News
Apply Now: Boyish’s #RaiseYourVoice Female Filmmaker Competition
Boyish, a digital media company spotlighting content created by women, is teaming up with In The Know and Malka Media for a female filmmaker contest. Boyish will award five women-identifying...
Women Directors Call On DGA to Update Parental Leave Policy in Open Letter
Ava DuVernay, Greta Gerwig, Reese Witherspoon, Brie Larson, and Lena Waithe are among the Hollywood heavyweights joining filmmaker Jessica Dimmock in urging the Directors Guild of America (DGA) to...
Gal Gadot and Vanessa Roth Are Teaming Up for Nat Geo Doc Series About Inspiring Young Women
Gal Gadot is helping pay tribute to other heroines. The “Wonder Woman” star is signed on to exec produce a Nat Geo short-form doc series that “follows the stories of young women...
Laura Dern Will Play a Bartender in Quibi Series “Just One Drink”
Laura Dern coached Scarlett Johansson through a messy divorce in “Marriage Story,” and now the Oscar nominee is set to offer a sympathetic ear to a bunch of other unhappy characters....
Lulu Wang, Céline Sciamma, and More Women Directors Spotlighted by Alice Initiative
If you’re still (rightfully) pissed about the male-dominated Oscar nominations, the Alice Initiative has something that will make you feel better. The org has unveiled its annual list of rising...
Elizabeth Banks Is Hasty Pudding’s Woman of the Year
Elizabeth Banks is following in the footsteps of the likes of Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer, and Meryl Streep. The multi-hyphenate has been named Hasty Pudding’s 2020 Woman of the Year....
“Fleabag,” “GLOW,” “When They See Us,” and More Receive ReFrame’s TV Stamp
Twenty-one television series from the 2018-2019 season have received the ReFrame Stamp — “Fleabag” and “When They See Us” among them. As Variety reports, 10 of those...
Cynthia Nixon Will Direct Groundbreaking Lesbian Play “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove” on Broadway
Theater mainstay Cynthia Nixon is returning to Broadway — but this time as a director. The “Sex and the City” alumna is set to helm a 40th anniversary production of Jane Chambers’...
Judith Helfand’s “Cooked: Survival By Zip Code” to Air on PBS’ “Independent Lens”
“Cooked: Survival By Zip Code” will air on PBS as part of “Independent Lens.” A press release confirmed that Judith Helfand’s documentary about the 1995 Chicago heat...
Apply Now: 2020 Writers Lab for Women Screenwriters Over 40
The Writers Lab is gearing up for its 2020 edition. Applications for the program will be accepted beginning January 27. An intensive screenplay development retreat for women screenwriters who are 40...
Emerald Fennell Is Working on a New Musical Version of “Cinderella”
Emerald Fennell is offering a fresh take on an old classic. The Guardian reports that the former showrunner of “Killing Eve” has teamed up with composer Andrew Lloyd Webber on a new...
Mara Brock Akil Inks Network-Direct Script Deal with Fox Entertainment
Mara Brock Akil is heading to Fox for her next TV project. Variety confirms the “Being Mary Jane” creator and veteran television writer-producer has signed a network-direct script deal...
ReFrame Teams Up with Delta Airlines for Women-Driven In-Flight Entertainment Channels
ReFrame, the coalition dedicated to improving gender representation across all areas of the film industry, is bringing women-led and -made entertainment to Delta Airlines. The two organizations have...
Fran Drescher and Rachel Bloom Are Working on a Musical Based on “The Nanny”
Rachel Bloom has sung about everything from heavy boobs to period sex to anti-depressants, and now the Golden Globe-winning “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” co-creator and star is turning to...
Effie Brown Named CEO of Gamechanger, Plans to Make Fund More Inclusive
Gamechanger, the first film fund by and for women, has appointed veteran producer Effie Brown as its new CEO. According to IndieWire, the “Dear White People” producer will work to expand...
“Frozen 2” Is the Highest-Grossing Animated Film Ever
Elsa and Anna are adding another crown to their collection. “Frozen 2” is officially the highest-grossing animated movie of all time globally, Deadline reports. The original...
