Features
Quote of the Day: “The L Word” Creator Ilene Chaiken on Telling LGBTQ Stories
“The L Word” is coming back, but before the sequel to the trailblazing series about a group of lesbians living in West Hollywood premieres on Showtime, the creator behind the original...
Lost in Transition: April’s VOD and Web Series Picks
Though change is an expected and necessary aspect of life, it can often be difficult to embrace and perhaps even harder to initiate. Transitions in jobs and relationships can stir up insecurities and...
Weekly Update for April 5: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Unicorn Store – Directed by Brie Larson; Written By Samantha McIntyre (Available on Netflix) “Unicorn Store” After failing out of art school and taking a...
Quotes of the Day: Taraji P. Henson, Bette Midler, & Gigi Hadid on the Power of Women
As Variety Power of Women: New York honorees, it’s no surprise that Taraji P. Henson, Bette Midler, and Gigi Hadid have plenty to say about feminism and the way women are treated in show...
Weekly Update for March 29: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Slut in a Good Way – Directed by Sophie Lorain; Written by Catherine Léger One tipsy evening, Charlotte (Marguerite Bouchard), the recently heartbroken, Megan (Romane...
April 2019 Film Preview
After an exciting Women’s History Month, complete with the groundbreaking release of Marvel’s first superheroine film, April will continue the momentum with a slew of women-centric and...
Quote of the Day: “Abby’s” Natalie Morales on Making History & the Power of LGBTQ Representation
Yesterday marked a landmark moment in television history: “Abby’s” premiered on NBC. The sitcom about a woman who runs an unlicensed bar in her backyard stars Natalie Morales...
Smashing Stigmas: Crowdfunding Picks
In her deeply personal book “The Cancer Journals,” Audre Lorde wrote about the value of speaking up. “My silences had not protected me,” she revealed. “Your silence will...
Quote of the Day: Amy Poehler On Why We Need More Stories About Women in Their 40s and 50s
Amy Poehler’s feature directorial debut, Netflix comedy “Wine Country,” not only reunites her with fellow “SNL” alumnae and friends such as Tina Fey and Maya Rudolph,...
Weekly Update for March 22: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Out of Blue – Written and Directed by Carol Morley (Also Available on VOD) “Out of Blue” “Out of Blue,” written and directed by Carol Morley,...
Writer to Watch: “Insecure” Scribe Amy Aniobi
“It’s something that we really want to preserve — this idea that black women are worthy of love, worthy of true friendship, can achieve it together,” Amy Aniobi has said of...
Under the Radar: “Circle of Steel” Is a Tender Portrait of Existential Crisis
Wendy Fong (Chantelle Han) is a young chemical engineer trapped inside a monotonous and ethically fraught existence. When she describes her tedious daily routine to a friend over drinks, her friend...
Weekly Update for March 15: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase – Directed by Katt Shea; Written by Nina Fiore and John Herrera After the death of his wife, Carson Drew decides to leave Chicago...
Focusing on Family: Crowdfunding Picks
The family unit is one of the foundational aspects of our society, so it’s no surprise that familial relationships are constantly explored in movies, books, and television. In some cases, family...
Exclusive: An Eco-Activist Faces a Huge Decision in “Woman at War” Clip
Halla (Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir) has wanted to be a mother for a long time. The protagonist of “Woman at War” applied for adoption years ago and — while waiting and wondering if...
March 2019 Film Preview
March is Women’s History Month! There are lots of ways to celebrate — learning about important women in history, honoring your favorite women leaders and artists, and, of course,...
Reshaping Spaces Together: VOD and Web Series Picks
There have long been discussions surrounding the spaces women can safely and comfortably occupy in society. The rise of the Time’s Up movement, for example, has emphasized workplaces as spaces rife...
Quote of the Day: Cate Blanchett on the Stigma of Talking About Money as a Woman in Hollywood
“It feels a little like a veil has been lifted, and we’re talking to one another in a muscular way about stuff that we’ve had to deal with,” Cate Blanchett tells Julia Roberts in a...
Book Excerpt: “The Legendary Independent Female Filmmakers Everyone Should Know”
The following is excerpted from Michele Meek’s “Independent Female Filmmakers: A Chronicle Through Interviews, Profiles, and Manifestos,” which is available now. In January 1982,...
Weekly Update for February 22: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Firebrand – Written and Directed by Aruna Raje (Available on Netflix) “Firebrand” follows the life of a successful lawyer who herself is a sexual assault victim...
Making Space and Finding a Place: Crowdfunding Picks
Simply existing in the world can be difficult; figuring out how to be a part of the world brings with it a whole other set of challenges. Chief among those challenges are finding where you fit in and...
Exclusive: Gemma Chan Sets Her Sights on a Picky Bachelor in the “Mr. Malcolm’s List” Trailer
It’s 1818 and a young woman, portrayed by Gemma Chan (“Crazy Rich Asians”), wants to get married in our exclusive trailer for the new Refinery29 short “Mr. Malcolm’s...
Under the Radar: Susanne Heinrich’s “Aren’t You Happy?” Creates a New Feminist Archetype
“Aren’t You Happy?” credits its protagonist only as “the melancholic girl” (Marie Rathscheck), a woman with ever-changing hairstyles that suspiciously resemble those of old Hollywood...
Quote of the Day: Brie Larson on Women’s Impact in Cinema & Prepping for “Captain Marvel”
“Wonder Woman” wasn’t the first woman-directed film to make a major mark on the box office — contrary to what the lead up to Patty Jenkins’ super hero pic’s...
Weekly Update for February 8: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING What Men Want – Written by Tina Gordon Chism, Alex Gregory, and Peter Huyck Inspired by the Nancy Meyers hit romantic comedy “What Women Want,” this film follows...
