BY Laura Berger
Trailer Watch: Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba Are “L.A.’s Finest” in “Bad Boys” Spinoff
“L.A.’s Finest” sees Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba playing cops who have done some “crazy shit” in their day. A new trailer for the “Bad Boys” spinoff...
Olivia Colman to Receive BFI Fellowship
All hail Queen Olivia Colman. The “Favourite” star is set to receive the British Film Institute’s (BFI) highest honor, a BFI Fellowship. Set to accept the honor at the BFI...
Rachel Morrison to Direct “Hightown” for Starz
History-making cinematographer Rachel Morrison is adding another major credit to her resume. Deadline reports that she’s been tapped by Starz to direct “Hightown,” an upcoming crime...
Women in Politics Doc “Knock Down the House” Nabs Record Sundance Deal, Wins Fest Fave Award
We already knew “Knock Down the House” was one of Sundance 2019’s biggest winners. Rachel Lears’ documentary about four working-class, progressive women running for Congress...
Netflix Orders Bilingual Latinx Dramedy “Gente-fied” Exec Produced by America Ferrera
America Ferrera made history as the first Latina actress to win an Emmy for lead actress in a comedy series, and she’s working to ensure others follow in her footsteps. The...
Maggie Kiley to Direct Pilot for “Riverdale” Spin-Off “Katy Keene”
Josie McCoy (Ashleigh Murray) is leaving Riverdale and her gig singing at Le Bonne Nuit behind to pursue her dreams in New York City, and Maggie Kiley will be behind the camera capturing all the...
Berlinale 2019 Women Directors: Meet Lone Scherfig – “The Kindness of Strangers”
Lone Scherfig is an award-winning writer and director. Her first feature, “The Birthday Trip,” screened at the 1991 Berlinale and won several awards at festivals worldwide. Her more recent...
“Power” Creator Courtney A. Kemp Developing Cop Drama for HBO
Courtney A. Kemp has a project about dirty cops in the works at HBO. The “Power” creator is joining forces with Lionsgate TV head of scripted Chris Selak to develop “Dirty...
Kelly Marcel to Make Directorial Debut with “Ferryman” Adaptation
Best known for writing the screenplays for “Venom,” “Fifty Shades of Grey,” and “Saving Mr. Banks,” Kelly Marcel is set to make her directorial debut. The BAFTA...
“The Hate U Give” Author Angie Thomas Re-Teaming with Fox for Adaption of Her Next Book
Angie Thomas’ new novel, “On the Come Up,” hits bookshelves today but the story is already on its way to the big screen. The author is re-teaming with Fox 2000, the studio behind...
Trailer Watch: Nine Pacific Female Filmmakers Team Up for Berlinale Pic “Vai”
Written and directed by nine Pacific female filmmakers and filmed on seven Pacific islands, “Vai” depicts one woman’s life story in eight separate moments. When a young Vai asks a...
Paramount Accepts #4PercentChallenge from Time’s Up and Annenberg Inclusion Initiative
Paramount has accepted Time’s Up and the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative’s #4PercentChallenge. Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, and Paramount Players are committing to announcing...
Jessica Barth and Caitlin Dulany Launch Voices in Action to Combat Sexual Misconduct
Jessica Barth and Caitlin Dulany met under strange and difficult circumstances. They and nine other women were being filmed at a coffee shop while discussing personal trauma. All 11 of them had...
Sundance Deals: “One Child Nation,” “Honey Boy,” and “American Factory”
This year’s edition of Sundance Film Festival wrapped up yesterday, but many of the titles in the program have plenty of screenings to come: three more women-directed and co-directed titles...
Women Dominate Sundance 2019 Awards: Chinonye Chukwu, Nanfu Wang, & More
Exactly zero women are up for Best Director at the upcoming Oscars, and none of the films nominated for Best Picture are helmed by women. Fortunately, the Sundance Awards are here to remind everyone...
Trailer Watch: A Police Shooting Leaves Families Reeling in “The Red Line”
Three families’ fates intertwine in a newly released trailer for “The Red Line.” Exec produced by “A Wrinkle in Time” helmer Ava DuVernay and set in Chicago, CBS’...
“Diary of a Female President” Series Coming to Disney+, Gina Rodriguez Exec Producing
“Jane the Virgin” breakout Gina Rodriguez has much to celebrate this week, perhaps over one of Abuela’s famous grilled cheese sandwiches. “Miss Bala,” which marks her...
