Features
Apply for a Free Ticket to Join the Women & Hollywood Community at TheWrap’s Power Women Summit
Women and Hollywood is proud to be on the steering committee for TheWrap’s Power Women Summit, which will be held on November 1 and 2 in Los Angeles. The summit will be the largest gathering of...
Weekly Update for September 14: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Where Hands Touch – Written and Directed by Amma Asante “Where Hands Touch” is a coming of age story set in the most brutal of times: Germany, 1944. Leyna (Amandla...
Writer to Watch: Sierra Teller Ornelas of “Superstore”
Working on “Superstore,” the NBC comedy about a motley crew of employees at a big-box store, marked the first time Sierra Teller Ornelas wasn’t the only Latina in the...
Quote of the Day: “Designing Women” Creator Linda Bloodworth Thomason Calls Out Les Moonves
“In spite of my proper Southern mother’s admonition to always be gracious, I am all out of grace when it comes to Mr. Moonves,” Linda Bloodworth Thomason writes in a guest column for...
Learning to Heal: Crowdfunding Picks
Loss is a form of trauma that is universally felt yet difficult to describe. Because of this, countless creators and artists have attempted to depict it onscreen. Perhaps by doing so, we as viewers...
Weekly Update for September 7: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING I Am Not a Witch – Written and Directed by Rungano Nyoni (Opens in NY; Opens in LA September 14) When eight-year-old Shula (Maggie Mulubwa) turns up alone and...
Fall 2018 Film Preview
By Keno Katsuda and Antora Majumdar Although 2018 is more than halfway over, there are still plenty of amazing women-centric and women-created films yet to be released. Emma Thompson leads one of the...
TV Preview: Series By and About Women Premiering This Fall
It’s always sad to see summer end, but at least we have the promise of fall TV to cheer us up. Autumn 2018 promises to be an exciting season for women-driven television projects. Some of the...
Quote of the Day: Felicity Jones on Wanting to Play a Female Genius
“What was so important to me was to play a female genius,” Felicity Jones tells Vanity Fair in a newly released cover story. The Oscar-nominated actress is discussing her latest role, which sees...
TIFF 2018 Preview: Women Directors Tackle War, Police Dramas, LGBTQ Love, & More
We’re just 2 days away from the 2018 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival. We’ve assembled a list — by no means exhaustive — of some of the women-directed titles...
Quote of the Day: Viola Davis Explains How Her “Widows” Hair Makes a Statement
In just a few short days “Widows” will make its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The caper’s star, Viola Davis, is speaking out about her look in the film,...
September 2018 Film Preview
While the summer movie season is winding down, the release of films by and about women is not. September features a bevy of women-driven indies and star-studded studio releases. The month kicks off...
Weekly Update for August 31: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS MADE BY WOMEN OPENING Let the Corpses Tan – Written and Directed by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani (Opens in NY and LA) After stealing a truckload of gold bars, a gang of thieves...
Quote of the Day: Guillermo del Toro Says Important Voices in the Biz Aren’t Being Heard
Guillermo del Toro is speaking out about the sexism plaguing the film industry. “I think the goal has to be 50-50 by 2020. If it’s 50-50 by 2019, that’s even better,” he said, referring...
Quote of the Day: Amandla Stenberg on Refusing to Compromise Her Own Power
Amandla Stenberg broke out in 2012 with her supporting role in “The Hunger Games,” but the actress takes the lead in another dystopian YA adaptation in theaters now. She toplines Jennifer...
Weekly Update for August 24: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING The Bookshop – Written and Directed by Isabel Coixet (U.S. Release) (Opens in NY and LA) England, 1959. Free-spirited widow Florence Green (Emily Mortimer) risks...
Under the Radar: Yoko Yamanaka’s “Amiko” Is A Raw Coming-of-Age Story
High schooler Amiko (Aira Sunohara) is in love. The object of her affections is Aomi (Hiroto Oshita), a cool, counterculture guy with whom she bonds over their shared love of Radiohead. Despite his...
