BY Sophie Willard
Gina Rodriguez to Lead and Exec Produce Amazon Series “Last Known Position”
Gina Rodriguez is set to star in and exec produce a new Amazon mystery thriller series, “Last Known Position,” which will be an adaptation of the QCode scripted podcast of the same name....
Screen Media Acquires Catherine Tate Comedy “The Nan Movie”
Screen Media has acquired the North American rights to “The Nan Movie,” a road trip comedy that centers on Catherine Tate’s foul-mouthed grandmother character. First introduced in...
Nailah Jefferson to Direct HBO Doc About Pioneering Black Supermodel Donyale Luna
Donyale Luna, the first model of color ever to be featured on the cover of the British edition of Vogue, and one of the first Black models to be featured on the covers of European fashion magazines...
Inaugural Dear Producer Awardees: Liz Cardenas, Megan Gilbride, Sabrina Schmidt Gordon, & Avril Z. Speaks
Four producers are set to receive the inaugural Dear Producer Award from the platform of the same name. According to a press release, Liz Cardenas (“7 Days,” “Never Goin’...
Metrograph to Host Film Retrospective Exploring Portrayals of Lesbian Bars
Metrograph is set to host a retrospective exploring filmic representations of the crucial queer space that is the lesbian bar. Fiction and documentary titles from the 1950s to the 2010s feature among...
Peacock Acquires Geeta Gandbhir & Sam Pollard’s “Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power”
Peacock is expanding its stake in the documentary space. The streamer has just acquired the distribution rights to Geeta Gandbhir’s new documentary, “Lowndes County and the Road to Black...
Members of WOCUnite Launch a Whitepaper Addressing Bias in Hollywood Writing Competitions
Several members of Women of Color Unite (WOCU) have penned a new whitepaper designed to address gender and race biases in Hollywood screenwriting competitions, labs, and fellowships — biases...
Angelina Jolie Will Direct Salma Hayek Pinault in “Without Blood” Adaptation
Angelina Jolie has cast her “Eternals” co-star Salma Hayek Pinault in her latest directorial effort, an adaptation of Alessandro Baricco’s best-selling novel “Without...
Trailer Watch: Nathalie Álvarez Mesén’s “Clara Sola” Portrays a Woman’s Awakening in Remote Costa Rica
Oscilloscope has released a trailer for Nathalie Álvarez Mesén’s debut feature, “Clara Sola,” which was up for the Caméra d’Or Award at Cannes last year, and was Costa...
Theresa Ikoko & Lisa Holdsworth’s Coming-of-Age Series “Dance School” Commissioned by Channel 4
The U.K.’s Channel 4 has commissioned an eight-part coming-of-age drama series — working title “Dance School” — from Theresa Ikoko (“Rocks”) and Lisa...
Scarlett Johansson Boards Kristin Scott Thomas’ Directorial Debut “My Mother’s Wedding”
Kristin Scott Thomas has secured a star performer for her directorial debut, “My Mother’s Wedding.” Scarlett Johansson has joined the feature film project which is currently in...
Trailer Watch: French Volcanologists Can’t Get Enough of Their Work in Sara Dosa’s Epic Doc “Fire of Love”
Sara Dosa’s “Fire of Love” ignited a fiery bidding war at Sundance this year, and now audiences can get their first peek at why it had distributors so hot and bothered. National...
Quote of the Day: Arden Cho on Pay Inequity for Asian American Actors & Turning Down “Teen Wolf” Film
When actress Arden Cho’s name was noticeably absent from the returning cast list published earlier this year for the “Teen Wolf” revival film, fans were left questioning if she...
Trailer Watch: A Teenage Girl Resists Her Controlling Father in Cannes Winner “Murina”
Kino Lorber has dropped a trailer for “Murina,” the coming-of-age drama from Croatian filmmaker Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic that won the Camera d’Or award for best first feature at...
Catherine Deneuve to Be Honored with Venice Film Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award
Catherine Deneuve will soon be able to add another accolade to her collection — she is set to be awarded with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at Venice later this fall. As noted by the...
Léa Mysius’ “The Five Devils” Acquired by Mubi Ahead of Cannes Premiere
Léa Mysius’ latest, “The Five Devils,” has secured distribution ahead of its world premiere at Cannes in the Directors’ Fortnight section. According to a press release, Mubi...
Jodie Comer Boards Cannes Market Apocalyptic Thriller “The End We Start From,” Mahalia Belo to Direct
Jodie Comer has lined up her next project, hot off the heels of the end of “Killing Eve.” Deadline broke the news that she has signed on to star in thriller “The End We Start...
