BY Women and Hollywood
Amy Schumer to Pen Book About Comedy, Feminism, Her Childhood and Her Family
Amy Schumer’s year is somehow getting even better. After winning an Emmy for “Inside Amy Schumer,” starring in and penning the summer blockbuster “Trainwreck,” appearing in her first HBO...
Lesbian Love and Pregnancy Past 40: September 2015’s Web Series and VOD Picks
Oh, to be young and in love. In the Dutch lesbian coming-of-age drama “Summer,” two teenage girls fall for each other and experience all the joys of first love — but also the challenges of...
Trailer Watch: ‘Being Mary Jane’ Follows Up On Car-Crash Cliffhanger
Mara Brock Akil’s “Being Mary Jane” returns to BET just under a month from now, and a new trailer for season three of the popular melodrama has been released to tide fans over. The...
‘Mustang’ Selected as France’s Oscar Submission for Best Foreign Language Film
Quote of the Day: Catherine Hardwicke on Why It’s Not Enough to Just Be an Example
Catherine Hardwicke is widely considered one of the most successful female directors in Hollywood, but she’s still painfully aware of the industry’s “woman problem,” having been denied the...
Jeannie Gaffigan on Injecting Her Voice into ‘The Jim Gaffigan Show’
Fifteen years ago, my work withJim Gaffigan began as a “side thing” to my own career. I was a writing partner,acting coach and album producer for a rising star in comedy clubs. I understoodhis...
Dr. Moreau Drama With Female Lead Set Up at CBS
The mad scientist, at least in pop culture, is distinctly a male phenomenon. An upcoming CBS drama, however, hopes to change that stereotype. “Moreau” will gender-flip H.G. Wells’ iconic...
Fork Films Now Accepting Documentary Grant Applications
Fork Films, which bills itself as a New York-based film production company that seeks to shed light, evoke compassion, stir action and build peace, has announced its second open call for grant...
New TV Comedies Announced From Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Banks
After co-starring in Netflix’s “Wet Hot American Summer,” Amy Poehler and Elizabeth Banks will each angle for their brainchildren to debut during this upcoming TV season. Following seven...
Watch: Ava DuVernay Directs Kerry Washington, Taraji P. Henson, Mary J. Blige in Apple Music Spot
There was much to cheer about last night’s Emmy awards, but one of the biggest highlights of the night happened during the commercials. Apple Music debuted an Ava DuVernay-helmed spot with Kerry...
The 10 Best Emmy Moments for Women Last Night
The Emmys shed its reputation for staid predictability last night — at least for this year — with Viola Davis’ historic win and recognition for fresh, even cutting-edge series and...
Weekly Update for September 18: Women Centric, Directed and Written Films Playing Near You
Films About Women Opening This Week Sicario Emily Blunt continues her streak playing kickass women in this gripping thriller about an idealistic FBI Agent, Kate Mercer, who is scouted by a...
Catherine Hardwicke Directs Lady Gaga in ‘Hunting Ground’ Video About Sexual Assault
A powerful music video has been released for Lady Gaga’s emotional tribute to sexual abuse survivors, “Til It Happens To You.” The clip, directed by “Twilight” and “Miss You Already”...
Find a Female Composer in Newly Launched Online Directory
The Alliance for Women Film Composers has launched a helpful and important new resource: an online directory of women composers working in film, television, video games and media. The first of its...
10-Year Study Reveals Women in Key Roles Make Up Less Than a Quarter of Emmy Nominees
At the Emmys this Sunday, women writers, directors, producers and editors will make up a quarter of the nominees for TV’s highest honor. That 25% is a slight improvement over the last ten years,...
Quote of the Day: Patricia Rozema Vows to Make “Films With Female Leads for the Rest of My Life”
Patricia Rozema’s post-apocalyptic drama “Into the Forest,” starring Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood as survivalist sisters, enjoyed its world premiere at TIFF 2015. In a new interview, Rozema...
Kim Cattrall, Female Celebrities and the Mothering Box
What Kim Cattrall said about parenting this week should not have been headline news. It should have been a sentiment that society was already deeply familiar with and considered both ordinary and...
Trailer Watch: MAKERS Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Largest Gathering of Women Ever
A trailer has been released for a new MAKERS documentary celebrating the 20th anniversary of the largest gathering of women ever assembled, the UN’s 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing....
