BY Laura Berger
“The Power of the Dog” Producer Tanya Seghatchian to Head London Film Fest’s Main Jury
Tanya Seghatchian has been named head of this year’s BFI London Film Festival’s official competition jury. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the “Power of the Dog” producer...
Trailer Watch: “Descendant” Spotlights the Legacy of the Last Slave Ship to Arrive in U.S.
“You have this type of history, your ancestors are going to always talk to you,” we’re told in a new trailer for Margaret Brown’s “Descendant.” The Netflix doc...
Bess Wohl’s “Baby Ruby” Acquired by Magnet Releasing, Noémie Merlant Stars
“Baby Ruby” has landed North American distribution following its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival last month. Magnolia Pictures snagged rights to Bess Wohl’s...
New “American Pie” Pic in the Works from Sujata Day
Sujata Day is bringing a “fresh take” to the “American Pie” franchise. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the “Definition Please” filmmaker and...
“In the Bones” Director Kelly Duane de la Vega Talks Mississippi and Fighting the Patriarchy
Kelly Duane de la Vega’s award-winning documentaries have screened at film festivals worldwide, opened theatrically, and broadcast nationally on PBS and Netflix. “The Two Killings of Sam...
NYFF 2022 Women Directors: Meet Margaret Brown – “Descendant”
Margaret Brown’s documentary work examines the American South, from a seminal film on Townes Van Zandt “Be Here to Love Me,” to the impactful story of the BP oil spill’s lasting impact “The...
NYFF 2022 Women Directors: Meet Huang Ji – “Stonewalling”
Huang Ji is an award-winning independent filmmaker based in Beijing. Born in Hunan in 1984, she studied screenwriting in the Beijing Film Academy. Since her first short film, “The Warmth of...
Saela Davis & Anna Rose Holmer on Exploring the Fragility of Forgiveness in “God’s Creatures”
Saela Davis and Anna Rose Holmer are filmmakers based in Brooklyn, New York. Over the past decade, they’ve collaborated on multiple short- and long-form fiction and nonfiction works. Each has...
Trailer Watch: Margaret Qualley Is Journalist in a Gambler’s Paradise in Claire Denis’ “Stars at Noon”
Claire Denis follows up “Fire,” a steamy romance about a love triangle with Juliette Binoche at its center, with another sexually-charged story in “Stars at Noon.” A trailer...
Trailer Watch: Cate Blanchett Is a Conductor in Crisis in “Tár”
A trailer has arrived for Cate Blanchett’s latest awards contender. The seven-time Oscar nominee and two-time winner toplines “Tár,” the story of a trailblazing conductor who...
Morocco Enters Maryam Touzani’s “The Blue Caftan” Into International Oscar Race
Maryam Touzani is being chosen to represent Morocco at the Academy Awards once again. Deadline reports that the country is submitting her second feature, Cannes Un Certain Regard title “The...
Trailer Watch: Nina Menkes’ “Brainwashed” Exposes How Women Are Dehumanized in Cinema
“The male gaze is definitely normalized in our society,” we’re told in a new trailer for “Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power.” The doc explores how women are objectified in...
Trailer Watch: Jamie Lee Curtis Takes on Michael Myers One Last Time in “Halloween Ends”
Jamie Lee Curtis’ decades-long battle with Michael Myers is coming to a bloody close. A new trailer has arrived for “Halloween Ends,” the final installment of the horror franchise,...
Trailer Watch: A Pre-Teen Bonds with Her Dad in Charlotte Wells’ “Aftersun”
From writer-director Charlotte Wells, “Aftersun” tells the story of an 11-year-old girl’s vacation with her young father. A new trailer for the acclaimed drama provides snapshots of...
Laura Mora Lands San Sebastian Film Fest’s Top Honor for “The Kings of The World”
For the third year in a row, a woman-directed feature has taken home San Sebastian Film Festival’s top honor, the Golden Shell. Deadline reports that Colombian filmmaker Laura Mora topped the...
Teaser Watch: Jennifer Lopez is a Deadly Assassin in Niki Caro’s “The Mother”
After showing off her strength by dominating the pole in “Hustlers,” Jennifer Lopez is crushing chin-ups in a teaser for her latest project, “The Mother.” From...
France Submits Alice Diop’s Venice Winner “Saint Omer” as its International Oscar Pick
Alice Diop’s first narrative feature is eyeing an Oscar nomination. Deadline reports that France has submitted “Saint Omer,” this year’s winner of Venice Film Festival’s...