Documentary Departments at BBC and Channel 4 Commit to 50 Percent Women Directors
The documentary departments at the BBC and Channel 4 have both committed to 50 percent women director hires across their respective outputs. According to Deadline, they follow the current affairs...
Trailer Watch: Lola Quivoron’s Cannes Pic “Rodeo” Teases the Underground World of Dirt Bike Riding
Among the films set to premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at the upcoming Cannes film festival is “Rodeo,” Lola Quivoron’s narrative feature directorial debut. Now, thanks to...
Viola Davis to Receive Women In Motion Award at Cannes
Viola Davis is set to be honored at Cannes this month with the 2022 Women In Motion Award, to be presented by the festival in partnership with global luxury group Kering. As noted by a press release...
Maris Curran’s Doc “Jeannette” Among Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Fest’s 2022 Lineup
The Inside Out Toronto 2S (two spirit) LGBTQ+ Film Festival has announced its lineup for its 32nd edition, which will take place May 26-June 5. The program will showcase almost 130 films, including...
Tamara Lawrance Boards “Get Millie Black” from HBO and Channel 4, Tanya Hamilton to Direct
Tanya Hamilton (“Night Catches On”) is set to direct a new co-production from HBO and the U.K.’s Channel 4, a six-part drama series set primarily in Kingston, Jamaica. According to...
Renée Webster’s “How to Please a Woman” & More Secure Distribution Ahead of Cannes Market
A slew of women-directed films have just landed distribution deals ahead of their respective screenings at the Cannes film market later this month — they are WWII drama “The...
Georgia Oakley’s Feature Directorial Debut “Blue Jean” Set for Sales at Cannes Marketplace
The latest news out of Cannes teases a new directorial debut to look forward to. Deadline reports that “Blue Jean,” written and directed by Georgia Oakley, is among the many enticing...
Ellen Rapoport’s “Minx” Secures a Second Season at HBO Max
Feminist erotic mag Minx will be returning to shelves — the HBO Max comedy of the same name from creator and showrunner Ellen Rapoport has been renewed for a second season, according to a press...
Cannes Market: Elizabeth Banks to Star in Medical Drama “A Mistake” from Writer-Director Christine Jeffs
Elizabeth Banks is somehow finding time in her busy slate as an actor, director, and producer to star in medical drama “A Mistake,” to be helmed by New Zealand-born filmmaker Christine...
Trailer Watch: Sidse Babett Knudsen Wrestles with New Role in Gov in “Borgen: Power & Glory”
Fans of the acclaimed Danish political drama “Borgen” will be thrilled to see this new trailer for the series’ return, “Borgen: Power & Glory” — the show...
Trailer Watch: Florence Pugh Starts Doubting Utopia in Olivia Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling”
Ever since her critical success in 2019 with comedy “Booksmart,” Olivia Wilde’s directorial follow-up has been hotly anticipated — especially once details started to emerge...
Trailer Watch: Stargirl Keeps Spreading Her Magic in Julia Hart’s “Hollywood Stargirl” Sequel
Sometimes we just need a little bit of magic in our lives — enter Stargirl Caraway (Grace VanderWaal), the free-spirited, ukelele-playing teenager who, in Julia Hart’s...
Erica Lipez to Write and EP “We Were the Lucky Ones” Limited Series for Hulu, Joey King to Star
An adaptation of Georgia Hunter’s bestselling book “We Were the Lucky Ones,” about a Jewish family separated at the start of WWII, has been ordered to series at Hulu. According to...
Soo Hugh’s “Pachinko” Scores Season 2 Renewal at Apple TV+
There are still plenty more stories to be told about the family at the center of “Pachinko.” The Apple TV+ drama, which follows four generations of a Korean immigrant family across Korea,...
Lexi Alexander in Production on Netflix Martial Arts Pic “Absolute Dominion”
Deadline reports that filmmaker Lexi Alexander is currently in production on a new martial arts feature film set in a post-apocalyptic future. Alexander is directing from a script she wrote, which...
Quote of the Day: June Diane Raphael on Why She Wrote a Spinoff for Her “Grace and Frankie” Character
While Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie” prepares to wrap up its final series on April 29, one of its stars, actor and screenwriter June Diane Raphael, is not ready to say goodbye just...