Apply Now: The Stephanie Rothman Fellowship for Women Student Horror Filmmakers
Attention, women-identifying undergrad or grad film students with a penchant for horror, sci-fi, and/or fantasy: the 2020 Stephanie Rothman Fellowship is now accepting submissions. Created by horror...
Time’s Up Releases Safety Guide for the Entertainment Industry
Time’s Up Entertainment just released a valuable resource ahead of Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards. The Time’s Up Guide to Working in Entertainment “provides accessible and...
Happy Holidays from the Women and Hollywood Team
Happy holidays. Thank you for continuing to support Women and Hollywood. We’ll be returning to our desks in the new year. – Melissa, Laura, Rachel, and Mariana
Sharon Horgan Inks First-Look Deal with Apple
Apple is welcoming one of our favorite multi-hyphenates into its folds. “Catastrophe” co-creator, star, writer, and exec producer Sharon Horgan has signed an exclusive first-look deal...
Paula Patton to Topline and Produce “Josephine Baker’s Last Dance” Adaptation
Paula Patton is bringing Josephine Baker’s extraordinary life to the screen. The Hollywood Reporter confirms she has acquired film and television rights to “Josephine Baker’s Last...
The 2019 Black List Has Been Unveiled
As 2019 wraps up, it’s time to look onward. The Black List has unveiled its 2019 edition, offering a peek at what stories we’ll — hopefully — get the chance to see on the big...
Women and Hollywood, WIF LA, and NYWIFT Launch #VoteForWomen Awards Campaign
What if awards ballots featured all women candidates in every category, instead of the usual one or zero? What if women directors, writers, DPs, editors, and other crew members were the subject of...
“Frozen 2” Tops $1 Billion Worldwide
“Frozen 2” is on fire. Elsa and Anna’s second adventure has officially taken in more than $1 billion worldwide, Deadline reports. As of Saturday, the Disney sequel has grossed $666...
Nisha Ganatra Signs Overall Deal with ABC Studios & Launches Ladies’ Car Productions
Nisha Ganatra has inked an overall two-year deal with ABC Studios, Deadline reports. The pact sees the “Late Night” helmer writing, directing, and developing projects across all platforms...
Fortune Feimster Comedy Special in the Works at Netflix
Fortune Feimster is taking center stage. Best known for her supporting roles on the small screen in “The Mindy Project,” “Life in Pieces,” and “Champions” and on...
THR Announces 2019 Women in Entertainment Power 100 List
The Hollywood Reporter has unveiled its 2019 Women in Entertainment Power 100 list. The list, THR explains, celebrates “the female players pulling in box office billions, running the streamers,...
National Film Registry Adds Record Number of Women-Directed Films This Year
“Boys Don’t Cry” and “A New Leaf” are among the films being added to the National Film Registry this year. The Library of Congress announced its annual selection of 25...
Gretchen Carlson Teams Up with Fellow Fox News Plaintiffs to End Mandatory NDAs
Gretchen Carlson is working to ban mandatory Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), confidentiality contracts that protect high-profile predators and the companies who hired them, while preventing victims...
Patty Jenkins and Ava DuVernay Funko Pop Figurines Are on the Way
Yesterday’s Golden Globe nominations left us — and many, many others — disappointed by the lack of recognition for women directors. That same day, Funko, the company behind Funko...
“Little Women, “The Farewell,” “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” & More Score Critics’ Choice Nods
The Critics’ Choice Award nominations are in — and they’ve bested the Golden Globes. While the latter nominated zero women in the directing category, “Little Women”...
An Episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” Helped Raise Awareness of Sexual Assault, Study Finds
Shonda Rhimes’ TV empire — which includes “Grey’s Anatomy,” “How to Get Away with Murder,” “Scandal,” and a number of other beloved series...
Phoebe Waller-Bridge Tops Radio Times TV 100 List
Phoebe Waller-Bridge catapulted to international stardom this year, and the folks back home have taken notice. Britain’s Radio Times polled television execs and broadcasting veterans to...
Ali Wong Has Two Netflix Stand-Up Specials on the Way
Ali Wong is in serious demand. The stand-up comedian and “Always Be My Maybe” star and co-writer has inked “a rich deal” with Netflix to do two new stand-up specials for the...