Catherine Keener To Fight to Keep Her Home in Little Pink House
Coming soon to the big screen will be the the five-year legal battle between 15 working-class homeowners and the Connecticut city that wanted to raze their houses to make room for an “urban...
Trailer Watch: Amy Schumer Bashes Beauty Standards in New Teaser for Her HBO Special
Amy Schumer’s incredible year is showing no signs of slowing down. A new trailer has been released for her upcoming stand-up special on HBO, and the premium cable network sure seems confident...
Trailer Watch: Sarah Silverman Drives into the Abyss in Alcoholism Drama ‘I Smile Back’
Weinstein Company Picks Up ‘Jane Got a Gun,’ Pushes Back ‘About Ray’
Harvey Weinstein giveth, and Harvey Weinstein taketh away. The Weinstein Company has rescued Natalie Portman’s feminist Western “Jane Got a Gun” from oblivion, i.e., the Relativity bankruptcy....
38th Mill Valley Film Fest to Close With ‘Suffragette,’ Feature Female-Focused Events
The gender gap and those attempting to bridge it will enjoy the spotlight this year at the Mill Valley Film Festival in Marin County, California. The 38th iteration of the festival, which will run...
Patricia Rozema’s ‘Into the Forest,’ Starring Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood, to Be Released by A24
Ellen Page starred in and produced two films at TIFF this year, but most of the spotlight has shone on her hotly anticipated civil rights drama “Freeheld.” Now comes word that her “other”...
Woodstock Film Fest 2015 to Feature Record Number of Women Directors
Nearly 50% of the features being screened at the 2015 Woodstock Film Festival will be directed by women. This is an impressive figure, and one worth celebrating. Twenty-five of the 53 feature-length...
TIFF 2015 Women Directors: Meet Elaine Constantine — ‘Northern Soul’
Elaine Constantine was born in Bury, England. She was first assistant to British fashion photographer Nick Knight before becoming a regular photographic contributor to Vogue, W and The Face. She has...
Helen Mirren’s ‘Eye in the Sky’ Sold at TIFF; Actress to Be Honored at IFP Gotham Awards
It’s shaping up to be a fine week for Helen Mirren. Her new film, “Eye in the Sky,” was acquired by Bleecker Street after a bidding war, and it’s been announced that the Oscar winner is set...
Shirley MacLaine and Amanda Seyfried to Star in Dueling Obits Dramedy ‘The Last Word’
A retired, control-freak businesswoman and a young, tenacious journalist become friends in “The Last Word,” a dramedy to star Shirley MacLaine and Amanda Seyfried. Myriad Pictures will finance...
Toni Braxton to Get the Lifetime Treatment With TV Movie Based on Her Life
After mining drama from the turbulent lives of Aaliyah and Whitney Houston, Lifetime has announced another musical biopic: one based on Toni Braxton’s best-selling memoir, “Un-Break My Heart.”...
Trailer Watch: Shailene Woodley Travels Beyond the Wall in ‘The Divergent Series: Allegiant’
Shailene Woodley is back in action-heroine mode. A teaser has been released for “Allegiant,” the latest chapter of “The Divergent Series,” and the clip takes us right back to the beginning...
Elizabeth Banks in Talks to Direct ‘Charlie’s Angels’ Reboot
After making her directorial debut with one of the summer’s biggest hits, Elizabeth Banks has been openly eyeing her follow-up project. Next up on her slate might be a reboot of “Charlie’s...
TIFF 2015 Women Directors: Meet Julie Delpy — ‘Lolo’
Julie Deply was born in Paris. She is an accomplished actor, having appeared in such films as “Before Sunrise,” “Broken Flowers” and “Waking Life.” She has previously written, directed...
TIFF 2015 Women Directors: Meet Anne Èmond — ‘Our Loved Ones’
Anne Èmond is a Montreal-based filmmaker. She has written and directed many short films, including “Naissances” and “Sophie Lavoie.” Her first feature, “Nuit #1,” earned Émond the...
New ‘Mary Poppins’ Movie Being Developed By Disney
Mary Poppins is set to teach a whole new generation of children the power of imagination. Disney is reportedly developing a “Mary Poppins” sequel (of sorts), set about 20 years after the...
Trailer Watch: Misty Copeland Dances into the History Books in ‘A Ballerina’s Tale’
The trailer for the Misty Copeland doc “A Ballerina’s Tale” begins with a voiceover from its subject, Misty Copeland. “I’m a black dancer,” she says. “That’s who I am. It’s so much...
