BY Rachel Montpelier
Rashida Jones to Co-Write “9 to 5” Reboot with Tomlin, Fonda, and Parton in Talks to Star
Many of the issues at the heart of hit 1980 feminist comedy “9 to 5” still resonate in 2018: equal pay, workplace harassment, childcare, and “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigots”...
March 2018 Film Preview
“A Wrinkle in Time”: Disney It’s Women’s History Month! We can’t think of a better time to celebrate women in film, whether behind the camera or on-screen. On International Women’s Day...
2018 Diversity Report: Women & POC Make Gains But Remain Woefully Underrepresented
To paraphrase Ava DuVernay, there have been several encouraging “moments” in Hollywood recently — including the successes of “Girls Trip,” “Wonder Woman,” and “Black...
Quote of the Day: Ava DuVernay on Hollywood’s “Broken System”
The past year has seen several barriers busted open in Hollywood: Patty Jenkins made history as the highest-paid female director, Dee Rees became the first black woman nominated for the best adapted...
Jennifer Lawrence, Catt Sadler, & Stephanie Soechtig Team Up for #MeToo Doc Series
Jennifer Lawrence, former E! News host Catt Sadler, and documentary filmmaker Stephanie Soechtig are working on a #MeToo-themed docuseries. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project will...
Alafair Burke to Adapt Her Sexual Harassment-Themed Novel “The Wife” for Amazon Studios
Alafair Burke’s novel “The Wife” has only been on bookshelves for a month but plans for a film adaptation are already in the works. Following a bidding war with several parties, Amazon Studios...
Weekly Update for February 23: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“Annihilation” Films About Women Opening This Week Annihilation After her husband disappears, a biologist (Natalie Portman) signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition in an environmental...
Films, Music, News, Television, Trailers
Trailer Watch: A Young Hip Hop Artist Discovers Her Voice in “Roxanne Roxanne”
Shanté, the protagonist of Roxanne Shanté biopic “Roxanne Roxanne,” is used to people speaking for her. When she comes home past curfew, she can’t get a word in while her mother, Peggy (Nia...
CBS Introduces Women’s Empowerment Initiative Eye Speak
The Eye is stepping up its support of women. Variety reports that CBS has launched Eye Speak, a program dedicated to advancing women’s careers at the network and providing opportunities for female...
Study: Number of Female Protagonists in Top 100 Films Dipped to 24 Percent in 2017
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Wonder Woman” were the three highest-grossing films at the domestic box office in 2017. Unfortunately, according to new research...
Katie Holmes to Topline Ilene Chaiken’s Fox FBI Drama Pilot
Katie Holmes is returning to broadcast TV. Deadline reports that the “Dawson’s Creek” alumna will lead the untitled Fox FBI drama pilot from Ilene Chaiken and Melissa Scrivner Love. Rose...
Study: Women Received Just 23 Percent of Non-Acting Oscar Noms This Year
Yeah, we’re not impressed, either, Tonya: Oscar nominee Margot Robbie in “I, Tonya” The 2018 Academy Award nominations are marked by a few milestones. “Mudbound’s” Rachel Morrison is the...
Quote of the Day: Natalie Portman on What the Woody Allen Conversations Are Missing
Natalie Portman has never been one to remain silent about gender inequality in Hollywood. She’s spoken out about receiving one-third of co-star Ashton Kutcher’s pay for “No Strings...
USA TODAY Surveys Women in Hollywood, Finds 94 Percent Have Been Harassed or Assaulted
Since the Harvey Weinstein story broke last fall and the rise of #MeToo and Time’s Up, the cultural conversation has been focused on sexual misconduct in show business. So it’s no secret that...
Women In Animation Head Calls On Major Studios to Take Pledge, End Harassment
Women In Animation (WIA) president Margaret Dean is excited about the steps Hollywood has taken against sexual harassment in recent months — but wants to see more action. In particular, she...
National Sawdust Names Winners of First Female & Non-Binary Composer Contest
National Sawdust, the Brooklyn performance venue, has announced the winners of its inaugural Hildegard Competition for Female and Non-Binary Composers: Kayla Cashetta, X. Lee, and Emma O’Halloran....
Trailer Watch: Carey Mulligan Butts Heads with MI5 in “Collateral”
The military, politics, the church, law enforcement: a handful of institutions collide in “Collateral,” the Carey Mulligan-starring drama that premiered last week in the UK. A trailer has...
