you watch the Oscars.
Support This Film! — The History of the Universe as Told by Wonder Woman
I am breaking my rule of not posting info about films looking to raise money because I think this one is very important. I so want to see this made so we can have it at a future Athena Film Festival....
Geena Davis: Gender Stereotypes Remain Deeply Entrenched in Today’s Entertainment…
Yesterday, The United Nations celebrated the launch of a new agency — UN Women — which combines all the different women’s organizations under one leader, former Chilean President...
Lisa Cholodenko Talks Women Directors: “There’s a Kind of Fundamental Misogyny in the Culture”
I caught Lisa Cholodenko being interviewed on Tell Me More on NPR yesterday and Michel Martin got Lisa Cholodenko to talk about issues related to female directors that I have not heard any women...
Kathryn Bigelow Was Offered New Spiderman Directing Gig
In a piece in the LA Times about The King’s Speech Tom Hooper’s next gig, I learned something very interesting — that Kathryn Bigelow turned down the Spiderman reboot now to be directed by...
Susanne Bier Talks In A Better World
I am finding it so interesting that Susanne Bier is getting some great press for her Oscar nomination. It makes me think that there is an appetite to hear from women directors especially ones who...
A New Low: Bad Teacher Trailer
This ruined my morning and now I will share with you and ruin yours. I have seem some really horrible trailers in my time, but this film looks beyond dreadful. As teachers are fighting for their...
Oscar Thoughts
This time last year I was giddy with excitement in anticipation of the Oscars. The narrative about the awards was all about a woman finally being able to break through the boys club and claim the big...
EW Picks the 25 Top Working Directors
EW published a list of the “top” 25 working directors and they define top as “most talented, in-demand filmmakers behind the camera today”. Not surprisingly, only one woman, Kathryn Bigelow...
Kristen Schaal Takes on the Republicans War Against Women
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Attention Female Filmmakers: Submit Your Short Film to Lunafest by April 1 and Win $1,000
This is direct from our friends at Lunafest LUNAFEST® is a traveling film festival of notable and award-wining short films by, for and about women. Films tour 150+ venues and screen in front of...
Sofia Coppola Directs Natalie Portman in Dior Ad
At least a woman director is now getting some of the bucks for a commercial. I’m thinking that I’ve reached the Natalie Portman saturation point.
Tina Fey Stands Up for Working Moms (and Working Women) in Hollywood
I know that I am late to the game on this piece but I just read it over the weekend and there are some interesting things to discuss. First, I don’t think I can remember a woman as visible (in the...
Guest Post: Women of Cinematic Arts Inaugural Film Festival by Katherine Bowman
Women of Cinematic Arts held its inaugural film festival on February 5 at the Ray Stark Family Theatre at the University of Southern California. The festival featured new and upcoming filmmakers with...
Trailer Watch: Cracks Directed and Co-Written by Jordan Scott
Will open in the US on March 18
Guest Post: An Oscar Nominee Attends the Nomination Luncheon by Sara Nesson, director Poster Girl
I am a first time director, first time Oscar Nominee and first time blogger. Over the last 3½ years while making Poster Girl I have made little attempt to record my experiences, which I know I will...
Hollywood Trusts First Time Male Directors With Big Budget Flicks
The Hollywood Reporter just published a story that highlights a current trend in Hollywood — hiring first time dudes to direct big budget flicks. That doesn’t feel like news to me, but again...
Bird’s Eye View Film Festival Trailer
If I was going to be in London this March, this is the place I would be. Bird’s Eye View Film Festival
Christine Lahti and Maria Bello Book Pilots
Not only are Hollywood directors booking pilot gigs, but TV has become the place for female actresses over 40 whose names are not Meryl Streep or Helen Mirren to get substantive gigs. Christine Lahti...
Hollywood Hates Emma Watson’s Hair
For an industry that puts wigs on everyone all the time the blow back that Emma Watson has gotten over her pixie cut seems bizarre. Emma couldn’t cut her hair for a decade while she filmed the...
Kimberly Peirce Gets a Studio Directing Gig
Interesting News — director Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don’t Cry, Stop-Loss) just got a gig directing The Knife for Universal and Imagine. The reason why this is interesting is because so few...
