BY Laura Berger
Trailer Watch: “The Elephant Queen” Embarks on an Epic Journey
An inspirational leader takes her loved ones on a dangerous journey into the unknown in “The Elephant Queen.” “There is an animal in Africa that truly reflects our sense of...
Online Harassment Doc “Netizens” in Wide Release for National Domestic Violence Month
A doc about women and online harassment is opening in wide release to coincide with National Domestic Violence Month. Cynthia Lowen’s “Netizens” will hit theaters October 22. A...
IDA Documentary Awards to Honor Freida Lee Mock and Rachel Lears
The International Documentary Association (IDA) has announced the 35th Annual IDA Documentary Awards’ honorees, and Freida Lee Mock and Rachel Lears are among them. The former is set to receive...
Catalina Aguilar Mastretta to Direct Multi-Generational Bilingual Comedy “This Day”
Catalina Aguilar Mastretta has lined up her next project. The “Vida” director has been tapped to helm “Este Dia,” or “This Day,” from Sony Pictures’ Stage 6...
Teaser Watch: Abigail Spencer Is on the Warpath in “Reprisal”
“All my life people have been underestimating me,” says Abigail Spencer in a new teaser for “Reprisal.” “Being underestimated is the greatest advantage you can have over...
Haifaa Al-Mansour’s “The Perfect Candidate” Added to the International Feature Film Oscar Race
Haifaa Al-Mansour’s portrait of a Saudi woman who runs for political office may be headed to the Oscars. Saudi Arabia has submitted “The Perfect Candidate” as its official entry for...
Mill Valley Film Fest 2019 Women Directors: Meet Sahraa Karimi – “Hava, Maryam, Ayesha”
Sahraa Karimi comes from the second generation of Afghan refugees in Iran. At the age of 15, she acted in two Iranian films, which led to her studying cinema in Slovakia. She graduated with a PhD in...
Gigi Saul Guerrero to Direct Horror Pic Inspired by Santa Muerte Mythology
Gigi Saul Guerrero is signed on to direct her first studio feature. She’ll helm an untitled horror pic for Screen Gems inspired by the mythology of Santa Muerte. Deadline broke the news. An...
Cynthia Erivo to Play Aretha Franklin in National Geographic’s “Genius”
Less than one month ago Cynthia Erivo-starrer “Harriet” made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Now the actress is set to follow up the Harriet Tubman biopic...
Martha Stephens’ “To the Stars” Snagged by Samuel Goldwyn
Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired North American rights to Martha Stephens’ latest, coming-of-age story “To the Stars.” Deadline broke the news. Written by Stephens and Shannon...
Trailer Watch: Abby Quinn and Stefanie Scott Let Loose in “Good Girls Get High”
A senior superlative sends two highschoolers over the edge in a new trailer for “Good Girls Get High.” After being voted “Biggest Good Girls” in their yearbook, BFFs Sam (Abby...
Trailer Watch: A Health Crisis Forces Artist Prune Nourry to Look Inward in “Serendipity”
Multi-disciplinary artist Prune Nourry always loved anatomy, and gained an international following for her projects exploring bioethics. “I was working a lot about the body, but I think I lost...
Mati Diop’s “Atlantics” Is Senegal’s Pick for International Feature Film Oscar Race
Mati Diop made history at Cannes and now she’s joining the Oscar race. A press release announced that Senegal has selected her feature debut, “Atlantics,” as the country’s...
Viola Davis to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at Rome Film Fest
Viola Davis is already the proud owner of an Oscar, Emmy, two Tonys, and dozens of other awards, and she’s set to add yet another honor to her vast collection. The “How to Get Away with...
Trailer Watch: Debby Ryan Can’t Escape the Drama in “Insatiable” Season 2
Dismissed as “a beauty queen with a hot boyfriend,” Patty’s (Debby Ryan) life remains far from perfect in Season 2 of “Insatiable.” By her own account, she’s...
BFI London FF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Christine Molloy – “Rose Plays Julie”
Christine Molloy hails from Dublin, Ireland, and works with her partner, Joe Lawlor. Between 2003 and 2010, they co-wrote and directed 10 acclaimed short films, including the award-winning “Who...
“Claws” Renewed for Fourth and Final Season
The Nail Artisans of Manatee County Salon are in it to win it. But time is running out. A press release announced that “Claws” has been renewed for a fourth and final season by...