Quote of the Day: “Star Wars'” Kelly Marie Tran Refuses to Be Silenced by Online Harassment
More than two months after she left social media in the wake of racist and sexist trolling, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” star Kelly Marie Tran is speaking out about the experience. The...
Exclusive: Betty White Recalls Her TV Debut in “First Lady of Television” Clip
We all know Betty White. Whether it’s “Golden Girls,” “Hot in Cleveland,” or “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” she’s been a mainstay on TV for as long as...
Weekly Update for August 17: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING The Wife – Written by Jane Anderson (Opens in NY and LA) After nearly 40 years of marriage, Joan and Joe Castleman (Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce) are complements....
Writer to Watch: “Sierra Burgess Is a Loser” Scribe Lindsey Beer
“Sierra Burgess Is A Loser” will mark Lindsey Beer’s first screenwriting credit. Set to debut on Netflix in September, the teen comedy stars “Strangers Things'” Shannon...
Quote of the Day: Rachel Brosnahan on Why “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” Resonates Today
It’s tempting to look at the world of the ’50s-set “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and tell ourselves that the world is a different place for women now. It is and it isn’t....
Growing Pains: Crowdfunding Picks
Flip through one of your old photo albums. How does it feel? Regardless of the time period you are looking back on, you’re probably experiencing a fairly strong emotional response. Maybe it’s...
Quote of the Day: “Crazy Rich Asians'” Awkwafina on the Power of Representation
“Representation starts both in front of and behind the camera,” Awkwafina tells Variety in a new interview. Asked what the industry can do to make improvements in representing Asians...
Quotes of the Day: Sarah Paulson and Sandra Oh Reflect on How Roles for Women Have Changed
Sarah Paulson and Sandra Oh joined forces to talk about how far Hollywood has come — and how far it has to go — for a feature in Variety. Both are up for an Emmy Award this year —...
Women Working in the Arts: August’s VOD and Web Series Picks
Although the arts industries pride themselves on being creatively enlightened, the #MeToo movement has shown they are hardly “safe” workplaces for women (or any other marginalized group)....
Quote of the Day: Oscar-Nominated DP Rachel Morrison on Working While Pregnant
“There’s a common misconception that likens pregnancy to some kind of disability — the idea that women who are pregnant shouldn’t be active and can’t go about their normal lives,”...
Weekly Update for August 10: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Crazy Rich Asians – Written by Adele Lim and Peter Chiarelli (Opens August 15) “Crazy Rich Asians” follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she...
EWA Pens Open Letter to Venice Film Festival About Lack of Women Directors
European Women’s Audiovisual Network (EWA) has shared an open letter to Paolo Baratta, President of the Venice Biennale, about the lack of women-directed films screening in Venice International...
Exclusive: Teens Bond During Cancer Treatment in “Hope Springs Eternal” Clip
Hope Gracin (Mia Rose Frampton, “Tammy”) has terminal cancer, but her diagnosis hasn’t impacted her love of treats or the limelight. Our exclusive clip of “Hope Springs...
Quote of the Day: Nicole Maines on Playing TV’s First Trans Superhero in “Supergirl”
“I haven’t really wrapped my head around being a superhero, first of all, and being the first trans superhero on television,” Nicole Maines tells Variety in a new interview. The...
Watch: Gemma Arterton Auditions Felicity Jones & More for Humiliating “Leading Lady Parts”
“It’s not rocket science, darling,” a casting director tells Florence Pugh (“Lady Macbeth”) in short film “Leading Lady Parts.” “We’re just...
Weekly Update for August 3: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING The Miseducation of Cameron Post – Directed by Desiree Akhavan; Written by Desiree Akhavan and Cecilia Frugiuele Cameron Post (Chloë Grace Moretz) looks the part of...