Trailer Watch: A Rape Survivor Seeks Justice in Kaouther Ben Hania’s “Beauty and the Dogs”
“We stepped out for a walk on the beach,” Mariam (Mariam Al Ferjani) recalls as she reports her rape in a trailer for “Beauty and the Dogs.” “We were by the sea when a white car pulled up....
Berlinale 2018: Isabelle Huppert to Lead Anne Fontaine’s New Film, Fest Hosts Gender Equality…
Berlinale 2018: Isabelle Huppert to Lead Anne Fontaine’s New Film, Fest Hosts Gender Equality Events The 68th Berlinale hasn’t reached its midway point yet but it’s already seen the...
Rachel Lee Goldenberg to Direct Pilot for CW Funeral Home Dramedy “Playing Dead”
Rachel Lee Goldenberg has an eclectic résumé: her directorial efforts include upcoming movie musical “Valley Girl,” meta Lifetime TV movie “A Deadly Adoption,” and the pilot for Andrea...
Berlinale 2018 Women Directors: Meet Tinatin Kajrishvili — “Horizon”
Tinatin Kajrishvil made several short films before her feature debut, “Brides.” The drama premiered at the Berlinale in 2014, where it won the Audience Award, and went on to screen at many...
Time’s Up Dominates BAFTAs, New UK Anti-Harassment Campaign Introduced
The anti-harassment movement has taken the United Kingdom by storm. Less than a week after the BFI and BAFTA introduced new anti-bullying/anti-harassment guidelines, the BAFTA Awards were dominated...
TV Updates: Julie Plec to Helm “Roswell” Reboot Pilot, “Deadlier Than the Male” Ordered to Series
Another woman has landed her first-ever pilot directing gig. Deadline reports that “Vampire Diaries” co-creator and showrunner Julie Plec will helm the “Roswell” reboot’s pilot. She is the...
Weekly Update for February 16: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“The Party” Films About Women Opening This Week “The Boy Downstairs” The Boy Downstairs — Written and Directed by Sophie Brooks (Opens in NY; Opens in LA February 23) Diana (Zosia...
Oscar Nominee Ildikó Enyedi Is Making Her English-Language Debut, Léa Seydoux to Star
Palme d’Or-winning actress Léa Seydoux has signed on to star in “The Story of My Wife,” the new film from “On Body and Soul” director Ildikó Enyedi. The upcoming pic will focus on a...
Irish Film Board Launches POV Production & Training Scheme for Female Filmmakers
Calling all Irish women writers, directors, and/or producers: Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB) has announced a new initiative for female filmmakers. According to Scannain, the...
Study: Women Are Underrepresented Onscreen and Off in Korean Film
The Korean Film Commission has released the findings from a study on Korean movies released in 2017 — and the numbers show an obvious gender disparity on both sides of the camera. As Soompi...
BFI and BAFTA Announce New Anti-Bullying and Anti-Harassment Guidelines
The British Film Institute (BFI) and BAFTA are joining forces to fight bullying and sexual harassment in the UK film industry. Deadline confirms that the two organizations have put together plans...
Pilot Updates: Hannah Simone to Lead “Greatest American Hero,” Zetna Fuentes to Helm “Chiefs”
Pilot news continues to roll in. The previously announced gender-swapped “Greatest American Hero” reboot has found its star: “New Girl’s” Hannah Simone. And CBS drama pilot “Chiefs”...
AFI Directing Workshop for Women Announces 2018–2019 Participants
AFI has announced the 2018–2019 participants of its Directing Workshop for Women (DWW). Parisa Barani, Zoe Bell, Jessica Kaye, Shilpi Roy, Amber Sealey, Siyou Tan, Carly Usdin, and Talia Zucker...
Trailer Watch: Lily James Wants to Write About “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society”
Juliet Ashton’s (Lily James, “Cinderella”) career is off to a frustrating start in the trailer for “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.” As a journalist, she’s not getting...
All-Women Group Plans to Buy London Theater, Make It Venue for Female-Driven Shows
The West End’s Theatre Royal Haymarket might become the London’s next feminist drama venue, thanks to Accalia Arts. The Guardian confirms that the all-women collective have started a...
SAG-AFTRA Unveils Code of Conduct on Sexual Harassment
SAG-AFTRA is the latest organization to publish a code of conduct pertaining to sexual harassment and misconduct. Variety reports that the union introduced its Code of Conduct on Sexual Harassment...
Weekly Update for February 9: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“The Female Brain” Films About Women Opening This Week The Female Brain — Directed by Whitney Cummings; Co-Written by Whitney Cummings and Louann Brizendine (Also Available on VOD) What...
