BY Laura Berger
Trailer Watch: Oprah Demands Justice in “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”
“What you don’t understand is, we didn’t know nothin’ about nothin,” Deborah Lacks (Oprah Winfrey, “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”) says in a new trailer for “The Immortal Life of...
Fusion Orders Dawn Porter Doc “Fatherless”
Dawn Porter has a new project on the way. Fusion has commissioned an hour-long documentary from the “Trapped” helmer, Realscreen reports. “Fatherless” will focus on “Grace & Frankie”...
Trailer Watch: Melissa McCarthy’s Old Friends Lie for a Job in TV Land’s “Nobodies”
Melissa McCarthy is not the star of “Nobodies,” but she does appear in a trailer for the upcoming TV Land series. The comedy centers on characters played by significantly less famous...
“Somersault” Director Cate Shortland Has a Miniseries in the Works
Australian filmmaker Cate Shortland is returning to the small screen. The “Somersault” and “Lore” director is working on an eight-part miniseries for Matchbox Pictures, The Playlist reports....
Zoe Lister-Jones’ “Band Aid” Gets a Release Date
Dysfunctional bands are usually notorious for their diva antics, exploitation of adoring fans, and drug addictions — not passive-aggressive discussions about personal hygiene and doing the...
Trailer Watch: Kate Mara Fights for Her Combat Dog in Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s “Megan Leavey”
“I just don’t know why you want to do this” is not the reaction you’re hoping to hear when you tell your mom a major life decision, but it’s the one Megan (Kate Mara, “House of Cards”)...
Eve Ensler’s “In the Body of the World” Set for Off-Broadway Run, Diane Paulus to Direct
Even if you’ve never seen “The Vagina Monologues” performed live, you’re almost certainly familiar with its title. The groundbreaking episodic play has been staged countless times in over...
Exclusive: Reba McEntire Talks Patsy Cline’s Influence in “Patsy Cline: American Masters” Clip
“She brought a dignity to a woman’s feelings,” actress and singer Beverly D’Angelo says of legendary country star Patsy Cline in our exclusive clip of PBS’ “Patsy Cline: American...
“Margarita with a Straw” Helmer Shonali Bose Signs on to Write & Direct Potential Pilot
Indian filmmaker Shonali Bose may be making her TV directorial debut. The “Margarita with a Straw” co-writer and co-director has signed on to write and direct a potential pilot based on Diksha...
Trailer Watch: Rami Malek Is Split in Two in Sarah Adina Smith’s “Buster’s Mal Heart”
The newly released trailer for Sarah Adina Smith’s “Buster’s Mal Heart” goes to some heady and heavy places, but the spot kicks off with a hilarious interaction between a man and his boss....
Relaunched Quad Cinema to Host Lina Wertmüller Retrospective
Italian filmmaker Lina Wertmüller made history as the first woman to receive an Academy Award for Best Director back in 1977 for “Seven Beauties.” The trailblazer’s prolific career will be...
Los Angeles Women’s International Film Festival Kicks Off March 23 with “The Drowning”
In LA next week and want to support films by and about women? Rather than checking out a single film at a multiplex, consider attending a female-led film fest. The 13th annual Los Angeles Women’s...
Viola Davis’ Production Company Raising Significant Cash
Viola Davis won an Oscar less than a month ago and is showing no signs of slowing down. The “Fences” actress is “embarking on an effort to raise $250,000,000 in a global expansion plan for the...
Trailer Watch: “Wonder Woman” Is the Fiercest Amazon Warrior
Want to know how Wonder Woman became Wonder Woman? A new trailer for the Gal Gadot-led superhero film offers some insight into the Amazon warrior’s epic origin story. “You will train her harder...
SXSW 2017 Women Directors: Meet Lysa Heslov — “Served Like a Girl”
Lysa Heslov is a director and producer who, along with her husband Grant Heslov, founded Children Mending Hearts, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering disadvantaged youth in the U.S....
SXSW 2017 Women Directors: Meet Natalia Leite — “M.F.A.”
Natalia Leite is a writer/director/actress, born in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Her feature film debut, “Bare,” premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2015, starring Dianna Agron and Paz De La Huerta....
SXSW 2017 Women Directors: Meet Noël Wells — “Mr. Roosevelt”
Noël Wells is an actor, writer, and director based in LA. Her acting credits include “Happy Anniversary,” “F*cking People,” and “Master of None.” She is also currently developing a show...
