Festivals
Women at the 2012 LA Film Festival
The LA Film Festival starts this weekend. There are many women directed films as part of the Festival. Festival Director Stephanie Allain talked about the importance of having a...
Interview with Pink Ribbons Director Lea Pool and Producer Ravida Din
This is a repost of an interview with the director Lea Pool and producer Ravida Din of the terrific and anger producing documentary Pink Ribbons that was conducted shortly after last fall’s...
Sexism Watch: Comment from Critic in Cannes
Here’s how Financial Times critic Nigel Andrews ended a recent piece on Cannes Film Festival On screen, at least, there is great work by women in this festival. So pay no regard to the...
Cannes 2012: Sexism Watch Continues
One of the things I am proud of regarding the work many people have done to raise awareness about the lack of opportunities for female directors is how we were able to interrupt the narrative which...
Cross-Post — Cannes: Festival Opens in a Boys Own Adventure
There are rumbles around the world about the lack of women directors in the official competition. Dr. Lisa French adds an Australian perspective. The `Festival de Cannes` opened with the usual...
Cannes Watch: Woman With a Camera
Here’s a video that interviews women about the lack of women directors in Cannes. It is created by Donna Don. Here’s why she made it: To draw attention to the appalling low number of female...
Cannes Trailer Watch: The Sapphires
The film premiered to wild applause in Cannes. The Weinstein Company has already snapped this Australian film up. It opens in Australia in August. The rest of the world TBD. Here’s the description...
Cross-Post: Cannes 2012: The Stories Aren’t By Women but They’re About Women
It’s hard not to notice sexism when it is everywhere. After dealing with a person named Chris for three years trying to find lodging in Cannes I was stunned to find out that Chris was a woman....
Sign the Petition! Where Are the Women Directors?
It’s been very interesting to watch the opening of the Cannes Film Festival. In light of the fact that there are no women directors in competition and the great work of La Barbe, at the opening...
Cannes Watch: Why We Need Films Directed By Women AND Films About Women
Cannes is kicking off right now. I’ve spent the last two days putting together a petition that will be sent to the festival about the lack of female directors in competition. You can sign the...
Cannes Watch: The First Female Saudia Arabian Director Hits Cannes
Haifaa Al Mansour may not be able to drive in her country but she seems to have accomplished something no other woman — or man — has done in Saudia Arabia — directing the first...
Cannes Film Festival Slammed By Feminist Group La Barbe For Excluding Women Directors
The French feminist group La Barbe which was started several years ago in response to the sexist media treatment of Segolene Royal in her race against Nicholas Sarkozy, has taken on one of the most...
Tribeca Watch: Speaking With Writer/Director Jenny Deller and Producer Kristin Fairweather of Future Weather
I didn’t get to see many Tribeca Fest films in the theatre this year due to my travel schedule at the beginning of the festival, but I was so glad to be able to catch the film and post screening...
Lady Filmmakers at the LA Fest
The LA Film Festival runs from June 14–24. Here are the female directed films. Galas Middle of Nowhere, Ava DuVernay Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, Lorene Scafaria Summer Showcase ...
The World Before Her Takes Top Doc Prize at Tribeca
The World Before Her directed by Nisha Pahuja is an eye-opening and disturbing documentary about the limited options for girls and young women in India. The film juxtaposes two opposing...
Belma Bas Wins Top Award at International Frauen Film Festival for Zephyr
I just am back from Germany where I attended the International Frauen Film Festival, a truly wonderful environment where you can hang out with women working in the film business that you otherwise...
What Women Directed Films Should Have Been Considered for Cannes?
I am over the anger of this morning’s Cannes lineup and on to the next step — action. A tweet from Katey Rich asked me what films I thought should have been included in the lineup and I have...
Four Steps Back — NO Women Directors in Competition at Cannes
I’m sitting in my hotel room in Cologne, Germany having arrived yesterday at International Frauen Film Festival for the second year in a row. I came back this year because I had such a great time...
Guest Post: Tribeca Watch- A Happy Accident
For me, the filmmaking process is incredibly personal and I feel that there aren’t necessarily any rules to it. My latest film BILLY BATES will have a private screening at the 2012 Tribeca Film...
Tribeca Trailer Watch: Billy Bates — Directed by Jennifer De Lia
Guest Post: Elza — A Different Kind of Movie with a French Caribbean Twist
When I was in the advertising business I enjoyed producing powerful commercials, but at the same time I felt there was something missing. I yearned to tell my stories — to capture life about...
Tribeca Trailer Watch: Wagner’s Dream Directed By Susan Froemke
The film will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on Wednesday, April 25, followed by its worldwide theatrical release on May 7 — a one-day ticketed event as part of The Met: Live in...
Guest Post: Why I Started the San Francisco International Women’s Film Festival
The genesis of founding the San Francisco International Women’s Film Festival started when I took a Film History II class in 2004 while earning my film degree at San Francisco State University....
Tribeca Shorts 2012- The Women
Right off I was pissed when I read the press release of the shorts because the first section listed is called “Men-hattan.” Here’s how it is described: “Our New York shorts program takes a...
Exclusive: Poster for Eden Directed by Megan Griffiths — Will Premiere at SXSW on Sunday
This looks like a really interesting film. It is based on a true story of human trafficking. Here’s the description: In 1994 Korean-American teenager, Hyun Jae, went to a bar in New Mexico where a...