Elizabeth Olsen Will Star in Facebook Dramedy Series from Kit Steinkellner
Elizabeth Olsen portrayed an Instagram influencer in “Ingrid Goes West” and her next project will see her become a social media star in her own right — sort of. The Hollywood Reporter...
Trailer Watch: A Woman Rebuilds Her Life in Kate Davis’ Police Brutality Short Doc “Traffic Stop”
Breaion King is a teacher. She’s the first person in her family to attend college or to get a Master’s degree and she’s determined to earn a PhD. Breaion is also a survivor of police...
Jennifer Garner to Topline Lena Dunham’s New HBO Series
Lena Dunham’s next TV project has found its star. Entertainment Weekly confirms that Jennifer Garner will lead “Camping,” a comedy about an outdoorsy weekend gone awry. Dunham is writing and...
Athena Film Fest Adds To Its Lineup: “Mankiller,” “Battle of the Sexes,” and STEM Panel
The Athena Film Festival (AFF) has announced more of its 2018 lineup. Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton’s “Battle of the Sexes,” a biopic about the famous 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean...
Kat Coiro Will Make Pilot Directorial Debut with Liz Meriwether’s “Daddy Issues”
Kat Coiro is making her pilot directorial debut. Deadline confirms that Coiro will helm “Daddy Issues,” the Fox comedy pilot produced by Liz Meriwether (“New Girl”) and written by and...
#MeToo Updates: Women In Film Starts Support Group, Screen Australia Pens New Code of Conduct
The #MeToo movement is showing no signs of slowing down. On the heels of Time’s Up’s revelation that it has raised $20 million so far, Women in Film (WIF) has announced that it is organizing a...
Trailer Watch: Diane Is Still Trying to Prove Herself in “The Good Fight” Season 2
“You came back from the dead,” Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski) is told in “The Good Fight” Season 2. “You proved yourself — you don’t have to keep proving yourself over and...
Tiffany Haddish & Lena Waithe Among Essence’s Black Women in Hollywood Awardees
Whether they starred in the summer’s breakout comedy, became the first black woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing, or broke barriers in the Marvel universe, Tiffany Haddish, Lena Waithe, Tessa...
Today in #MeToo: Time’s Up Legal Fund Raises $20M, Berlinale Joins Movement
It’s only been five weeks since the Time’s Up initiative formally launched, but it has made incredible strides. In addition to dominating the Golden Globes and shifting the cultural...
Phylicia Rashad to Receive League of Prof Theatre Women’s Lifetime Achievement Award
Tony winner Phylicia Rashad will soon have another award to add to her mantle. A press release has announced that the “Empire” actress will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at...
Raising Films Launches Crowdfunding Campaign to Continue Work for Parents & Carers in the Biz
Motherhood shouldn’t prevent women from making films, but it can. Caring for one’s elderly parents or sick family members shouldn’t upend a person’s career in show business, but it can....
Isabel Coixet Wins Three Goya Awards for “The Bookshop”
Isabel Coixet was one of the big winners at this weekend’s Goya Awards, Spain’s counterpart to the Oscars. Per Screen Daily, Coixet took home prizes for best feature, best director, and best...
Nicole Kidman Joins Meryl Streep in Supporting The Writers Lab
Nicole Kidman doesn’t just talk the talk: she walks the walk. A couple of weeks after the actress called for Hollywood to treat women over 40 as the “potent, powerful, and viable” people they...
Weekly Update for February 2: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“A Fantastic Woman” Films About Women Opening This Week A Fantastic Woman Marina (Daniela Vega) and Orlando (Francisco Reyes) are in love and planning for the future. Marina is a young waitress...
Trailer Watch: A Female Firefighter Takes the Lead in “Grey’s Anatomy” Spinoff “Station 19”
Inspiring speeches, love triangles, jokes in high-pressure situations — “Station 19” has a lot in common with the series from which it originated, “Grey’s Anatomy.” The Seattle...
Female Music Execs “Step Up,” Push for Recording Academy Prez Neil Portnow’s Resignation
Women have always stepped up, no matter what Recording Academy president Neil Portnow thinks or says. In fact, women are stepping up once more in an effort to revitalize the Recording Academy’s...
ABC Orders Comedy Pilots from Liz Meriwether and Kristin Newman
Liz Meriwether has yet another comedy pilot on the way. “Single Parents,” a single cam project from the “New Girl” creator/EP and J.J. Philbin, received a pilot order at ABC. This marks...