Films
Tribeca 2018 Women Directors: Meet Karen Gillan — “The Party’s Just Beginning”
Karen Gillan is a Scottish filmmaker and actress. Her directing credits include shorts “Coward,” which screened at Edinburgh Film Festival, and “Conventional.” “Jumanji: Welcome to the...
Nicole Kidman to Star in Adaptation of Meg Wolitzer’s “The Female Persuasion”
Another Meg Wolitzer adaptation is on the way, and this one is headed by Nicole Kidman. Entertainment Weekly reports that the Oscar winner’s production company, Blossom Films, is joining forces...
Cate Blanchett-Led Cannes Jury Adds Kristen Stewart, Ava DuVernay, and More
Cannes’ Competition lineup remains sorely lacking in women-directed films, but the Jury ruling over the fest’s most high-profile program is decidedly more inclusive. As previously announced,...
Tribeca 2018 Women Directors: Meet Dava Whisenant — “Bathtubs Over Broadway”
Dava Whisenant is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker making her directorial debut with “Bathtubs Over Broadway.” She served as editor on docs “Two Trains Runnin’,” “Under the Electric Sky,”...
Exclusive: Chicken & Egg Announces 2018 Diversity Fellows
Chicken & Egg Pictures has announced the five projects selected for their 2018 Diversity Fellows Initiative. Created with the aim of identifying and increasing the visibility of diverse women...
Victoria Mahoney Makes History as Second Unit Director on Next “Star Wars” Film
The “Star Wars” franchise is finally getting a bit more diverse behind the scenes. Deadline confirms that “Yelling to the Sky” director Victoria Mahoney will be the second unit director on...
Tribeca 2018 Women Directors: Meet Pietra Brettkelly — “Yellow is Forbidden”
Pietra Brettkelly is the director of “Beauty Will Save the World,” “The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins,” “Maori Boy Genius,” and “A Flickering Truth.” Her films have won various...
Reese Witherspoon, Issa Rae, and Niki Caro Among This Year’s Gracie Award Winners
The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) has announced the winners of the 43rd annual Gracie Awards. Set to take place May 22 in Los Angeles, the event celebrates programming created by,...
Tribeca 2018 Women Directors: Meet Norah Shapiro — “Time For Ilhan”
Norah Shapiro is a Minneapolis-based filmmaker who left a decade-long career as a public defender to pursue documentary filmmaking. Her prior credits include “Miss Tibet: Beauty in Exile” and...
Tribeca 2018 Women Directors: Meet Madeleine Sackler — “O.G.”
Madeleine Sackler is an Emmy-winning director and producer. Her films include 2010’s “The Lottery” and 2013’s “Dangerous Acts Starring the Unstable Elements of Belarus.” “O.G.” will...
Cannes 2018: Directors’ Fortnight Feature Lineup Falls to 25% Women-Directed
Cannes has announced its 2018 Directors’ Fortnight schedule and, unfortunately, the numbers have dipped quite a bit from last year. Five of the 20 features selected to screen in the...
Cathy Yan Eyed to Direct Margot Robbie Harley Quinn Movie
Cathy Yan is poised to make history. Deadline reports that the “Dead Pigs” director has been tapped to direct Warner Bro. and DC Entertainment’s upcoming Harley Quinn pic. Still untitled, the...
Tribeca 2018 Women Directors: Meet Sarah Kerruish — “General Magic”
Sarah Kerruish’s films have been distributed worldwide and won awards including a Peabody, and an Emmy nomination. In 2017, she made a short film about the last few days of the tech team at the...
Tribeca 2018 Women Directors: Meet Stephanie Wang-Breal— “Blowin’ Up”
Stephanie Wang-Breal is an award-winning filmmaker and commercial director. Her Emmy-nominated feature documentary “Wo Ai Ni Mommy (I Love You, Mommy)” was awarded Best US Feature at AFI...
Tribeca 2018 Women Directors: Meet Gabrielle Brady — “Island of the Hungry Ghosts”
Gabrielle Brady is an Australian filmmaker who focuses on documentary and hybrid films. Her short film “The Island” was commissioned as part of the Guardian documentary series and premiered at...
Tribeca 2018 Women Directors: Meet Laura Bispuri — “Daughter of Mine”
Laura Bispuri’s short film “Passing Time” was selected as one of the best international shorts by France’s Académie des César, and her next short, “Biondina,” was awarded Italy’s...
Trailer Watch: Return to Steubenville, Ohio in Disturbing “Roll Red Roll”
“Is this football town putting its daughters at risk by protecting its sons in a situation like this?” asks one of the characters in “Roll Red Roll,” an upcoming documentary exploring the...