Exclusive: WhoHaha Announces Spring Creator Lab Participants
WhoHaha, the Elizabeth Banks-co-founded creative community and digital content studio elevating women in comedy, has named the participants of its Spring Creator Lab. Women and Hollywood has...
Exclusive: A Teen Dreams of Transforming Her Life in Clip of Berlinale Pic “Goldie”
A young woman enters a clothing store with a simple mission in our exclusive clip of “Goldie”: she just wants to show her two sisters a coat. The owner is unimpressed. She doesn’t...
From Dialogue to Action: Crowdfunding Picks
The question of turning dialogue into action is not a new one, particularly in an age where the internet allows millions of people around the world to participate in conversations about issues such...
Figuring It Out: VOD and Web Series Picks
Young womanhood comes with many inevitable challenges. Making friends, pleasing family, dating, career-planning: there’s a lot to figure out. Luckily, women creators are taking to the internet...
Weekly Update for February 1: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Miss Bala – Directed by Catherine Hardwicke “Miss Bala”: Columbia Pictures Gloria (Gina Rodriguez) finds a power she never knew she had when she is drawn...
February 2019 Film Preview
From rom-coms to slashers to dramas, moviegoers have plenty of options when it comes to films made by and about women this February. The month kicks off with the February 1 release of Catherine...
Weekly Update for January 25: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Ánimas – Written and Directed by Laura Alvea and Jose F. Ortuño (Available on Netflix) When her best friend Abraham’s father is killed in a mysterious accident, a...
Quote of the Day: Mindy Kaling & Nisha Ganatra on the Importance of Opening Doors for Others
A timely tale of inclusivity and women trying to make it in a male-dominated field, “Late Night” is among our most anticipated films screening at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Written...
Exclusive: Women Take the Lead in Trailer for the 2019 Athena Film Festival
“The key to success is to look into the future and visualize what you want to become,” says Geena Davis in an exclusive new trailer for the 2019 Athena Film Festival. The actress and...
Quote of the Day: Regina King Says We Have to Give Women “More First Shots”
While accepting this year’s Golden Globe for supporting actress, “If Beale Street Could Talk” star Regina King made a public pledge: within two years, women will make up 50 percent...
Weekly Update for January 18: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Adult Life Skills – Written and Directed by Rachel Tunnard (Also Available on VOD) Anna (Jodie Whittaker) is stuck: she’s approaching 30, living like a hermit in her...
Flipping the Script: Crowdfunding Picks
Creating change in any field requires flipping the script — that is, upending the status quo and redefining expectations. Fortunately, there are countless women who do just that every day,...
Book Excerpt: “Writing the TV Drama Series”
The following is excerpted from the 4th edition of Pamela Douglas’ “Writing the TV Drama Series,” which is available now. Recently, a student on the verge of graduating asked me...
Women in Animation President Marge Dean Pens Open Letter About Skydance and John Lasseter
This letter has been reprinted with permission from Women in Animation (WIA). Dear friends and colleagues, Last week’s announcement regarding the hiring of John Lasseter by Skydance has sent...
Writer to Watch: Marquita Robinson of “GLOW” and “You’re the Worst”
Think about the zeitgeist-y shows from the past five years or so. Whatever series pop into your head, chances are Marquita Robinson has worked on at least one of them. “Black-ish,”...
Weekly Update for January 11: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Touch Me Not – Written and Directed by Adina Pintilie (Opens in NY) On the fluid border between reality and fiction, “Touch Me Not” follows the emotional journeys...
Subject, Not Object: The Revelatory Sex Scenes in “If Beale Street Could Talk”
In November 2016 in Washington, D.C., I caught a preview of Barry Jenkins’ soon-to-be Oscar-winning film “Moonlight.” This was way before White audiences had caught on to the movie, and those...
24 Most Anticipated Films By and About Women of 2019
By Keno Katsuda and Antora Majumdar As we close the book on 2018 and wonder what’s in store for the upcoming year, we do know we can at least look forward to some thrilling new women-centric and...
January 2019 Film Preview
By Antora Majumdar and Keno Katsuda If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to watch more movies, January’s film releases will help you reach your goal. With a solid mix of wholly original...
The Year in Women and Hollywood
Dear Friends, This has been quite a year. The reckoning that began in October 2017 has continued to push the industry in ways no one could have ever imagined. The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have...
Weekly Update for December 21: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
Season’s greetings from Women and Hollywood! Thank you so much for your continued support of our work. We’ll be taking some time off for the holidays, so this will be our last weekly...
On the Big and Small Screens, 2018 Was the Year of #MeToo and #TimesUp
Despite being so deeply ingrained in the cultural discourse, #MeToo and #TimesUp are still in their early days as social movements. #TimesUp is less than a year old and, while Tarana Burke created it...
2018’s Best Films By and About Women
Many of our favorite films saw female characters claiming or reclaiming their power: Mary Stuart set her sights upon the English throne, and two ladies-in-waiting realized winning Queen Anne’s...
2018’s Best Documentaries By and About Women
Women and Hollywood’s top documentaries of 2018 feature a Nobel-winning activist, a filmmaker investigating her stolen project, and a world-renowned pop singer. Inspiring, heartbreaking, and...
2018’s Best TV Created By and About Women
2018 offered plenty of buzzy, zeitgeist-y television series about and from women. Dark and stylish, “Killing Eve” and “Sharp Objects” were among the year’s must-sees,...
Weekly Update for December 14: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Mary Poppins Returns (Opens December 19) “Mary Poppins Returns” “Mary Poppins Returns” is set in 1930s, Depression-era London — the time period of the...