Sundance 2019 Women Directors: Meet May el-Toukhy – “Queen of Hearts”
Writer-director May el-Toukhy worked in theater before moving to film. In addition to her feature directorial debut “Long Story Short,” she has directed radio dramas, stage plays, and...
Carey Mulligan Teams Up with Emerald Fennell for “Promising Young Woman”
2019 is shaping up to be a banner year for Emerald Fennell. Best known for her role as Patsy on beloved BBC drama “Call the Midwife,” the multi-hyphenate plays Camilla Parker Bowles in...
Trailer Watch: Olivia Wilde Takes Down Abusers in Sarah Daggar-Nickson’s “A Vigilante”
We can only imagine what Olivia Wilde’s character in “A Vigilante” would do to get her hands on Perry from “Big Little Lies.” A trailer has dropped for Sarah...
Brie Larson Sets “Unicorn Store” and “Lady Business” at Netflix
Brie Larson’s feature directorial debut premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and went on to screen at the 2018 Edinburgh International Film Festival, but after that the...
Sundance: “Knock Down the House,” “Them That Follow,” and More Land Distribution
Sundance doesn’t just present filmmakers with the opportunity to have their films seen — the fest is also a great place to have your work seen by someone who wants to buy it. Gurinder...
Gabriela Cowperthwaite Teaming Up with Dakota Johnson for “The Friend”
Gabriela Cowperthwaite is following up Kate Mara-starrer “Megan Leavey” with another feature inspired by a true story. She’s teaming up with “Suspiria” actress Dakota...
“Westworld’s” Lisa Joy to Make Feature Directorial Debut with Sci-Fi “Reminiscence”
“Westworld” co-creator Lisa Joy is taking on another sci-fi story for her feature directorial debut. She’ll helm “Reminiscence,” a co-production between Kilter Films,...
Elizabeth Banks Set to Direct and Produce “The Grace Year” for Universal
In news that suggests Elizabeth Banks may be the owner of a time-turner, the prolific multi-hyphenate has added yet another project to her slate. She’s signed on to direct and produce...
Sundance 2019 Women Directors: Meet Cristina Ibarra – “The Infiltrators”
Cristina Ibarra has been making award-winning films that explore the U.S.-Mexico border for the past 16 years. Her PBS-broadcast documentary “Las Marthas” premiered on “Independent...
Apply Now: “Women Writing Competition” with Year-Long Development Deal
Kyra Sedgwick’s Big Swing Productions is teaming up with SeriesFest to broaden opportunities for women writers with the “Women Writing Competition,” which is seeking new series and...
Chloë Grace Moretz to Topline Roseanne Liang Horror Pic “Shadow in the Cloud”
Roseanne Liang has lined up yet another project. Already attached to direct a feature version of her short “Do No Harm” as well as thriller “Fuse,” the Chinese-New Zealand...
Hannah Simone, Darlene Hunt, and More Land Pilot Orders
Three female-led comedies from women have received pilot orders in recent days. We’re one step closer to seeing Patricia Heaton-starrer “Carol’s Second Act,” an untitled...
Trailer Watch: Gina Torres Enters the World of Politics in “Suits” Spinoff “Pearson”
Gina Torres lost her passion for the law, and was disbarred, in “Suits,” but it looks like she’s found a new calling in the series’ upcoming spinoff. USA Network has dropped a...
Heartland Film Fest Signs Gender Parity Pledge
More fests are showing support — and agreeing to do their part — in making the film industry more inclusive. Heartland Film Inc., the nonprofit organizer of the Heartland International...
Sundance 2019 Women Directors: Meet Petra Costa – “The Edge of Democracy”
Petra Costa is a Brazilian filmmaker whose work encompasses both fiction and nonfiction. Her first film, “Elena,” premiered at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. Her...
Ava DuVernay’s Array Acquires Sundance Title “Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen”
Ava DuVernay made history at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival when she became the first Black woman to take home the Directing Award for U.S. Dramatic Film. She won the honor for “Middle of...
Lauren Greenfield Launches Girl Culture Films to Address Lack of Diversity Behind the Scenes in Advertising
Remember Always’ #LikeaGirl ad? Besides inducing tears around the world, the viral sensation won an Emmy, 14 Cannes Lions, and became part of the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection....