Mercedes Bryce Morgan’s “Spoonful of Sugar” Lands at Shudder, Morgan Saylor Stars
“Spoonful of Sugar” is heading to Shudder. Deadline reports that the streaming service has acquired Mercedes Bryce Morgan’s sophomore feature, a psychological horror story...
Trailer Watch: Kaitlyn Dever Tries to Break Up Romeo and Juliet in Karen Maine’s “Rosaline”
“The greatest love story ever told was missing a chapter. Mine,” says Kaitlyn Dever in a new trailer for Karen Maine’s “Rosaline.” A comedic take on Shakespeare’s...
Pick of the Day: “Nothing Compares”
It’s not an unusual for docs paying tribute to musical artists to begin with a performance, but I’ve never seen anything quite like the opening scene of “Nothing Compares”...
Pick of the Day: “Catherine Called Birdy”
“You have wings. You must learn how to harness them,” the 14-year-old protagonist of “Catherine Called Birdy” is advised midway through the Medieval coming-of-age pic....
Trailer Watch: Sarah Jones Explores the Sex Industry in “Sell/Buy/Date”
Sarah Jones is exploring a topic that’s “not often talked about:” the sex industry. “Sell/Buy/Date,” an adaptation of the Tony Award-winning performer, writer, comedian,...
Trailer Watch: Carlota Pereda Tells a Bloody Coming-of-Age Story in “Piggy”
Bullied mercilessly by her fatphobic peers and misunderstood at home, Sara can’t find refuge in anyone or anything other than her headphones, which help drown out the cruel voices that surround...
Exclusive: Abigail Disney Calls Out Inequality in “The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales” Clip
Abigail Disney’s latest pulls back the curtain on the happiest place on Earth. “The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales” sees the activist, philanthropist, and filmmaker following...
Trailer Watch: Ondi Timoner Says Goodbye to Her Father in “Last Flight Home”
“I’m ready to go to the next adventure,” says Eli Timoner in a new trailer for “Last Flight Home.” Described as “so full of life” and “a pillar of...
Metrograph Announces Sally Potter Retrospective
New York City’s Metrograph is launching a retrospective of Sally Potter. Titled “Yes: The Films of Sally Potter,” the event will showcase seven of the the British filmmaker’s...
Trailer Watch: “Battleground” Goes Inside the Anti-Abortion Movement
Described by director Cynthia Lowen as an “urgently timely window into the intersection of abortion and politics in America,” “Battleground” follows three women who lead...
Alice Diop’s Venice Winner “Saint Omer” Lands U.S. Distribution From Super
“Saint Omer” has landed U.S. distribution on the heels of its North American debut at the Toronto International Film Festival. Deadline reports that Super, Neon’s boutique label,...
Justine Bateman Teams Up with Mary-Louise Parker, Carrie-Anne Moss, & More for “Face” Adaptation
Justine Bateman is lining up a star-studded cast for “Face,” her sophomore directorial effort. Mary-Louise Parker (“Weeds”), Carrie-Anne Moss (“The Matrix”...
Join the Girls Club for a Chat with “The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales” Co-Director Abigail Disney
“The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales” co-director and producer Abigail Disney will be taking part in a virtual conversation event with the Girls Club about the documentary exploring...
Agnieszka Smoczyńska on Exploring the Bond Between Sisters in “The Silent Twins”
Agnieszka Smoczyńska is a Polish film and television writer and director. She is an alumnus of the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School in Katowice. She is most known for her debut feature film...
Trailer Watch: Kasi Lemmons & Naomi Ackie Tell Whitney Houston’s Story in “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”
The story behind the greatest voice of her generation is coming to the big screen. A trailer has dropped for “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” Kasi Lemmons’ Whitney Houston biopic. In...
Trailer Watch: Brandi Carlile Pushes For “The Return of Tanya Tucker”
“When I heard that Tanya Tucker hadn’t made a record in the better part of 15 years, I suddenly realized how potent an influence Tanya Tucker has been on women in country music,”...
Carla Simon’s Berlinale Winner “Alcarràs” Named as Spain’s Oscar Pick
This year’s recipient of the Berlinale’s highest honor may be heading to the Oscars. Spain has selected Golden Bear winner “Alcarràs” as its pick for the international...
