Interviews
DOC NYC 2016 Women Directors: Meet Suki Hawley — “All the Rage”
Filmmaker Suki Hawley recently directed and edited the documentary feature “Who Took Johnny,” which chronicles a mother’s tenacious fight to find out what happened to her son, Johnny Gosch,...
DOC NYC 2016 Women Directors: Meet Pamela French — “Becoming More Visible”
Pamela French is a New York-based independent producer/director who specializes in fly-on-the-wall films. French began her career making independent avant-garde shorts with New York artists....
DOC NYC 2016 Women Directors: Meet Markie Hancock — “Feral Love”
Markie Hancock is a documentary filmmaker working in New York City. Her works include “Born Again” and “Queers in the Kingdom.” Both docs explore evangelical Christianity and the formation...
Oscars 2017 Foreign Language Contenders: Meet Maria Schrader — “Stefan Zweig: Farewell to Europe”
One of Germany’s most acclaimed actresses, Maria Schrader is a two-time winner of the German Film award and two-time winner of the Bavarian Film award. In 1999, at the Berlinale, she received the...
Nancy Buirski on Paying Tribute to a Legend in “By Sidney Lumet”
Nancy Buirski’s 2013 documentary “Afternoon of a Faun” had its World Premiere at the 51st New York Film Festival and International Premiere at the 64th Berlinale. She is the director,...
Chanya Button on “Burn Burn Burn,” Her Love Letter to Friendship
Chanya Button made her start in the industry at an early age, working as an Assistant Director on the “Harry Potter” franchise. Button has since worked extensively across both the theater and...
Kadri Kõusaar on Directing “Mother,” Estonia’s Oscar Submission
Kadri Kõusaar is an Estonian writer and director. Her first feature, “Magnus,” premiered in 2007, and was the the first Estonian film ever to be selected for Cannes Film Festival, screening in...
Stella Meghie on Who and What Inspired “Jean of the Joneses”
Interview by Eboni Boykin Stella Meghie has a blind script deal at Warner Brothers, a pilot in development with John Wells Productions, a comedy optioned by BET, and a deal to pen a feature script...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Olivia Neergaard-Holm — “David Lynch: The Art Life”
Olivia Neergaard-Holm graduated from the National Film School of Denmark in 2013. Neergaard-Holm has worked as an editor on various Danish and international feature films and documentaries,...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Laura Israel — “Don’t Blink — Robert Frank”
Laura Israel started editing award-winning commercials and music videos while a film student at NYU. By the time she graduated she had formed her own editorial company, Assemblage. “Windfall,”...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Nicolette Krebitz — “Wild”
Nicolette Krebitz was born and raised in Berlin. After graduating from the National Ballet School, she studied acting at The Fritz Kirchhoff School in Berlin until 1992. Afterwards, she worked in...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Hala Alabdalla — “Farouk, Besieged Like Me”
Hala Alabdalla is a Syrian filmmaker living in France. Alabdalla has directed and produced numerous documentaries and feature films over the past 30 years. Her directing credits include “Hey!...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Karen Bernstein— “Richard Linklater: Dream Is Destiny”
Karen Bernstein has produced various documentary projects, including “Body of War,” “Troop 1500,” “Children of Giant,” and episodes of “American Masters.” Bernstein received an Emmy...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Lizzie Borden— “Born in Flames”
Lizzie Borden is a writer-director based in Los Angeles. Her film credits include “Born in Flames” (1983), “Working Girls” (1986), and “Inside Out” (1991). Borden has directed television...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Rahmatou Keita — “The Wedding Ring”
Rahmatou Keïta was born in Niger. After studying philosophy and linguistics in Paris, she started her career in France and made a name for herself as a journalist for European TV channels. In 1993,...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Anocha Suwichakornpong — “By the Time It Gets Dark”
Born in Thailand, Anocha Suwichakornpong graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in film from Columbia University in New York. Her thesis film, “Graceland,” was screened at the Cannes Film...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Wang Yichun — “What’s in the Darkness”
“What’s in the Darkness” marks Wang Yichun’s directorial debut. The film screened at the Berlinale and the ninth FIRST International Film Festival in Xining, China. Yichun won the Best...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Delphine and Muriel Coulin— “The Stopover”
Sisters and directing-duo Delphine and Muriel Coulin made their feature film debut in 2011 with “17 Girls.” The film, which is based on the true story of a group of American teenage girls who...
NYFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Natalia Almada — “Everything Else”
Natalia Almada is recipient of the 2012 MacArthur Genius Award and of the 2009 Sundance Documentary Directing Award for her film “El General.” Almada’s 2011 film “El Velador” premiered at...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Alice Lowe — “Prevenge”
Known for her work as a UK television comedy actress, Alice Lowe made her move into film with her screenwriting debut “Sightseers,” directed by Ben Wheatley, in which she also starred. After...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Anna Muylaert — “Don’t Call Me Son”
Anna Muylaert was born in São Paulo. She has directed many shorts, including the award-winning “The Origin of Babies.” Her feature credits include “Durval Discos,” “É Proibido Fumar,”...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Fiona Gordon — “Lost in Paris”
Fiona Gordon studied theater and movement in Paris. She met Dominique Abel at the Lecoq school and after a short period in London working with Theatre de Complicité, she joined Abel in Belgium...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Alice Diop— “On Call”
After earning a master’s degree in history and a post-graduate diploma in visual sociology, Alice Diop joined the documentary workshop at La Fémis. Since 2005, she has directed many...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet So Yong Kim — “Lovesong”
So Yong Kim is an award-winning Korean-American independent filmmaker. In 2006 Kim received the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival for her debut feature, “In Between Days.” Her...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Christine Molloy— “Further Beyond”
Christine Molloy hails from Dublin, Ireland and is one half of Desperate Optimists, a UK-based creative partnership formed with her partner, Joe Lawlor. Between 2003 and 2010, Molloy co-wrote and...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Mijke de Jong — “Layla M.”
Mijke de Jong’s international breakthrough came with “Bluebird,” for which she won a number of awards, including the Crystal Bear at the 2005 Berlinale. Her other credits include “Stages,”...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Mattie Do — “Dearest Sister”
Mattie Do launched her career in the movie industry working as a makeup artist. Do is an alumni of the Cannes’ Fabrique des Cinemas du Monde talent lab, the TIFF Director Talent Lab, and the...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Sabine Krayenbühl and Zeva Oelbaum— “Letters from Baghdad”
Sabine Krayenbühl is an award-winning editor with over 20 theatrical documentaries and narrative features to her credit. Her work includes Oscar and Independent Spirit Award nominated “My...
NYFF 2016 Co-Directors: Linda Saffire and Adam Schlesinger— “Restless Creature: Wendy Whelan”
Linda Saffire has worked on numerous award-winning film and television productions. Among her feature documentary and film credits are “A Conversation with Gregory Peck,” a collaboration with...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Claire Simon — “The Graduation”
Claire Simon is a screenwriter, actress, cinematographer, editor, and director. Simon has directed independent shorts and many documentaries throughout her filmmaking career, including “La...
Hamptons Film Fest 2016 Women Directors: Meet Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg — “Marathon: The…
Hamptons Film Fest 2016 Women Directors: Meet Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg — “Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing” Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg’s credits include “Joan Rivers: A...
