Films
Guest Post: Plenty of Qualified Women Directors Are Ready to Fill the Ranks
Guest Post by Rachel Feldman If asked to imagine a film or TV director, most people conjure the image of a man. Sadly, this is true for those who work in the film and television industry as well....
The “Fun Mom Dinner” Team on Depicting Friendship Between Mothers Onscreen
After the success of last year’s “Bad Moms,” there has been a slew of raunchy, female-driven comedies like “Rough Night,” “Little Hours,” and “Girls Trip.” The most recent addition...
Jennifer Garner to Topline Revenge Thriller “Peppermint”
“Alias” fans, rejoice. Jennifer Garner isn’t reprising her role as Sydney Bristow, but she may be playing another ass-kicking heroine. The “Miracles from Heaven” actress is in talks to...
Quote of the Day: Brie Larson Hopes by Directing She Can Inspire Others to “Take the Risk”
Brie Larson’s feature directorial debut, “Unicorn Store,” won’t hit theaters until later this year, but the Oscar-winning actress is already gauging the movie’s success. And,...
Rebecca Thomas to Direct Fox Sci-fi Action-Thriller “Malignant”
Rebecca Thomas has booked yet another gig. According to Variety, the “Stranger Things” helmer has signed on to direct “Malignant,” a sci-fi action-thriller from Fox. Based on the Boom!...
Trailer Watch: Jennifer Lawrence Has Unwelcome House Guests in “mother!”
A trailer has finally landed for Jennifer Lawrence-starrer “mother!” Details about the highly anticipated pic have been kept under tight wraps, but the tense, creepy spot helps to give an idea...
Valeska Grisebach’s “Western” Gets U.S. Distribution
“Western” has found a home. Cinema Guild has snagged the U.S. rights to Valeska Grisebach’s thriller with a theatrical release planned for early 2018, Variety reports. Grisebach is among the...
Janelle Brown’s “Watch Me Disappear” Optioned by The Gotham Group
Another compulsively readable “Gone Girl”-esque book is getting the big screen treatment. Deadline reports that Janelle Brown’s bestseller “Watch Me Disappear” — which has drawn...
Amazon Snags Lucille Ball Biopic Starring Cate Blanchett
Looks like the long-gestating Lucille Ball biopic is finally happening. The Hollywood Reporter confirms that the untitled film about comedy legend Ball has landed at Amazon and Oscar winner Cate...
Paula Vogel’s “Indecent” Ends Broadway Run with Highest Weekly Gross Yet
Paula Vogel’s Tony-winning play “Indecent” ended its Broadway run last night on a new high. After 128 performances and 15 previews at Cort Theatre, the show closed with its highest weekly...
Trailer Watch: Juliette Binoche Teaches a Dancer to Express Herself in “Polina”
“Polina” follows a gifted dancer on the brink of joining the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet when she decides to radically change gears. “I’m tired of executing other people’s choreography. I...
Alice Rohrwacher Begins Shooting “Lazzaro Felice”
Alice Rohrwacher has begun shooting her follow-up to “The Wonders,” Variety reports. Set in the present, “Lazzaro Felice” centers on a man who travels through time. Rohrwacher penned the...
Quad Cinema to Screen Films from Joan Micklin Silver and Sheila McLaughlin
Two rarely screened films from women directors will be shown at the Quad Cinema in New York City. Joan Micklin Silver’s “Between the Lines” will screen as part of the venue’s monthly...
Petra Volpe’s “The Divine Order” Chosen as Switzerland’s Foreign-Language Oscar Pick
“The Divine Order” may be headed to the Academy Awards. Switzerland has selected Petra Volpe’s award-winning women’s rights drama to represent the country in the best foreign-language film...
Weekly Update for August 4: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“Step” Films About Women Opening This Week Step (Documentary) — Directed by Amanda Lipitz Baltimore is a city that is fighting to save its youth. “Step” chronicles the trials and...
Nisha Ganatra to Direct Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson Comedy “Late Night”
Nisha Ganatra’s star continues to rise. The director is currently filming her first pilot, and now comes word that she’ll helm “Late Night,” a Fox 2000 comedy starring Mindy Kaling and Emma...