Trailer Watch: Margot Robbie Gets a New Squad in “Birds of Prey”
“You know what a harlequin is?” asks Margot Robbie in the first trailer for “Birds of Prey.” ” A harlequin’s role is to serve. It’s nothing without a master....
Trailer Watch: A Trailblazing Film Critic Is Remembered in “What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael”
Many admired Pauline Kael. Many disparaged her. No one could deny her influence. A new trailer has dropped for “What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael,” a tribute to the polarizing late...
Trailer Watch: A Former First Lady Plots a Comeback in Lauren Greenfield’s “The Kingmaker”
“Perception is real and the truth is not,” says Imelda Marcos in a new trailer for “The Kingmaker.” According to her son, the former first lady of the Philippines is...
Trailer Watch: Naomi Watts Tries to Survive the Summer of Sam in “The Wolf Hour”
A trailer has dropped for “The Wolf Hour,” a psychological thriller that sees Naomi Watts playing a former counterculture hero who is now a shut-in. Set in July 1977 New York, the pic...
Trailer Watch: Kathryn Hahn Embraces Her Sexual Fantasies in “Mrs. Fletcher”
“Ever since my son went to college, I’ve been having these crazy fantasies,” says Kathryn Hahn in a new trailer for “Mrs. Fletcher.” An adaptation of the 2017 Tom...
Exclusive: Sailors Battle Sexism and Make History in “Maiden” Featurette
“Maiden” tells the story of the first-ever all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World Race. The year was 1989, and sailing was very male-dominated — a fact that...
“Hava, Maryam, Ayesha” and “Debut” Join the International Feature Film Oscar Race
Two more women-directed titles just entered the International Feature Film Oscar race. A press release announced that Afghanistan submitted Sahraa Karimi’s “Hava, Maryam, Ayesha”...
Lupita Nyong’o to Uncover the History of Warrior Women in Channel 4 Doc
Lupita Nyong’o is shining a light on a forgotten history. British broadcaster Channel 4 has commissioned “Warrior Women with Lupita Nyong’o,” a one-off documentary that will...
“The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open” Acquired by ARRAY
ARRAY Releasing has snagged worldwide rights to “The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open,” a Canadian drama that made its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film...
Quote of the Day: Elizabeth Banks on Wanting to Tell a Story About Sisterhood in “Charlie’s Angels”
Elizabeth Banks made box office history with “Pitch Perfect 2,” and now she’s prepping another high-profile women-centric story. The multi-hyphenate is co-writing, co-starring, exec...
Laura Dern to Receive Actress Tribute at the Gotham Awards
More major news for Laura Dern. About 24 hours ago it was announced that she’s returning to the “Jurassic Park” franchise, and now word comes that she’ll be honored at the...
Karen Maine’s Natalia Dyer-Starrer “Yes, God, Yes” Acquired by Vertical Entertainment
Vertical Entertainment has snagged U.S. rights to Karen Maine’s “Yes, God, Yes.” Described by its writer-director as “a love story between one woman and her vagina,” the...
Musical Adaptation of Jodi Picoult & Samantha Van Leer’s “Between the Lines” Is Headed Off-Broadway
Jodi Picoult’s novels have served as the source material for Cameron Diaz-starrer “My Sister’s Keeper” and Britt Robertson-led “The Tenth Circle,” among other...
Juliette Binoche Will Receive European Achievement in World Cinema Award
Juliette Binoche will be celebrated at the 32nd European Film Awards. The Oscar-winning French actress is set to receive the European Achievement in World Cinema Award, The Hollywood Reporter...
May el-Toukhy’s “Queen of Hearts” Is Denmark’s Pick for International Feature Film Oscar
More great news for May el-Toukhy. Less than a week ago she signed on to helm “The Lioness,” a biopic about “Out of Africa” writer Karen Blixen, and now word comes that she’s...
Sonejuhi Sinha’s “Stray Dolls” Goes to Samuel Goldwyn Films
Sonejuhi Sinha’s feature debut has found a home. Samuel Goldwyn Films snagged North America rights to “Stray Dolls,” a crime drama that world premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in...
NYFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Lynn Novick – “College Behind Bars”
Lynn Novick is an Emmy, Peabody, and Alfred I. duPont Columbia Award-winning filmmaker. For 30 years she has been directing and producing landmark documentary films about American culture, history,...
