News
Final Thoughts on the Women’s World Cup
If that game wasn’t entertainment then nothing is. A nail biter and while I love the US women, the Japanese played yesterday like the US had been playing all tournament. Scrappy and coming from...
QVC Bans Jane Fonda From Promoting Her New Book
It’s not like Jane Fonda was going to go on QVC to promote god-forbid feminist issues, she was going on QVC to promote her new book Prime Time: Love; Health; Sex; Fitness; Friendship; Spirit;...
The Tree — Written and Directed by Julie Bertuccelli Opens Today
The Tree is a lament on love, loss and family. It’s a movie about trying to find a way through your grief to see some light on the other side. One of the stars of the film is this gigantic Moreton...
Guest Post: Damages Returns by Serena Donadoni
The relationship between Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) and Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne) on Damages has typically been described as that of a mentor and protégé, but itʼs even deeper and thornier. The...
2011 Emmy Nominations: The Women
For me, the Emmy nominations is an opportunity to take that annual look as to how women are faring in the TV business. I’m not talking about the acting categories. There are some great women...
Guest Post: Women Filmmakers and Screenwriters At The Action on Film Film Fest by Caitlin McCarthy
When it comes to film festivals, I’ve been around the block, having won awards and received nominations in over 60 international screenplay competitions and labs. Some are cold and cliquey. Some...
Locarno Film Festival: The Women
The 64th edition will take place August 3–13 in Locarno Switzerland. There are 6 films directed by women (one is co-directed) out of 20 in competition. That’s 30%. There is also only one female...
Roseanne Shows Her Nuts on TV
I am not a person who watches reality shows regularly. I want to slit my wrists when I am at the gym and those Housewives or Kardashians come on. But I have to say I was very intrigued to see that...
The Bridesmaids Effect: Kristen Wiig Gets the Green Light for Imogene
Multiple sources are reporting that Bridesmaids star Kristin Wiig will next take on the dark comedy Imogene written by Michelle Morgan and to be directed by American Splendor directors Shari Springer...
Lisa Kudrow is Back on TV
Lisa Kudrow talks to CBS about her web series Web Therapy which has transferred to TV and will premiere on Showtime on July 19
Guest Post: Interview with Sophia Takal — Writer/Director of Green by Melissa Silvestri
Actress/writer Sophia Takal’s directorial debut, Green, is a film that is both dark in its themes of jealousy, yet shines with a natural ease depicting the burgeoning friendship of two very...
Guest Post: Interview with Sophia Takal – Writer/Director of Green by Melissa Silvestri
Actress/writer Sophia Takal’s directorial debut, Green, is a film that is both dark in its themes of jealousy, yet shines with a natural ease depicting the burgeoning friendship of two very...
Sometimes Real Life is Even Better Than The Movie
They couldn’t have scripted it better. It was a storybook weekend for women’s soccer. While most of the US press was focused on Derek Jeter’s 3,000 hit (at least that’s what it looks like...
Marsha Norman to Write Play Dealing with Plight of Women and Girls
The United Nations Department of Public Information, through its Creative Community Outreach Initiative (CCOI) has joined forces with Theatre for Humans a producing entity out of LA to create a play...
Guest Review: The Sleeping Beauty — directed by Catherine Breillat by Emilie Spiegel
There was no way I wasn’t going to love Catherine Breillat’s latest film, The Sleeping Beauty (La belle endormie). It covers all my bases: female-centric (check), arty and lusciously imagined...
Producers Corner: Jami Gertz and Stacey Lubliner Talk About A Better Life
Actress Jami Gertz and former agent Stacey Lubliner set up a production company Lime Orchard Productions in order to produce films about the human condition. Their first film out of the gate as...
Two Women Get Directing Gigs — Drew Barrymore and Jerusha Hess
Drew Barrymore and Jerusha Hess (the co-writer of Napoleon Dynamite) have both signed up for directing gigs. Barrymore will produce and direct Heist Society to be adapted by Shauna Cross (Whip It)....
How Fun Would It Be To Have Both Glenn Close and Meryl Streep Up for an Oscar
I know that this is so very far away, but a girl can dream. We already know that Meryl Streep will be in The Iron Lady opening in December, and now comes word that Glenn Close’s film Albert Nobbs...
Teaser Trailer: The Iron Lady
Here’s a teaser trailer for the UK version of the film which will open in the US in December and the UK in January 2012. http://vds.rightster.com/v/01z13vb3x2qxu0 Rightster – This video is...
Forbes 2011 List of the Highest Paid Actresses
It’s that time of year when we get to see who is scoring in the pay department in Hollywood. It’s no surprise to anyone that the highest paid actress in Hollywood is Angelina Jolie. She’s...
Guest Post: Raven Symone Plays Georgia…Sticky Issue for Feminists? by Emilie Spiegel
Last week, the Raven Symone series created by chick-lit author Jennifer Weiner, State of Georgia, premiered on ABC Family. Symone plays Georgia, a young woman who’s recently moved to NYC to pursue...
Sex, Sexuality and Women’s Sports
I’ve been obsessively watching the great coverage on ESPN of the Women’s World Cup soccer tournament. Yes, folks women do play soccer just like the men and they are quite good. While the US seems...
About Women and Hollywood
Melissa Silverstein is a writer, blogger and marketing consultant with an expertise in the area of social media regarding women and Hollywood. She is the founder and editor of Women and Hollywood,...
Guest Post: Selena Gomez Takes It To The Next Level By Serena Donadoni
Meeting Selena Gomez, itʼs hard not to notice what she doesnʼt do as much as what she does: she doesnʼt slouch or hesitate answering questions; sheʼs not testy or fatigued on this last stop of a...