Letting Go of the Past: Crowdfunding Picks
The past is the story of who we are: it defines us and plays a part in how we act. But sometimes the past can hold us back and take away our ability to make progress. For this round of crowdfunding...
Trailer Watch: Melissa Leo Resists Change in the Church in Maggie Betts’ “Novitiate”
Piercings, door-slamming, and mouthiness are some of the more common ways teens rebel against their parents. “Novitiate” sees 17-year-old Cathleen (Margaret Qualley, “The Leftovers”) bucking...
Quote of the Day: Ava DuVernay Doesn’t “Understand a Structure Where Women Aren’t Making Decisions”
Ava DuVernay is at it again. The “13th” director can always be counted on to deliver powerful truths about the industry, whether she’s describing Hollywood as “a patriarchy, headed by men...
Writers Lab for Women Screenwriters Over 40 Announces 2017 Participants
New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) and IRIS have selected the participants of its third Writers Lab for Women Screenwriters over 40. Sponsored by Meryl Streep and Oprah Winfrey, the...
Apply Now for the 2018 Diverse Voices in Docs Program
Applications are now being accepted for Kartemquin Films and The Community Film Workshop of Chicago’s sixth Diverse Voices in Docs (DVID) program. DVID will provide eight filmmakers of color from...
TIFF’s Platform Program 50% Women-Directed, Includes World Premiere of Clio Barnard’s “Dark River”
The Toronto International Film Festival’s Platform program has arrived, and it’s something to celebrate. Hailing from eight countries on five continents, the lineup features 12 films, six of...
Trailer Watch: History Is Made in Gurinder Chadha’s “Viceroy’s House”
“I am to be the last Viceroy of India and I shall carry out the role with great pride,” says Lord Louis Montbatten (Hugh Bonneville, “Downton Abbey”) in a new trailer for Gurinder Chadha’s...
Amanda Lipitz on the Inspiring Girls of “Step”
Do yourself a favor and go see “Step” this weekend. It’s impossible to watch without wanting to dance in your seat. Directed by Amanda Lipitz, the inspiring doc follows three senior...
“Patti Cake$” Breakout Danielle Macdonald to Star in “White Girl Problems”
The breakout star of Sundance 2017 has booked her next gig. “Patti Cake$’” Danielle Macdonald will topline Lauren Palmigiano’s feature directorial debut, “White Girl Problems.” Deadline...
Academy to Host Event Celebrating Trailblazing Women of Animation
“Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King,” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” are just a few of the many movies women animators helped bring to the screen. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts...
Quote of the Day: Halle Berry Loves Seeing “A Woman of Color Get to Save the Day”
It’s time for a mom to come to the rescue. “Taken” and plenty of other action flicks have seen dads go to hell and back to save their kids. Now Halle Berry is getting the chance to be a hero...
Trailer Watch: Angelina Jolie Tells a Harrowing Story in “First They Killed My Father”
A trailer has landed for Angelina Jolie’s latest directorial effort, “First They Killed My Father.” The spot is scarce on plot details — and includes no dialogue — but it manages...
London Feminist Film Fest Unveils 2017 Lineup
“In these politically and socially turbulent times we felt a real need to address the rising levels of misogyny, racism, and xenophobia,” write the organizers of the fifth London Feminist Film...
Quote of the Day: Jessica Lange Says “Ageism is Pervasive” in the Film Biz
After more than four decades in the industry, Jessica Lange continues to deliver standout performances and rack up awards. She’s up for an Emmy this year for playing Joan Crawford in “Feud:...
August 2017 Film Preview
“The Glass Castle” With summer drawing to a close, August brings a bevy of films by and about women that engage with quirky themes and unique perspectives. The month kicks off with “Step,”...
TIFF Announces More Lineups: “Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami” to Open Doc Program
The Toronto International Film Festival is rolling out more of its lineups. About a week ago, TIFF announced its most high-profile programs, Galas and Special Presentations (which include Susanna...
Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady Doc About Hasidic Judaism Lands at Netflix
Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady’s portrait of an Evangelical Christian summer camp earned them an Oscar nomination, and the “Jesus Camp” directors’ latest project, “One of Us,” explores...
Study: Stereotypes About Gender, Race, and Age Still Abound in Film
With the success of convention-defying, female-led films like “Hidden Figures,” “Wonder Woman,” and “Girls Trip,” it’s easy to think Hollywood is finally moving beyond reductive...