No Shocker — Hollywood is Sexist and Ageist
I spend a lot of time talking about the plight of women directors, but make no mistake it is just as bad for women writers. The latest statistics show that only 10% of the top 250 grossing films...
New Directors/New Films — The Women
I always looks at the lineup of New Directors/New Films as a kind of Sundance east because some of the best of Sundance inevitably make it to NYC for this festival. Some highlights from Sundance will...
Meet the New Wonder Woman — Adrianne Palicki
I don’t know why I am so excited about this, but I am. I loved Adrianne on Friday Night Lights. I’m just gonna hope the show doesn’t suck. Scoop: TV’s New Wonder Woman Is Friday Night...
Trailer Watch: Cinema Verite directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini
Now we know- reality TV is all their fault.
New Directors/New Films – The Women
I always looks at the lineup of New Directors/New Films as a kind of Sundance east because some of the best of Sundance inevitably make it to NYC for this festival. Some highlights from Sundance...
House Actress Lisa Edelstein Stands Up for Abortion Rights
Here’s the new ad from Move on.org
Airbrushing Helen Mirren
Here is Helen Mirren in the Arthur poster and Helen Mirren in real life. Doesn’t her head look too big for her body in the Arthur poster?
Some News Missed Over the Last Week
Vera Farmiga’s Sundance film Higher Ground got picked up for distribution by Sony Pictures Classics. (Deadline) Charlize Theron joins Noomi Rapace in Prometheus. (MTV) Nicole Kidman and Rachel...
Trailer Watch: Oranges and Sunshine
Stars Emily Watson. Opens in the UK on April 1
Clip from Social Media Week Panel on Marketing Films to Women
PepsiCo sponsored a Social Media Week panel on film industry and how social media is being used to engage women and build audience. Here are some highlights from panelists including: * Melissa...
Barbra Streisand on the Grammys
In case you missed it
Guest Post: The Athena Film Festival Kicks Off by Kathleen Sweeney
The Athena Film Festival kicked off last night at Barnard College with an awards ceremony honoring the breakthrough achievements of thirteen extraordinary film world mavericks. Citing them as her...
INAUGURAL ATHENA FILM FESTIVAL: A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN AND LEADERSHIP
This is why you won’t see any new blog posts until next week- Hope to see you there INAUGURAL ATHENA FILM FESTIVALA CELEBRATION OF WOMEN AND LEADERSHIPNYC’s First Film Festival Focusing on...
Meryl as Maggie
They are on week two of filming. Film is directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Abi Morgan. Footage will be screened at Cannes. No US distributor yet.
Melissa Leo Goes for Her Oscar and Future
Melissa Leo wants to make sure that this year her Oscar campaign ends with a win. It also looks like she wants to get another gig. This woman has some serious guts to put herself out there with these...
Where’s Lisa Cholodenko’s Next Movie?
This is what came into my email last week. While I have nothing against Affleck, and his film The Town made money, it just made me think, where’s Lisa Cholodenko’s next gig? I know that Debra...
Kristin Schaal’s WGA Opening
Schaal hosted the east coast segment of the WGA Awards on Saturday evening. This will hopefully put her on the map for other awards shows. She rocked.
Panel Alert: How Social Media Can Be used to Help Build the Women’s Audience for Films
I’m going to be moderating and participating on this panel sponsored by Pepsico in advance of the Athena Film Festival later this week. Event Title: “How Social Media Can Be used to Help Build...
Latest Female Casting News
Now that Hollywood has secured an unknown Brit to take on the latest Superman reboot (and please tell why we need another Superman reboot; can’t people come up with something original), the search...
Trailer Watch: Yelling to the Sky Written and Directed by Victoria Mahoney
This film is going to Berlin and South by Southwest.
The Susan Smith Blackburn Finalists
This is the 33rd year of the awards that honor the most outstanding English written play by a woman. Julia Cho won the award in 2010. The 2011 nominees are (descriptions below):Lisa...
Trailer Watch: In a Better World Directed by Susanne Bier
This woman is a master. Her version of Brothers was way superior to the American remake and After the Wedding is stunning. She got screwed when she came here and made Things We Lost in the Fire. The...