Hollywood Feminist of the Day: Romola Garai
The 28-year-old busy actress (soon to be seen in One Day) is now appearing onstage in London at the Royal Court in The Village Bike by Penelope Skinner. In an interview with the London Evening...
Funny Chicks Best Funny Nerds at The Box Office
Sometime this weekend (or maybe even by tonight) in a theatre somewhere in America a person will buy a movie ticket to see Bridesmaids and that ticket will take the domestic box office tally of...
Update: Five Female Playwrights Will be on Broadway This Fall
Here is an update to yesterday’s post about Theresa Rebeck’s play opening on Broadway. It seems that there will be several female written plays opening on the great white way this fall. Great...
A Female Playwright Will Be on Broadway Next Season
After a disappointing year where not a single female written new play was produced on Broadway, word comes in now that next season will at least have some female representation. Theresa Rebeck’s...
Actress Michelle Yeoh Deported From Burma
Actress Michelle Yeoh who portrays Aung San Suu Kyi in the upcoming film The Lady was deported from Burma when she tried to enter the country to see Kyi last week. She has been placed on a blacklist...
Trailer and Poster: Pixar’s Brave
Pixar’s first girl centric film
Human Rights Int. Film Fest: Life Above All
The devastating and beautiful Life, Above All closes The Human Rights International Film Festival Thursday night in NY. Details here. Director Oliver Schmitz and Lead Actress Khomotso Manyaka will...
Bad Teacher Box Office Report
Cameron Diaz’ film Bad Teacher took second place at the box office this weekend with a total of $31 million. That makes it already a hit since it cost only $20 million to make and also took in...
Women and Hollywood in the News — June 2011
Forbes Woman named Women and Hollywood one of the 100 best websites for Women. Check out page 6 of the story Here’s the description: Women are more than 50% of the population, film ticket buyers...
Trailer Alert: LA Film Festival — Salaam Dunk
Salaam Dunk is playing this evening at the LA Film Festival. Details here.
Riding the Bridesmaids Wave
Women in Hollywood are finally feeling a little love after the unexpected success of Bridesmaids. The film has now grossed $140 million and counting and for the first time in a long time women’s...
Trailer Watch: Season 2 Preview of The Big C
Show stars Laura Linney and some guests stars this year include Cynthia Nixon, Parker Posey and Gabourey Sidibe. The Big C was created by Darlene Hunt and the showrunner is the amazing Jenny Bicks....
LA Film Festival: Renee
I watched a fascinating and sad documentary on Renee Richards over the weekend. It is now playing at the LA Film Festival (after it played at Tribeca last month) with another screening this evening...
Films to Watch for This Fall on the Film Fest Circuit: The Women
The intrepid folks at IndieWIRE have put together a wish list for films they want to see this fall on the film fest circuit. Here are the women centric and women directed ones on the list. (all...
The Killing Ends Its First Season
The Killing ended its first season last night and surprise! it did not wrap up anything and only created more questions. I really thought we would get some closure but I am impressed that people were...
Page One — Where are the Women?
As the film Page One — Inside the NY Times made its way through the festival circuit this spring there was not a lot of noise made about the lack of females in the film. Anyone who saw the...
Guest Post: The Case for Watching Pretty Little Liars by Emilie Spiegel
As someone who spends her time watching media portrayals of young women, I’m here to say… I LOVE Pretty Little Liars (Tuesdays, 8pm EST, ABC Family). This week was the second season’s premiere,...
Goldie Hawn to HBO
It looks like another leading lady of the screen is heading to the tube. Darren Star (Sex and the City) is adapting the book The Viagra Diaries by Barbara Rose Brooker as a starring vehicle for...
Guest Post: The UCLA Festival of New Creative Work by Amy French
The UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television held its Festival of New Creative Work in Los Angeles from June 4th to June 9th. The event showcased the best live action and animated films, scripts,...
Call for Submissions for 2012 Athena Film Festival
As you may know, I am the artistic director of the Athena Film Festival. The second festival will take place from February 9–12, 2012. We are opening our call for submissions today. Read the...
Trailer Alert: Damages Season Four
Last time I checked this show stars Glenn Close. Can’t tell from this video. Show will air only on Direct TV (no network crossover like there was with Friday Night Lights), Show returns on...
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
This is the panel entitled “New Faces of Indie Film” that the Film Society at Lincoln Center hosted this past Saturday to celebrate the opening of their new Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center. If...
Natalie Portman Talks Microenterprise
This is how women get out of poverty and support their families. Way to use your superpowers for good.
Hollywood Feminist of the Day: Nia Vardalos
I had the opportunity to meet Nia Vardalos recently at an event in LA and she was so impressive. She has written a terrific piece about the horrible homophobic comments that 30 Rock Tracy Morgan star...
Interview With Sarah Siegel Magness: Producer of Judy Moody And the Not Bummer Summer
Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer opens today. It’s a great hoot for the young — both boys and girls. Producer Sarah Siegel Magness answered some questions about being a producer in...
Talking 20 Years of Thelma and Louise
Here’s my interview on the BBC Scotland’s Movie Cafe on the 20th Anniversary of Thelma and Louise. If you don’t want to listen to the whole show, start at 34 minutes in.Movie Cafe It will be...
Martha Coolidge Talks Valley Girl and Female Directors
Martha Coolidge will be in NYC this weekend for a Saturday screening of Valley Girl at the opening of the new film center at Lincoln Center. The film is presented by director Kevin Smith who picked...