Robin Thede’s “Black Lady Sketch Show” Coming to HBO, Issa Rae Exec Producing
Robin Thede and Issa Rae are teaming up for a sketch comedy series that’s not dominated by white men. Titled “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” the upcoming half-hour HBO series will...
Chinonye Chukwu to Direct Female-Led Black Panther Drama “A Taste of Power”
Chinonye Chukwu is having a dynamite week. She just premiered her latest film, “Clemency,” at Sundance over the weekend — where it received a standing ovation — and now word...
Apple Snags Global Rights to Minhal Baig’s Feature Debut “Hala”
“Hala” has found a home. Written and directed by Minhal Baig and based on her short of the same name, the coming-of-age story just premiered at Sundance. Apple scooped up worldwide rights...
Trailer Watch: A Doctor Goes to Sea and Finds a Moral Crisis in “Styx”
An E.R. doctor sets sail to a small island that promises wild, untouched nature and gets more than she bargained for in a trailer for “Styx.” Rieke’s (Susanne Wolff, “The...
Caroline Friend and Zenzele Niambi Ojore Named Horizon Award Winners at Sundance
Caroline Friend and Zenzele Niambi Ojore are the winners of the fifth annual Horizon Award, a press release announced. Their self-directed short films were chosen from over 400 submissions. Given in...
Gurinder Chadha’s “Blinded by the Light” Lands Biggest Deal of Sundance 2019
Gurinder Chadha and The Boss made magic. The British filmmaker’s tribute to Bruce Springsteen, fandom, and following your dreams is poised to secure the biggest deal out of Sundance 2019 so...
Julie Dash to Direct Angela Davis Biopic
One trailblazer is set to bring another’s life story to the big screen. Julie Dash, who made history as the first black female director to helm a feature with a theatrical release with...
Mindy Kaling and Nisha Ganatra Score Record Deal for “Late Night” at Sundance
Mindy Kaling is making a major mark at Sundance 2019. The screenwriter, producer, and star of “Late Night” just landed a record deal for the comedy. Amazon Studios came out of an...
Sundance 2019 Women Directors: Meet Anne Sewitsky – “Sonja – The White Swan”
Anne Sewitsky is a Norwegian-American filmmaker. Her debut film, “Happy Happy,” won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2011 and was Norway’s Academy Award entry the same year. Her next...
Sundance 2019 Women Directors: Meet Sophie Hyde – “Animals”
Sophie Hyde’s debut fiction film “52 Tuesdays” won the directing award in the World Cinema Dramatic section at Sundance and the Crystal Bear at the Berlin International Film...
Sundance 2019 Women Directors: Meet Minhal Baig – “Hala”
Minhal Baig is a writer and director. In 2017, she was chosen as a directing mentee for Ryan Murphy’s Half Foundation Directing Mentorship. Currently, she is a story editor on Netflix’s...
Trailer Watch: Join an All-Female Sailing Crew as They Race Around the World in “Maiden”
“For me, sailing is about freedom — freedom of everything. I was leaving everything behind,” says Tracy Edwards in a new trailer for “Maiden.” The documentary revisits...
Sundance Pic “Hala” Adopted the Inclusion Rider
Written and directed by Minhal Baig, “Hala” is a coming-of-age story centering around a 17-year-old girl (Geraldine Viswanathan) raised in a conservative Muslim household. The film is...
Sundance 2019 Women Directors: Meet Mirrah Foulkes – “Judy and Punch”
Mirrah Foulkes is an award-winning Australian actor, writer, and director. Foulkes has directed three short films: “Dumpy Goes to the Big Smoke,” “Florence Has Left The...
Trailer Watch: Patricia Clarkson Investigates a Murder, Time, & Space in “Out of Blue”
“Do you know your place in the universe?” A new trailer for “Out of Blue” doesn’t shy away from the big questions. Far from a typical police procedural, Carol...
Editor Thelma Schoonmaker to Receive Major Honor from BAFTA
A three-time Oscar winner, Thelma Schoonmaker is set to be recognized with another prestigious honor. The “Raging Bull” editor will receive a BAFTA Fellowship at the EE British Academy...
Joanna Hogg Lands Distribution for “The Souvenir – Part 2” Before “Part 1’s” Sundance Premiere
Another installment of “The Souvenir” is in the works. Ahead of the film’s world premiere at Sundance 2019, A24 has snagged North American rights for its sequel, Deadline confirms....