Get Ready for Cannes 2012
Already missing the Oscar season — just kidding. The Cannes Film Festival played a big role this past year so who knows what the next Cannes Film Festival has in store for us. Hopefully...
Meryl Streep Gets Golden Bear at Berlin Film Festival
Coming off her BAFTA win for best actress in London on Sunday night, Meryl Streep headed to the Berlin Film Festival to pick up a lifetime acheivement award. At the variety of press conferences she...
Athena Film Festival Trailer Contest Winner
This year we held a trailer contest and the winner is Tony Szulc. We all love this trailer and thank him for his work and a big thanks to Joan Jett for letting us use her song Bad Reputation.
New Poster for Athena Film Festival
Check out the new poster for The Athena Film Festival. Will you be there?
A Little Something to Brighten Your Day: The Athena Film Festival Trailer
Suck it to all of you who don’t think women are strong leaders in every aspect of life. Athena Film Festival
Sundance Trailer Watch: West of Memphis — Directed by Amy Berg
I have now become obsessed with this case. I watched the HBO film this weekend and am going to catch up on the older HBO docs shortly. This is the Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh produced film. This...
The Invisible War: New Poster
Haunting- Film Premieres at Sundance. Here’s the trailer. I love the tag line. The battle ground is your barracks. These are women dedicating themselves to serving the US and they are being raped...
Sundance Trailer Watch: Middle of Nowhere — Written and Directed by Ava Duvernay
I am so impressed by this woman and how she is making movies about African American women on her terms. I really liked her first film, I Will Follow. We will try and cover this at Sundance, but here...
2012 Berlinale Rolls Out the Panorama Section With Five Films Directed by Women
The program for the 2012 Berlinale is rolling out. 20 international films have been announced for inclusion in the Panorama section. Five are directed by women. Keeping count that is just 20%. They...
Last Chance for Discounted Tickets for the Athena Film Festival
Prices go up as of January 1. The Athena Film Festival will take place from February 9–12, 2012 at Barnard College in NYC. We will be announcing the lineup and awardees on January 10. Single...
Good News: Women Directed and Women Written Films Fill Sundance Premiere Section
While there weren’t enough films directed and written by women in the competition as I would have hoped, the list of premieres looks at bit different. Check out the description for Bachelorette-...
Sundance Trailer Watch: The Invisible War
Here is your holy crap moment of the day. This makes by blood boil and makes me cry at the same time. I cannot wait to see this film. Over 16,000 women were assaulted in 2009. The facts and figures...
The Sundance 2012 Competition Lineup: The Women
Sundance unveiled the competition lineups. Here is the first look at the US Dramatic and Documentary competition. There are 16 films in each category. In the dramatic category, 3 are directed by...
Headlines Matter
The Sundance competition lineup is out. Analysis on the gender breakdown to come. But here’s the first thing I saw when I opened the story in the Hollywood Reporter (I seriously think they need a...
Announcing the 2nd Annual Athena Film Festival: a Celebration of Women and Leadership
For those of you who don’t know, I am the artistic director and co-founder of the awesome (if I do say so myself) Athena Film Festival. We will launch year two on February 9. We will be announcing...
Athena Film Festival Trailer Contest
The Athena Film Festival, a celebration of women and leadership, held from February 9–12, 2012 at Barnard College in New York today announces a competition for the creation of a film festival...
Interview with Agnieszka Holland — Director of In Darkness
I was able to interview the Academy Award winning director (Europa Europa) Agnieszka Holland in Toronto at the debut of her new film about the Holocaust, In Darkness. In Darkness is Poland’s entry...
Pink Ribbons, Inc. — Directed by Léa Pool
Next week starts the annual pinkification of cancer — breast cancer awareness month. Now I don’t want to take anything away from any woman who is figuring out a way to fight and survive this...
Toronto Review: Hysteria
One of the most vivid memories I have of my college learning experience is a class I took on Women in American History. I remember reading Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper and Kate...
Where Do We Go Now? Wins Audience Award at Toronto Festival
Where Do We Go Now? written and directed by Nadine Labaki was the first film I saw in Toronto. As I wrote last week, it’s a strong symbol of women sick and tired of the men fighting over nothing...
TIFF: The Lady — The Story of Aung San Suu Kyi
(Update: The Lady is opening today for one week in LA for an Oscar qualifying run. It will open early next year here in the US. I also have been told that about 30 minutes has been shaved...
TIFF: Interview with Malgoska Szumowska — Director of Elles
Elles tells the story of a journalist — Juliette Binoche — who interviews two young female students about their lives as prostitutes. This is bound to be a controversial film because for...
Some Deals for Women Directors at Toronto
Here are some of the deals that women directors scored here in Toronto: Wuthering Heights directed by Andrea Arnold will be released by Oscilloscope in North America in 2012. Lynn Shelton writing...
Sisters in Crisis: Your Sister’s Sister and Union Square
My time in Toronto was spent trying to seek out as many women directed films as I could. Two of my favorites from the past week are films about sisters. First up was Lynn Shelton’s Your Sister’s...
Interview with Nadine Labaki — Director of Where Do We Go Now?
Women and Hollywood: Congratulations. I read your film is going to represent Lebanon in the Oscars. How does that feel? Nadine Labaki: It feels great. I don’t know what will happen afterwards, but...
Toronto Day 5 — It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint
It’s Day 5 and I just feel like I’ve gotten my groove on. I think I’ve seen 10 movies and I have one more today. Power watching films is a skill, and I haven’t yet developed those chops....