Trailer Watch: An Aspiring Pilot Is Grounded in Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s “Sitara: Let Girls Dream”
A trailer has dropped for Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s latest, an animated film about a teenage girl’s sky-high aspirations. Set in the old city of Lahore in the 1970s, “Sitara: Let...
Phoebe Waller-Bridge Signs Overall Deal with Amazon
Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s epic week just got even better. Less than 48 hours after dominating the Emmys on Sunday, the “Fleabag” and “Killing Eve” creator has signed...
Teaser Watch: Kat Dennings Gets Dumped and Needs Friends in “Dollface”
Kat Dennings is returning to TV. The “2 Broke Girls” alumna is back with a Hulu comedy, for which a teaser just dropped. “Dollface” sees the “Thor” actress...
Sigourney Weaver and Maya Forbes Team Up for Adaptation of “The Good House”
Maya Forbes and Sigourney Weaver are joining forces to bring “The Good House” to the big screen. The former will direct the latter in Amblin Partners’ adaptation of Ann...
Canada Submits Sophie Deraspe’s “Antigone” for the International Feature Film Oscar
“Antigone” just made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it claimed the Best Canadian Feature Film prize. Now it could be headed to the Oscars. A press...
Julie Andrews to Receive AFI Life Achievement Award
Julie Andrews is set to receive the American Film Institute’s (AFI) highest honor. The iconic actress will accept the 48th AFI Life Achievement Award, a press release announced. A three-time...
Teaser Watch: Kerry Washington Searches for Her Missing Teen in “American Son”
Kerry Washington’s stuck inside a living nightmare in a new teaser for “American Son.” The Netflix feature sees the “Scandal” alumna playing Kendra, a mother desperate...
Justine Triet’s “Sibyl” Lands at Music Box
“Sibyl” has found a home. Variety reports that Music Box Films acquired U.S. and Canadian rights to Justine Triet’s dark comedy, which was one of just four women-directed titles to...
Céline Sciamma to Be Honored with 2019 Stockholm Visionary Award
“Portrait of a Lady on Fire” doesn’t hit U.S. theaters until December 6, but Céline Sciamma has been receiving prizes and acclaim for the period romance since its world premiere at...
Trailer Watch: Lesley Manville Battles Cancer in “Ordinary Love”
“There isn’t a moment I won’t be there with you,” Liam Neeson tells Lesley Manville in a new trailer for “Ordinary Love.” Joan (Manville) and Tom (Neeson) have...
“GLOW” Renewed for Fourth and Final Season by Netflix
Ruth and Debbie are stepping into the ring for their swan song. Netflix has renewed “GLOW” for a fourth and final season. A press release announced that creators Liz Flahive and Carly...
Haley Lu Richardson and Barbie Ferreira Will Topline Rachel Lee Goldenberg’s “UNpregnant”
Haley Lu Richardson and Barbie Ferreira are hitting the road in pursuit of safe and legal abortion. The pair are signed on to topline road trip movie “UNpregnant” for HBO Max, the premium...
Trailer Watch: Alfre Woodard Is a Prison Warden with a Heavy Conscience in “Clemency”
“You can’t understand. You can’t know what it’s like. I am alone,” says Alfre Woodard in a new trailer for “Clemency.” The Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning...
Cynthia Nixon, Kathy Najimy, & More Team Up for “Jane: Abortion and the Underground” Benefit Reading
Cynthia Nixon, Ana Gasteyer, and Kathy Najimy are teaming up to protect reproductive rights. The trio are part of the cast for a reading of Paula Kamen’s documentary play “Jane: Abortion and...
Trailer Watch: Alla Kovgan Pays Tribute to a Visionary Choreographer in “Cunningham”
“A formalist at heart, I am drawn to the genius of Merce Cunningham — the intricacies of his mind, the approaches he invented while making his dances, and his philosophy that he followed,...
“Saint Maud” Lands at A24
A24 has snagged North American rights to “Saint Maud” following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Rose Glass’ psychological horror pic was the only...
Trailer Watch: Blake Lively Is Ready for Revenge in Reed Morano’s “The Rhythm Section”
Spotted: Blake Lively on the warpath in a new trailer for “The Rhythm Section.” Reed Morano’s latest sees the “Gossip Girl” alumna determined to exact revenge after she...