Trailer Watch: Noomi Rapace Plays Seven Identical Sisters in “What Happened to Monday”
Noomi Rapace is taking on another ass-kicking role — or rather, roles — in her latest film, “What Happened to Monday.” The “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” star plays seven...
Study: The Last Decade’s Most Popular Films Are Lacking in Inclusivity
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” the top-earning film of 2016 in the U.S. Conversations about more inclusivity and better representation in film have undoubtedly increased within the last decade;...
Bryce Dallas Howard to Make Feature Directorial Debut with “Sorta Like a Rock Star”
Bryce Dallas Howard is stepping behind the camera again. The Golden Globe-nominated actress has signed on to make her feature directorial debut with an adaptation of Matthew Quick’s novel “Sorta...
Trailer Watch: Stana Katic Is An FBI Agent Who Comes Back from the Dead in “Absentia”
“We’re in this together,” Special Agent Emily Byrne (Stana Katic, “Castle”) is told by her husband and fellow FBI Agent (Nick Heusinger) in a trailer for new series “Absentia.” “You...
Weekly Update for July 28: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“Atomic Blonde” Films About Women Opening This Week Atomic Blonde Oscar-winner Charlize Theron explodes into summer in “Atomic Blonde,” a breakneck action-thriller that follows MI6’s most...
Zoe Saldana Lauches Digital Media Company Focused on Empowering Latinos
Zoe Saldana is branching out in a big way. The “Star Trek” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” actress — who already has a number of producing credits under her belt — is launching her...
Could “Wonder Woman” Be an Oscar Contender? Warner Bros. Thinks So
Goddess willing, this Oscar season could be a game-changer. “Wonder Woman” is the highest-grossing film of the summer, the second highest-grossing film of the year behind “Beauty and the...
Jenna Mattison’s Directorial Debut “The Sound” Acquired, Rose McGowan Stars
Jenna Mattison’s directorial debut has found a home. According to Deadline, Orion Pictures and Samuel Goldwyn Films have joined forces to acquire “The Sound,” a thriller toplined by...
Rachel Carey’s Film About Chicago’s Underground Abortion Network Goes into Production
Production has begun on a new film based on the true story of the underground abortion network known as The Jane Collective, a press release has announced. “Ask for Jane” is the brainchild of...
Locarno Festival to Award Audentia Prize for Best Female Director
The Council of Europe’s Eurimages Fund has joined forces with the Locarno Film Festival this year to present the second edition of its Audentia Award for best female director, a press release has...
Trailer Watch: A City is Forever Changed in Kathryn Bigelow’s “Detroit”
It’s the night of July 25, 1967 and soul music is drifting out of the Algiers Motel on Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. “Turn that radio up,” someone says, as a bunch of guys sit around...
Katherine Dieckmann on Crafting an Unconventional Female Protagonist in “Strange Weather”
Katherine Dieckmann’s films include “Motherhood,” “Diggers,” and “A Good Baby.” She began her career as a journalist, writing for such publications as Rolling Stone, The Village Voice,...
Women-Directed Films Account For Less Than 5 Percent of Venice’s Competition Lineup
“Venice is recognized as the oldest film festival in the world, but the 73rd iteration of the fest demonstrates that they are lagging behind when it comes to gender equality in their...
Welle Entertainment Nabs Rights to Book About the Female Heroes of Silicon Valley
Love HBO’s “Silicon Valley” but wish women had more of a presence in the comedy? Fortunately it looks like a story about “the unsung female heroes of Silicon Valley” is coming to the...
Book Excerpt: “Nancy Meyers”
The following is excerpted from Deborah Jermyn’s “Nancy Meyers,” which will be released July 27. May 2014. A BBC journalist was on the phone. It was shortly to be the twentieth anniversary of...
Ava DuVernay’s “Queen Sugar” Gets Third Season
Ava DuVernay’s hit television series “Queen Sugar” has been renewed. The critically acclaimed series will return for a third season on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN Network, The Hollywood Reporter...
Venice Days Competition is 33 Percent Women-Directed
Another day, another festival lineup. Less than 24 hours after the Toronto International Film Festival announced its Gala and Special Presentation programs, Venice Days, The Venice Film Festival’s...