The Bonds Between Us: Crowdfunding Picks
Our entire lives are defined by relationships. From a young age, we are taught to identify ourselves relative to someone else; daughter, sister, partner, friend. And whether these bonds are defined...
Why Are the Only Two Women-Directed Studio Films of the Summer Opening the Same Day?
On the surface “The Spy Who Dumped Me” and “The Darkest Minds” couldn’t be more different. One is an action-comedy about best friends (Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon) who...
August 2018 Film Preview
If you’re looking for a respite from the hot summer days, August is looking to be an excellent month for movies helmed by women or led by women characters. One of the most highly anticipated...
Weekly Update for July 27: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING THIS WEEK Snapshots – Directed by Melanie Mayron; Written by Jan Miller Corran and Katherine Cortez (Opens in LA) Three women. Three generations. Two summers. 50 years...
Under the Radar: “Are You Glad I’m Here” Expertly Portrays Friendship Across Cultures
Winner of the Brooklyn Film Festival’s Audience Award, “Are You Glad I’m Here” follows a young American woman as she moves to Beirut and befriends her neighbor, a Lebanese housewife. Directed...
Safe (and Unsafe) Spaces: Crowdfunding Picks
How do we react in the face of adversity or tragedy? Specifically, how do our identities and backgrounds shape the means by which we grow from these experiences? These are the questions our latest...
“Younger’s” Sutton Foster on #MeToo and Liza’s Evolution
“Younger” has developed a passionate following since its 2015 debut on TV Land. Now in its fifth season, the Sutton Foster-led dramedy about a woman who lies about her age to get a job...
Quote of the Day: Playwright Young Jean Lee on Identity Politics and Privilege
In a recent New York Times profile, South Korean-born playwright Young Jean Lee emphasized, “Identity politics saved my life.” It’s what got her through coming of age in Pullman,...
Weekly Update for July 20 Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING THIS WEEK Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again “Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again” This sequel to 2008’s “Mamma Mia!” follows a pregnant Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) as she...
Writer to Watch: “Atlanta” Emmy Nominee Stefani Robinson
Stefani Robinson just scored her first Emmy nomination. The 26-year-old “Atlanta” scribe is up for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for the Donald Glover starrer. The episode that...
Exploring the Psyche: July’s VOD and Web Series Picks
All three of the picks for this month’s VOD and web series round-up spotlight a loaded subject: mental health. Long considered taboo, mental health has finally started to be talked about more...
Weekly Update for July 13 Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING THIS WEEK What Will People Say – Written and Directed by Iram Haq Sixteen-year-old Nisha (Maria Mozhdah) lives a double life. When out with her...
2018 Emmy Nominations: Tiffany Haddish, Sandra Oh, Issa Rae, and More
Tiffany Haddish can add Emmy nominee to her rapidly expanding list of accolades. The 2018 Emmy nominations are in, and the “Girls Trip” breakout just scored her first-ever nod for hosting...
Weekly Update for July 6 Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING THIS WEEK Whitney (Documentary) With over 200 million album sales worldwide, and remaining the only artist to chart seven consecutive U.S. No. 1’s,...
July 2018 Film Preview
By Beandrea July and Sophie Willard While the summer is often associated with big budget films, like the “Mamma Mia!” sequel (July 20), this July is defying expectations by releasing a...
Weekly Update for June 29: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING THIS WEEK Woman Walks Ahead – Directed by Susanna White (Also Available on DirecTV) Based on true events, “Woman Walks Ahead” tells the story of...
Gwyneth Paltrow, Ashley Judd, and More Discuss the Aftermath of #MeToo
A lot has changed since the #MeToo movement took force last fall. Many sexual harassment and abuse survivors are feeling more confident in speaking out. And many predators are facing consequences....
Under the Radar: Motherhood Meets Magical Realism in Brazilian Fairy Tale “Good Manners”
Unsurprisingly for a film infused with magical realism, “Good Manners” was first conceived in a state of sleep: “the original image came from a dream of [co-director Marco Dutra’s]: two women...