SXSW 2017 Women Directors: Meet Anna Koch — “Win by Fall”
Anna Koch studied directing at the German Film & Television Academy Berlin (dffb). Her short film credits include “Sisters” and “Fata Morgana.” “Win by Fall” is her first feature...
SXSW 2017 Women Directors: Meet Valerie Weiss — “The Archer”
Valerie Weiss is an award-winning filmmaker and scientist. Her directing credits include “A Light Beneath Their Feet,” “Losing Control,” “Chicago Med,” and an upcoming episode of...
Quote of the Day: Brie Larson Talks Women Directors and Representation
“I love that we’re seeing stronger women on the screen — but I don’t think that’s the end of this conversation,” says Brie Larson in a new interview with BBC News. The Oscar-winning...
Trailer Watch: Charlize Theron is a Killer Queen in “Atomic Blonde”
Meet Lorraine Broughton, “an expert in escape and evasion,” and “proficient in intelligence collection and hand-to-hand combat.” But rather than focusing on what we’re told about MI6’s...
Kerry Washington to Produce Adaptation of Brit Bennett’s “The Mothers”
Kerry Washington is set to produce another mother-centric film through her Simpson Street production banner, The Hollywood Reporter writes. About a month after the “Scandal” star was first...
Gurinder Chadha Donates Her Working Archive to British Film Institute
Want to learn more about the creative process of an internationally renowned woman director with decades of experience? You’re in luck. Gurinder Chadha has donated her entire working archive to...
“Orange Is the New Black’s” Laverne Cox to Star in ABC Comedy Pilot “The Trustee”
Laverne Cox is going from Litchfield to the police force. The Emmy-nominated “Orange Is the New Black” actress has been added to the cast of ABC’s hour-long pilot “The Trustee,” Deadline...
SXSW 2017 Women Directors: Meet Karen Skloss — “The Honor Farm”
Karen Skloss is an award-winning filmmaker whose work has been shown on HBO, at the MoMA, in wide theatrical release, and in film festivals internationally. She is also the drummer for the band...
Exclusive: Chicken & Egg Pictures Announces 2017 Accelerator Lab Finalists
Chicken & Egg Pictures has announced the ten women-directed and co-directed projects selected to participate in their 2017 Accelerator Lab, a program designed to support first- and second-time...
Trailer Watch: Scarlett Johansson and Kate McKinnon Redefine “Rough Night”
Old friends, shots, and recreational drug use seem like pretty great ingredients for a wild bachelorette party, but manslaughter? Not so much. A Red Band trailer has landed for Lucia Aniello’s...
SXSW 2017 Women Directors: Meet Chris Shellen — “Spettacolo”
Chris Shellen is a writer and filmmaker based in California. She produced the award-winning documentary “Marwencol” and co-authored the companion art book, “Welcome to Marwencol,” which was...
Margot Robbie to Star in “Marian,” Based on Character from Robin Hood Folklore
Ready to see Margot Robbie kick some more ass? The “Suicide Squad” actress has signed on to star in “Marian” for Sony, Deadline reports. Plenty of movies have focused on Robin Hood, but...
Piper Laurie to Be Honored with Special Event at Ojai Film Festival
The most terrifying mom in film history is getting much-deserved props. “Carrie” star Piper Laurie will be celebrated with a special event in her honor at the upcoming Ojai Film Festival, The...
“One Day at a Time” Renewed for Season 2
The Alvarez family isn’t going anywhere, thankfully. Netflix has renewed “One Day at a Time” for a second season, Variety reports. The first season of the Sony Pictures TV family comedy...
Trailer Watch: A Romance Takes a Sinister Turn in Cate Shortland’s “Berlin Syndrome”
What begins as a picturesque romance quickly becomes a horrifying nightmare in Cate Shortland’s “Berlin Syndrome.” A newly released international trailer for the thriller introduces us to...
Ferne Pearlstein on Tackling Taboos in Comedy in “The Last Laugh”
Ferne Pearlstein is is a prize-winning cinematographer, a feature film editor, and a writer/director whose work has won numerous awards and been screened and broadcast around the world. In 2003...
Quote of the Day: Jessica Chastain Strives to Create More Inclusiveness and Empathy
Jessica Chastain has consistently used her platform to address Hollywood’s lack of inclusivity. Even while onstage accepting awards, the two-time Oscar nominee has spoken out about “the need to...