Feminist Collective Urges European Film Academy Not to Honor Polanski’s New Film in Open Letter
Roman Polanski’s latest film, “An Officer and a Spy,” won four awards at Venice Film Festival this year and received a theatrical release in France and several other countries...
Joanna Hogg’s “The Souvenir” Tops Sight & Sound’s 2019 Best of List
One hundred critics, programmers, and academics from around the world weighed in on the best film of 2019 for Sight & Sound, the BFI’s International Magazine. The top 50 films have been...
16 Days 16 Films Initiative Spotlights Short Films Addressing Gendered Violence
Modern Films and The Kering Foundation have selected the finalists for the second annual 16 Days 16 Films, a short film initiative inspired by the UN Women campaign 16 Days of Activism Against...
BBC Celebrates the 100 Greatest Films Directed by Women
BBC Culture just dropped its most comprehensive international poll of film experts ever, with votes from 368 critics in 84 countries, including Women and Hollywood Founder and Publisher Melissa...
“Frozen II” Earns $350 Million in Record-Breaking Opening Weekend
Anna and Elsa’s venture “Into the Unknown” turned out to be extremely lucrative. “Frozen II” netted $127 million domestically and $223.3 million abroad — $350.2...
“One Day at a Time’s” Gloria Calderón Kellett Inks History-Making Overall Deal with Amazon Studios
Gloria Calderón Kellett will soon be joining Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Lena Waithe, and Amy Sherman-Palladino at Amazon. The “One Day at a Time” co-creator and co-showrunner has signed a...
Directors UK Releases Guidelines for Directing Nudity and Sex Scenes
Directors UK, the United Kingdom’s association of screen directors, is taking steps to make the shooting of nude scenes and simulated sex safer. The organization has published “Directing...
Sierra Teller Ornelas Signs Multi-Year Overall Deal with Universal Television
Sierra Teller Ornelas is staying in business with Universal Television. According to Deadline, the writer-producer has inked a deal with the studio, the home of her forthcoming comedy...
Anita Hill’s Commission on Sexual Harassment Launches Industry Worker Survey
Attention anyone who has worked or sought work in the entertainment industry: The Hollywood Commission on Eliminating Sexual Harassment needs your input. According to Deadline, the Anita Hill-led...
Variety’s 2020 Directors to Watch List Includes Mati Diop, Shannon Murphy, & More
As the year winds down and awards season heats up, Variety is looking onward and celebrating rising talents. The trade just announced its 2020 Directors to Watch list, and of 10 filmmakers featured,...
Projects from Alexandra Pelosi and Alexandra Shiva Added to MTV Documentary Films’ Slate
Alexandra Pelosi and Alexandra Shiva both have projects in the works at MTV Documentary Films. MTV Docs head Sheila Nevins announced the unit’s upcoming slate, and it includes a journey across...
Melina Matsoukas Signs First-Look Deal With FX Productions
Melina Matsoukas’ banner year just got even better. Her feature directorial debut, “Queen & Slim,” hits theaters next week, and now comes word that she has inked a first-look...
Jenni Konner Signs Overall Deal with Fox 21 TV Studios
Two-time Emmy nominee Jenni Konner has inked an overall deal with Fox 21 Television Studios, Deadline reports. The multi-year pact sees the “Girls” alumna creating, developing, producing,...
Paramount’s 2020 Slate Includes 16 Movies, and Just One Is Directed by a Woman
Paramount’s current 2020 film slate includes 16 films, and exactly one of them is directed by a woman: Reed Morano’s Blake Lively-starrer “The Rhythm Section.” As it stands,...
French Culture Ministry and Film Board Unveil New Guidelines to Combat Sexual Misconduct
France’s film industry is stepping up its anti-sexual harassment efforts. In the wake of “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” star Adèle Haenel’s revelation that she was harassed for...
Lynette Howell Taylor and Stephanie Allain Will Produce the 2020 Oscars
Lynette Howell Taylor and Stephanie Allain are set to produce the 92nd Oscars, a press release announced. Slated to take place February 9, 2020, this year’s ceremony will mark the pair’s...
Frankie Shaw to Make Feature Directorial Debut with “Ultraluminous”
Frankie Shaw is stepping behind the camera for her feature directorial debut. The “SMILF” creator, star, director, and exec producer has been tapped to helm “Ultraluminous,”...