Tribeca 2018 Women Directors: Meet Ioana Uricaru — “Lemonade”
Ioana Uricaru was born and raised in Romania, where she studied biology before turning to filmmaking. She is an Alumna of Berlinale Talents, the Cannes Cinefondation Residence Programme, the...
Emma Thompson Co-Writing and Directing “Nanny McPhee” Stage Musical
Emma Thompson is stepping into the director’s chair. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that the Oscar winner will helm and co-write a stage musical adaptation of 2005’s “Nanny McPhee.”...
Tribeca 2018 Women Directors: Meet Keren Ben Rafael — “Virgins”
Keren Ben Rafael is a writer-director based in Israel and France. Her previous credits include shorts “La Plage” and “Northern Lights” and doc “Bite Into Life.” “Virgins” will...
Cannes 2018: Critics’ Week Main Competition Is 57% Women-Directed
Cannes’ 2018 Critics’ Week lineup has been announced. Dedicated to directors’ first and second films, this year’s sidebar is much more female-friendly than the fest’s recently announced...
Trailer Watch: Elle Fanning Finds Her Voice in Haifaa Al-Mansour’s “Mary Shelley”
“I have a fire in my soul. And I will no longer allow you or anyone else to contain it,” says Elle Fanning in a new trailer for “Mary Shelley.” The “20th Century Women” star plays the...
Tribeca 2018 Preview: Women-Directed Films About Cyber Bullying, Police Brutality, Barbie, and More
“Time for Ilhan”: Chris Newberry With timely docs and features about online harassment, investigative journalism in the age of Donald Trump, and surrogates in its program, the 2018 edition of...
SAG-AFTRA Calls for Ban on Auditions In Hotel Rooms And Residences
SAG-AFTRA has announced the first expansion of the Code of Conduct it unveiled in February. Deadline reports that the union has called for a ban on auditions in hotel rooms and residences, locations...
Weekly Update for April 13: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami” Films About Women Opening This Week Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami (Documentary) — Directed by Sophie Fiennes (Opens in NY; Opens in LA...
You’re Invited: Women and Hollywood is Continuing the Conversation in Cannes
Heading to Cannes 2018 and interested in discussing topics such as securing funding, working collaboratively, and the lack of women-directed films screening in the fest’s Competition? Please join...
New Hotline Offers Help to Those Working in UK Film and TV
If you or someone you know works in UK film and television and is struggling, the Film & Television Charity is here to help. A press release has announced the launch of the Film & TV Support...
Trailer Watch: Sandra Bullock Plans a Heist at the Met Gala in “Ocean’s 8”
Sandra Bullock is an ex-con eyeing an epic comeback in “Ocean’s 8.” The Oscar winner plays Debbie Ocean, a woman who celebrates her release from prison by plotting a hugely ambitious heist. A...
Apply Now: Firelight Media Documentary Lab Supporting Underrepresented Communities
A fellowship supporting filmmakers from racially and ethically underrepresented communities has announced a national open call for submissions. Firelight Media’s 18-month Documentary Lab program...
Isabel Coixet’s “The Bookshop” Acquired by Greenwich Entertainment, Emily Mortimer Stars
“The Bookshop” is making its way to the United States. Isabel Coixet’s award-winning drama has been acquired by Greenwich Entertainment, Deadline confirms. The Emily Mortimer-starrer screened...
Cannes 2018: 25% of Shorts and 47% of Cinéfondation Films Directed by Women
Cannes Film Festival has unveiled its Short Film and Cinéfondation lineups for 2018. While the Cinéfondation selections are 47 percent women-directed — a slight increase from last year’s...
Gurinder Chadha’s “Blinded By the Light” Begins Filming
Shooting is underway for Gurinder Chadha’s next feature. Deadline reports that hybrid musical “Blinded By the Light” has secured UK and Australian distribution from eOne. Based on Sarfraz...
Paloma Baeza to Direct “The Toymaker’s Secret” for TriStar Pictures
Paloma Baeza is set to make her feature directorial debut. The BAFTA winner will helm fantasy story “The Toymaker’s Secret” for TriStar Pictures. Variety broke the news. A combination of...
Melissa McCarthy to Star in and Produce Action Comedy “Super-Intelligence”
Melissa McCarthy is heading another action comedy. The “Ghostbusters” star will topline and produce New Line’s “Super-Intelligence,” The Hollywood Reporter confirms. Slated to begin...