Trailer Watch: Lesley Manville’s Housekeeper Searches for the Perfect Dress in “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris”
Lesley Manville may have played an accomplished dressmaker in “Phantom Thread,” but now she’s filling the shoes of the outsider looking in, in this new trailer for “Mrs....
Apply Now: Fellowship Program from DreamWorks Animation and HBCU 20×20
A new talent development program for current students and soon-to-be graduates of HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities) has just been announced via The Hollywood Reporter, with...
“Somebody Somewhere” Renewed for Season 2 by HBO
“Somebody Somewhere” was a recent pick of the day here at Women and Hollywood, and it seems we’re not the only fans — HBO has just confirmed via press release that the show,...
Dakota Johnson Set to Board S.J. Clarkson’s Marvel Comics Pic for Sony
S. J. Clarkson’s previously announced Marvel comics film for Sony appears to have netted its lead: Dakota Johnson has been tapped to star as Madame Web. Deadline broke the news. Madame Web is...
Jane Campion’s “Power of the Dog” Earns Eight BAFTA Noms, More Gains for Women Directors
The 2022 BAFTA nominations are in — and Jane Campion’s western “The Power of the Dog” has received an impressive eight in total. It’s the only woman-directed film to...
“Claws” Showrunner Janine Sherman Barrois Launches New Production Banner at Warner Bros. TV
“I want to focus on stories, certainly about Black people and BIPOC people, but also stories of powerful women in general and powerful families,” says “Claws” showrunner Janine...
Chloë Grace Moretz Boards Anne Sewitsky’s Jonestown Massacre Thriller “White Night”
Chloë Grace Moretz is adding to her perenially busy slate. Deadline announces she is set to star in “White Night,” an upcoming adaptation of former high-ranking member of the People’s...
Trailer Watch: A Teenage Delinquent Finds Magic in Kate Tsang’s “Marvelous and the Black Hole”
Kate Tsang’s coming-of-age comedy “Marvelous and the Black Hole,” has another magic trick up its sleeve: a charming trailer, just released. Written and directed by Tsang, the film...
Sundance: Abi Damaris Corbin’s “892” & Sinéad OʼConnor Doc “Nothing Compares” Acquired
The acquisitions out of Sundance continue, with two more films newly announced for distribution. A press release details that the Kathryn Ferguson-directed documentary “Nothing Compares”...
Trailer Watch: Lone Scherfig Returns to the Berlinale with Maternity Ward Drama “The Shift”
A trailer has dropped for Lone Scherfig’s latest project, and this time she’s in the showrunner’s chair. Set in “the best maternity ward” in Denmark, “The...
FilmRise Acquires Gaysorn Thavat’s “The Justice of Bunny King,” Essie Davis & Thomasin McKenzie Star
FilmRise has picked up the North American rights to New Zealand drama “The Justice of Bunny King,” which made its world premiere at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival. Deadline broke the...
Taraji P. Henson Joins Warner Bros.’ “The Color Purple” Musical Adaptation
Taraji P. Henson is adding to her busy slate. According to Variety, the Oscar nominated actress is set to star as Shug Avery in Warner Bros.’ previously announced new adaptation of the...
Coralie Fargeat Directing “The Substance” for Universal, Demi Moore & Margaret Qualley to Star
French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat is set to make her first studio feature, “The Substance,” an “explosive feminist take on body horror” that will star Demi Moore and Margaret...
Women Make Up Majority of Sundance Institute’s Inaugural Producers Intensive Participants
Sundance Institute has announced the 10 fellows taking part in its inaugural Producers Intensive this month. The two-day program, which kicked off October 21, was designed as “a means of...
Octavia Spencer to Star in & EP “The Bobby Love Story” from Kerry Washington & Jenni Konner
Octavia Spencer is set to add to her eternally busy slate with new project “The Bobby Love Story,” a one-hour drama she will star in and executive produce, currently in development at FX....
Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna Reteam for Hulu Comedy “Badass (And Her Sister)”
Some positive news for “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” fans: the creative minds behind the beloved series, Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna, are reuniting with a new project currently in...
Trailer Watch: A Mother & Daughter Deal with Economic Hardship in Dark Comedy “El Planeta”
Artist Amalia Ulman is ready for you to know her name, if the trailer for her debut film “El Planeta” is anything to go by. With its distinctive black and white visuals and darkly comedic...
Mina Shum Attached to Write and Direct Feature “This Is Always” for Amazon Studios
TIFF favorite Mina Shum has a new project on the horizon. The Canadian filmmaker is set to write, direct, and exec produce “This Is Always,” a feature film in development at Amazon...