Listen: Podcast with “13th” Director Ava DuVernay
It’s amazing to be reminded that director Ava DuVernay didn’t pick up a camera until she was 33 years old. She has come so far in such a short time. I sat down with her last week and talked...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Asli Özge — “All of a Sudden”
Asli Özge was born in Istanbul, Turkey and has lived in Berlin, Germany since 2000. Özge directed short films and a documentary before making her feature film debut in 2009 with “Men on the...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Shahrbanoo Sadat — “Wolf and Sheep”
Shahrbanoo Sadat is an Afghan screenwriter and director. Sadat’s first short fiction film, “Vice Versa One,” was selected at Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes in 2011. In 2013, she launched her...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Khushboo Ranka — “An Insignificant Man”
Khushboo Ranka has experience in the fields of journalism, graphic design, and filmmaking. “Continuum,” a short film she wrote and directed at the age of 20, won the best short film at the...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet C. Fitz— “Jewel’s Catch One”
C. Fitz is a creator, director, writer, and producer, as well as a television and marketing veteran. Her previous films include “Rancid,” “No More Roses,” “ShowGirls, Provincetown, MA,”...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Pepa San Martin — “Rara”
Pepa San Martin’s first film, “The Shower,” premiered at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival and won the DAAD Short Film Prize. Her second film, “Gleisdreieck,” will premiere at the Valdivia...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Ruth Beckermann — “The Dreamed Ones”
Ruth Beckermann was born in Vienna. She studied journalism and art history in Vienna, Tel Aviv, and New York. She has contributed as a journalist to several Austrian and Swiss magazines. In 1978 she...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Margaret Salmon — “Eglatine”
Margaret Salmon was born in New York and studied photography at The School of Visual Arts and the Royal College of Art. She lives and works in Glasgow, Scotland. She creates filmic portraits which...
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Fiona Tan — “Ascent”
Fiona Tan is an artist who works primarily in film and photography. Tan represented The Netherlands in the 2009 Venice Biennale. Her work can be found in numerous international art collections...
Hamptons Film Fest 2016 Women Directors: Meet Jessie Auritt — “Supergirl”
Jessie Auritt is an award-winning documentary filmmaker based in New York City. Her short film, “The Birdman,” screened at festivals around the country and won the Slamdance Grand Jury Prize for...
A Conversation with BFI London Film Festival Director Clare Stewart
Clare Stewart came to the BFI London Film Festival in 2011 from running the Sydney Film Festival in Australia. She spoke with Women and Hollywood before the 60th edition of the fest kicks off with...
“Audrie & Daisy” Director Bonni Cohen Talks Cyberbullying and Sex Crimes
Interview by Diana Martinez Since co-founding Actual Films in 1998, Bonni Cohen has produced and directed an array of award-winning films, including “The Island President,” “Inside...
“Generation Startup” Directors on Pushing Boundaries and Starting Companies
“Generation Startup” directors Cynthia Wade and Cheryl Miller Houser shared their thoughts on starting their own companies, why it’s important for young people to pursue their business dreams,...
Rosemary Myers on Exploring the Dark Heart of the Teenage Mind in “Girl Asleep”
Rosemary Myers is the Artistic Director of Windmill Theatre, an award-winning national performing arts company based in Adelaide, South Australia. Her directing credits for Windmill include the...
Sophie Goodhart on Guilt, Shame, and What Inspired “My Blind Brother”
Sophie Goodhart began her career in news and documentaries for UK television. “My Blind Brother” originated as a short. The short version of the film screened in competition at Cannes in 2003,...
Listen: Podcast with “The Dressmaker” Director Jocelyn Moorhouse and Producer Sue Maslin
Women and Hollywood spoke with the women behind “The Dressmaker,” a dark comedy starring Kate Winslet as a sophisticated couturier who returns to her middle-of-nowhere hometown to reconcile with...
TIFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Kristina Kumrić — “Half A Man”
Kristina Kumrić has helmed several short fiction and documentary films. Her short documentary “Welcome to Igrane” won a special jury prize at the Vukovar Film Festival, and her short doc “i...
TIFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Miwa Nishikawa — “The Long Excuse”
Miwa Nishikawa debuted as a writer-director with “Wild Berries” in 2002, which among other awards took Best Screenplay at the 2004 Mainichi Film Concourse. Her second feature, “Sway” showed...
“Miss Stevens” Director Julia Hart on the Need for Telling Female Stories
Interview by Laura Berger Julia Hart’s debut script “The Keeping Room” landed on the Black List and was made into a feature directed by Daniel Barber starring Brit Marling. She’s written...
Renée Zellweger and Sharon Maguire Talk Reuniting for “Bridget Jones’s Baby”
After taking a break from both acting and directing, respectively, Renée Zellweger and Sharon Maguire are back together. Their relationship began in 2001 with “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” a movie...