Trailer Watch: Meet the Women Who Should Have Been Space Race Astronauts in “Mercury 13”
“I would’ve liked to walk on the moon,” one of the subjects of “Mercury 13” confesses in a trailer for the documentary. “I could’ve walked on it, I could’ve kicked it out, I...
Leslie Hope to Make Feature Directorial Debut with Rom-Com “The Swearing Jar”
Leslie Hope is stepping behind the camera for “The Swearing Jar.” The “24” alumna will helm the indie romantic comedy, marking her feature directorial debut, The Hollywood Reporter...
Laura Dern Sundance Breakout “The Tale” Gets Premiere Date and Teaser from HBO
“The Tale” made a major mark at Sundance earlier this year, and now Jennifer Fox’s acclaimed narrative debut is prepping for its HBO premiere. The Laura Dern-starrer has received an air date...
Trailer Watch: Glenn Close Is Fed Up with Being Defined as “The Wife”
“Don’t paint me as the victim. I’m much more interesting than that,” says Glenn Close in a new trailer for “The Wife.” An adaptation of Meg Wolitzer’s 2003 novel of the same name, the...
Christina Hodson to Write “Batgirl” Movie
Two months after Joss Whedon exited the project, “Batgirl” has found a new writer. “Unforgettable” scribe Christina Hodson has signed on to pen the Warner Bros. film based on the beloved DC...
Ellen Shanman to Adapt Sci-Fi Assassin Thriller “The Hidden Girl”
Ellen Shanman has been tapped to pen “The Hidden Girl” for Studio 8. Inspired by an ancient Chinese myth and a short story by Ken Liu, the sci-fi pic follows “a team of women assassins who are...
Nearly Half of “Luke Cage’s” New Season Is Women-Directed — A Major Change from Season 1
“Luke Cage” has undergone a major behind-the-scenes makeover. According to blackfilm.com, the Netflix superhero series’ sophomore outing will feature six episodes directed by...
Rosemary Rodriguez to Direct “Grandma’s Shoes from Poland”
Rosemary Rodriguez just signed on to direct the pilot of CBS’ “Cagney and Lacey” reboot, and now Deadline reports that she’ll helm “Grandma’s Shoes from Poland,” a new feature. Set in...
Birds’ Eye View Unveils New Project to Grow Audiences for Women-Directed Films
Birds’ Eye View (BEV) has introduced a new initiative to increase the audiences for female-helmed movies: the “Reclaim The Frame” Influencer Project. From April to September BEV will spotlight...
Issa López to Make English-Language Debut with “Three Sundays”
Award-winning Mexican writer-director Issa López is set to make her English-language debut with Paramount Players’ love story “Three Sundays.” The Hollywood Reporter broke the news. Penned...
Gender-Swapped “High Fidelity” TV Reboot in Development
“High Fidelity” may soon be making its way to your “Top Five Gender-Flipped Reboots” list. “Ugly Betty” writers Veronica West and Sarah Kucserka are adapting the 1995 Nick Hornby novel...
Full Frame 2018 Women Directors: Meet Alyssa Fedele — “The Rescue List”
Alyssa Fedele is a documentary filmmaker and anthropologist. She produced and edited the short documentary film “The Ride of Their Lives,” which premiered at Sundance. From 2015 to 2017, Fedele...
Full Frame 2018 Women Directors: Meet Anne de Mare — “Capturing the Flag”
Anne de Mare is a documentary filmmaker and playwright with work supported by MacArthur Foundation and Sundance Institute. Her prior film credits include “The Homestretch,” which won a 2015...
Weekly Update for April 6: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“You Were Never Really Here” Films About Women Opening This Week “The Miracle Season”: LD Entertainment The Miracle Season — Co-Written by Elissa Matsueda Based on the inspiring true...
“Hidden Figures” Series in Development, “First Wives Club” Gets Pilot Order
We might be getting more Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Elise Elliot Atchison, Brenda Morelli Cushman, and Annie MacDuggan Paradis. That’s right: TV adaptations of “Hidden...
Full Frame 2018 Women Directors: Meet Katie Galloway and Dawn Valadez — “The Pushouts”
Katie Galloway’s credits include “The Return,” “El Poeta,” and “Prison Town, USA.” She’s received numerous honors including the Writer’s Guild of America’s Best Documentary...
Full Frame 2018 Women Directors: Meet Talya Tibbon — “Sky & Ground”
Interview by Kaidia Pickels Talya Tibbon is an award-winning director, producer, and writer. She’s worked in four continents documenting wide-ranging subjects such as street gangs, mass shooters...