Tina Mabry to Receive Outfest’s Fusion Achievement Award
“Mississippi Damned” writer-director Tina Mabry is the 2017 recipient of Outfest’s Fusion Achievement Award, a press release has announced. The filmmaker will receive the honor at the Fusion...
Tribeca 2017 Competition Lineup is Almost 40 Percent Women-Helmed
The Tribeca Film Festival has announced its 2017 lineup, and 12 of the 32 films screening in Competition sections are women-directed or co-directed, amounting to a respectable 38 percent. “As a...
“UnREAL’s” Shiri Appleby Signs Overall Deal With A+E Studios
Shiri Appleby is doing her ambitious “UnREAL” character proud. The actress has inked a multiyear overall deal with A+E Studios, the producers behind the critically acclaimed Lifetime series, The...
Octavia Spencer to Host “Saturday Night Live” March 4
Octavia Spencer is having a helluva week. The “Hidden Figures” star was nominated for an Oscar this past Sunday, and while she didn’t win, the actress is still starting the month off right:...
Teaser Watch: Women Step into the Ring in Netflix’s Wrestling Dramedy “GLOW”
Too much media pits women against women, but “GLOW” is one instance where we’re dying to see women square off. The upcoming Netflix dramedy, created by Liz Flahive (“Homeland”) and Carly...
Jenna Fischer Cast in Emily Kapnek’s ABC Pilot “Splitting Up Together”
While the “The Office” has been off the air since 2013, we have no doubt the sitcom’s most beloved couple, Pam and Jim, remain happily married in TV heaven. But Variety reports that Jenna...
Casey Wilson and Busy Philipps to Play Sisters in Tina Fey’s New NBC Comedy
Casey Wilson, Busy Philipps, and Tina Fey have all starred in cult comedy hits, and now the trio is teaming up for “The Sackett Sisters.” Wilson and Philipps will play sisters in the...
Lady Gaga to Headline Coachella After Beyoncé Postpones
Mother Monster is stepping in for Queen Bey. Lady Gaga will headline Coachella 2017 after Beyoncé, who is pregnant with twins, had to cancel the gig due to doctors’ orders. Billboard reports that...
Teaser Watch: Tilda Swinton Comes Between a Girl and Her Dragon-Like BFF in “Okja”
While a new teaser for “Okja” emphasizes the “bond between man and animal,” the Netflix film is actually about a young girl named Mija (Seo-Hyun Ahn, “Monster”) and her connection to a...
Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks to Adapt “Native Son” for the Screen
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks is writing for the screen again. She’s penning an adaptation of Richard Wright’s influential 1940 novel “Native Son,” Flavorwire reports....
Trailer Watch: Viola Davis Is a Judge Facing a Difficult Decision in “Custody”
“There are penalties for not telling the truth in a court of law,” Judge Martha Schulman (Viola Davis) warns in a trailer for Lifetime’s “Custody.” It sounds like the Judge is making a...
Dede Gardner Becomes First Female Producer to Win Two Best Picture Oscars
Dede Gardner made history at this year’s Academy Awards. With “Moonlight’s” shocking Best Picture win on Sunday, the Plan B producer became a two-time Best Picture winner. She’s the first...
Trailer Watch: An Arab-American Struggles with Adulthood in Heidi Saman’s “Namour”
A new trailer has been released for Heidi Saman’s debut feature “Namour,” and it’s guaranteed to make you cringe within seconds. The spot kicks off with the movie’s protagonist being...
Indie Spirit Awards & American Airlines Launch New Award for Female Directors
The Film Independent Spirit Awards are adding another honor to their program. Next year’s ceremony — the 33rd installment of the Indie Spirit Awards — will hand out the inaugural...
Connie Britton Joins Nicole Holofcener’s “The Land of Steady Habits,” March Shoot Being Eyed
Connie Britton has booked her first post-“Nashville” gig. The Hollywood Reporter confirms that she’s signed on for a leading role in Nicole Holofcener’s upcoming Netflix ensemble dramedy,...
Weekly Update for February 24: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“The Girl with All the Gifts” Films About Women Opening This Week The Girl with All the Gifts (Also Available on VOD) A group of children is detained in a military base because they have...
Gugu Mbatha-Raw to Star in “Veep” Director Stephanie Laing’s Feature Debut
Rising star Gugu Mbatha-Raw has booked yet another gig. Variety reports that the “Miss Sloane” actress will star alongside “Game of Thrones’” Michiel Huisman in “Irreplaceable You,” a...