Austria Submits Marie Kreutzer’s “Corsage” for Oscars, Drops Trailer for the Vicky Krieps-Starrer
“Corsage” is eyeing a trip to the Academy Awards. Austria has selected Marie Kreutzer’s portrait of Empress Elisabeth of Austria as its pick for the 2023 international feature film...
Issa Rae’s “Rap Sh!t” Renewed for a Second Season at HBO Max
Shawna and Mia are just warming up. The aspiring rappers will continue their journey in Season 2 of “Rap Sh!t.” Deadline reports that HBO Max has renewed the comedy. Created by...
TIFF 2022 Women Directors: Meet Lila Neugebauer – “Causeway”
Lila Neugebauer is a theater, film, and television director from New York City. Her stage work includes the Tony-nominated Broadway revival of Kenneth Lonergan’s “The Waverly Gallery,” starring...
TIFF 2022 Women Directors: Meet Frances O’Connor -“Emily”
Frances O’Connor is an Australian-English actress living in London who is best known for her film roles in “Mansfield Park” and “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Her TV...
Georgia Oakley’s Venice Winner “Blue Jean” Acquired by Magnolia Pictures
“Blue Jean” has secured North American distribution on the heels of its world premiere at Venice Film Festival, where it landed the Giornate degli Autori People’s Choice Award....
Anna Kendrick to Make Directorial Debut with True Crime Pic “The Dating Game”
Less than a week ahead of the world premiere of her latest film, “Alice, Darling,” word comes that Anna Kendrick is stepping behind the camera. Deadline reports that the Oscar-nominated...
Trailer Watch: Jessica Chastain Risks It All to Protect Her Patients in “The Good Nurse”
Jessica Chastain crosses paths with a Dr. Death-type in “The Good Nurse.” A new trailer for the Netflix thriller introduces us to Amy (Chastain), a single mom dealing with long shifts at...
Buffy Sainte-Marie to Receive TIFF Tribute Award
Buffy Sainte-Marie is getting a TIFF Tribute Award at the 47th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival. The Oscar-winning Indigenous Canadian-American musician will be honored with the...
Trailer Watch: Mila Kunis Is the “Luckiest Girl Alive”
“I don’t know what’s me and what part I invented,” Mila Kunis admits in a new trailer for “Luckiest Girl Alive.” Netflix’s adaptation of Jessica...
TIFF 2022 Women Directors: Meet Sophie Jarvis – “Until Branches Bend”
Sophie Jarvis studied at Simon Fraser University, where she made her short film “The Worst Day Ever,” which premiered at TIFF in 2012. Since then, she has gone on to direct primarily...
Olympian & Grammy Nominee Savanah Leaf Teams with A24 on Her Feature Debut “Earth Mama”
Savanah Leaf is getting backing from A24 on the next chapter of her remarkably varied career. The former Olympian is making her feature directorial debut with “Earth Mama,” a...
Teaser Watch: Sally El Hosaini Spotlights Refugee Sisters & Olympic Hopefuls in “The Swimmers”
Set to open this year’s edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, “The Swimmers” depicts two refugees’ epic journey from war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics. A...
Eva Vitija on Paying Tribute to “The Price of Salt” Author Patricia Highsmith in “Loving Highsmith”
Eva Vitija has written many feature film scripts for cinema and television, including “Meier,” “Marilyn,” “Madly in Love,” and “Sommervögel.”...
Linda Mendoza to Direct Michelle Buteau-Led Netflix Comedy Series “Survival of the Thickest”
Linda Mendoza has been tapped to helm the first two episodes of Netflix’s Michelle Buteau-starrer “Survival of the Thickest.” A press release announced the news. Created by Buteau...
Trailer Watch: Anna Diop Is a “Nanny” Who Is Being Haunted in Nikyatu Jusu’s Debut Feature
“The spirits are trying to warn you. Do not ignore the signs,” Anna Diop is told in a new trailer for “Nanny.” Nikyatu Jusu’s award-winning feature debut sees the...
Jessica Barden to Lead Soccer Drama from Mandie Fletcher
Weeks after the launch of Prime Video’s “A League of Their Own” adaptation, word comes that another story about women in sports is on the way. Jessica Barden, perhaps best known for...
Michelle Yeoh to Receive Inaugural TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award
Michelle Yeoh is making history at the Toronto International Film Festival. The “Everything Everywhere All At Once” star has been named as the inaugural recipient of the TIFF Share Her...