Study: More Women TV Creators and EPs Mean More Women Leads, Writers, Directors, Editors
If you want more women in TV, you gotta start at the top. That’s the main conclusion reached by a new study looking at the employment figures of who writes, produces and appears on television....
Jessica Chastain to Fight for Gun Control in Redemptive Drama ‘Miss Sloane’
Jessica Chastain will star in the gun-control drama “Miss Sloane,” about a successful lobbyist who gives up her career in exchange for pursuing stricter and safer gun legislation. The title was...
Frances McDormand to Play Mother Battling Racist Police After Her Child’s Murder
Frances McDormand has a promising new gig. The Oscar winner will star in an upcoming film dealing with murder, racial tension and police brutality that’s provisionally titled “Three Billboards...
TIFF 2015 Women Directors — Meet Fabienne Berthaud — ‘Sky’
Fabienne Berthaud was born in Gap, France, and is an actor, photographer, novelist and filmmaker. She co-directed the short “Noël en famille.” Her debut feature, “Frankie,” played at TIFF...
Natalie Portman Criticizes Stereotypical Female Characters at TIFF
“Black Swan” star Natalie Portman criticized the lazy tropes Hollywood screenwriters use to define female characters during a candid interview at a TIFF fundraising gala last week. The...
TIFF 2015 Women Directors: Meet Anna Boden — ‘Mississippi Grind’
Anna Boden was born in Berkeley, California. She co-directed with Ryan Fleck the short “Have You Seen This Man” and the documentary “Young Rebels” and co-wrote the feature “Half Nelson.”...
Ava DuVernay-Backed ‘Mississippi’ Drama Finally Makes It To Netflix: September VOD Picks
Our top VOD recommendation for this week is “Mississippi Damned,” an intense social drama that has been supported by “Selma” director Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY and now available on Netflix. If...
TIFF 2015 Women Directors: Meet Elisabeth Scharang — ‘Jack’
Elisabeth Scharang was born in Austria. She worked as a journalist and radio broadcaster before directing the documentaries “Normale Zeiten,” “Octopusalarm,” “My Dear Republic” and...
TIFF 2015 Women Directors: Meet Jennifer Peedom — ‘Sherpa’
Jennifer Peedom is an Australian documentary filmmaker based in Sydney. Her television credits include high-altitude direction and cinematography on the Discovery Channel’s “Everest: Beyond the...
The Ms. Factor Toolkit: The Power of Female Driven Content Released
I am incredibly proud to share with everyone the Ms. Factor Toolkit: The Power of Female Driven Content. This project has been a long time coming. It is a partnership between Women and Hollywood and...
TIFF 2015 Women Directors: Meet Gillian Armstrong — ‘Women He’s Undressed’
Gilliam Armstrong was born in Melbourne and studied filmmaking at Swinburne Art School and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School. Her films include “My Brilliant Career,”...
TIFF 2015 Women Directors: Meet Sue Brooks — ‘Looking For Grace’
Sue Brooks is an Australian independent filmmaker. She directed and co-produced “Japanese Story,” which won the International Federation of Film Critics FIPRESCI award, as well as 29...
TIFF 2015 Women Directors: Meet Louise Osmond — ‘Dark Horse’
Louise Osmond is a British documentary filmmaker. Educated at Oxford, she worked as a journalist and editor before directing features, including “Deep Water,” “Blitz: London’s Firestorm,”...
TIFF 2015 Women Directors: Meet Anne Sewitsky — ‘Homesick’
Anne Sewitsky studied at the Norwegian Film School and has directed episodes of the series “Himmelbla,” “Norwegian Cozy” and “Helt perfekt.” Her debut feature, “Happy, Happy,”...
TIFF 2015 Women Directors: Meet Katherine Monk — ‘Rock the Box’
Katherine Monk is a film critic and writer based in Vancouver, Canada. Formally the national movie critic for Postmedia News, Monk is a regular contributor to CBC Radio, Global Television and Corus...
TIFF 2015 Women Directors: Meet Lucile Hadžihalilovic — ‘Evolution’
Lucile Hadžihalilovic was born in Lyons, France, and studied filmmaking at the Institut des Hautes Études Cinématographiques in Paris. She has worked as an editor, frequently collaborating with...