News
Post-Award Thoughts
As I watched the Oscars and the Independent Spirit Awards this weekend you could see one clear difference between the two events (aside from the formal dresses and the hosts) — the presence of...
Mildred Pierce — Poster and Trailers
In the good old days this actually would have been a movie (oh, yeah it was.) I’m probably not going out on a limb to think this will be one of the high points of the year creatively. Anything with...
Trailer Watch: Meek’s Cutoff Written and Directed by Kelly Reichardt
Will be released in the US in April
Keeping it All in Perspective
Hollywood is giving out a lot of awards this weekend but it’s also really important to keep a bigger picture in mind. While we fight for women’s rights and visibility in Hollywood, other rights...
Who Goes to the Movies? Moviegoers Stats from 2010
The annual look at who went to the movies from the MPAA has been released. Here are the relevant stats. Women and men go to the movies in equal numbers. In 2010 women bought 50% of the tickets and...
Support This Film! — The History of the Universe as Told by Wonder Woman
I am breaking my rule of not posting info about films looking to raise money because I think this one is very important. I so want to see this made so we can have it at a future Athena Film Festival....
Geena Davis: Gender Stereotypes Remain Deeply Entrenched in Today’s Entertainment…
Yesterday, The United Nations celebrated the launch of a new agency — UN Women — which combines all the different women’s organizations under one leader, former Chilean President...
Kathryn Bigelow Was Offered New Spiderman Directing Gig
In a piece in the LA Times about The King’s Speech Tom Hooper’s next gig, I learned something very interesting — that Kathryn Bigelow turned down the Spiderman reboot now to be directed by...
A New Low: Bad Teacher Trailer
This ruined my morning and now I will share with you and ruin yours. I have seem some really horrible trailers in my time, but this film looks beyond dreadful. As teachers are fighting for their...
EW Picks the 25 Top Working Directors
EW published a list of the “top” 25 working directors and they define top as “most talented, in-demand filmmakers behind the camera today”. Not surprisingly, only one woman, Kathryn Bigelow...
Kristen Schaal Takes on the Republicans War Against Women
The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon — Thurs 11p / 10cMother F#@kers — Stork Buckswww.thedailyshow.comDaily Show Full EpisodesPolitical Humor & Satire BlogThe Daily Show on Facebook
Tina Fey Stands Up for Working Moms (and Working Women) in Hollywood
I know that I am late to the game on this piece but I just read it over the weekend and there are some interesting things to discuss. First, I don’t think I can remember a woman as visible (in the...
Hollywood Trusts First Time Male Directors With Big Budget Flicks
The Hollywood Reporter just published a story that highlights a current trend in Hollywood — hiring first time dudes to direct big budget flicks. That doesn’t feel like news to me, but again...
Christine Lahti and Maria Bello Book Pilots
Not only are Hollywood directors booking pilot gigs, but TV has become the place for female actresses over 40 whose names are not Meryl Streep or Helen Mirren to get substantive gigs. Christine Lahti...
Hollywood Hates Emma Watson’s Hair
For an industry that puts wigs on everyone all the time the blow back that Emma Watson has gotten over her pixie cut seems bizarre. Emma couldn’t cut her hair for a decade while she filmed the...
Meet the New Wonder Woman — Adrianne Palicki
I don’t know why I am so excited about this, but I am. I loved Adrianne on Friday Night Lights. I’m just gonna hope the show doesn’t suck. Scoop: TV’s New Wonder Woman Is Friday Night...
Trailer Watch: Cinema Verite directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini
Now we know- reality TV is all their fault.
New Directors/New Films – The Women
I always looks at the lineup of New Directors/New Films as a kind of Sundance east because some of the best of Sundance inevitably make it to NYC for this festival. Some highlights from Sundance...
House Actress Lisa Edelstein Stands Up for Abortion Rights
Here’s the new ad from Move on.org
Airbrushing Helen Mirren
Here is Helen Mirren in the Arthur poster and Helen Mirren in real life. Doesn’t her head look too big for her body in the Arthur poster?
Some News Missed Over the Last Week
Vera Farmiga’s Sundance film Higher Ground got picked up for distribution by Sony Pictures Classics. (Deadline) Charlize Theron joins Noomi Rapace in Prometheus. (MTV) Nicole Kidman and Rachel...
Trailer Watch: Oranges and Sunshine
Stars Emily Watson. Opens in the UK on April 1
Barbra Streisand on the Grammys
In case you missed it
Guest Post: The Athena Film Festival Kicks Off by Kathleen Sweeney
The Athena Film Festival kicked off last night at Barnard College with an awards ceremony honoring the breakthrough achievements of thirteen extraordinary film world mavericks. Citing them as her...
INAUGURAL ATHENA FILM FESTIVAL: A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN AND LEADERSHIP
This is why you won’t see any new blog posts until next week- Hope to see you there INAUGURAL ATHENA FILM FESTIVALA CELEBRATION OF WOMEN AND LEADERSHIPNYC’s First Film Festival Focusing on...
Meryl as Maggie
They are on week two of filming. Film is directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Abi Morgan. Footage will be screened at Cannes. No US distributor yet.
Melissa Leo Goes for Her Oscar and Future
Melissa Leo wants to make sure that this year her Oscar campaign ends with a win. It also looks like she wants to get another gig. This woman has some serious guts to put herself out there with these...
Kristin Schaal’s WGA Opening
Schaal hosted the east coast segment of the WGA Awards on Saturday evening. This will hopefully put her on the map for other awards shows. She rocked.
Panel Alert: How Social Media Can Be used to Help Build the Women’s Audience for Films
I’m going to be moderating and participating on this panel sponsored by Pepsico in advance of the Athena Film Festival later this week. Event Title: “How Social Media Can Be used to Help Build...
Latest Female Casting News
Now that Hollywood has secured an unknown Brit to take on the latest Superman reboot (and please tell why we need another Superman reboot; can’t people come up with something original), the search...
Kristen Schaal Defines The Gray Areas of Rape on The Daily Show
As if there are any gray areas. She talks about rape rape, rapeesque (being raped by a famous penis), rapeish rape with benefits (date rape) and a rape mare. Home3
The Numbers Speak For Themselves
This is day two of crappy stats about women in the creative business — this time, the literary world. An organization named VIDA — Women in Literary Arts — has released a very...
Hollywood’s Top Earners
It’s time for Vanity Fair’s annual Hollywood issue and the cover always stirs controversy. This year they seem to have airbrushed in Robert Duvall, forgot to dress Olivia MunnWilde (I am...
Natalie Portman Focuses on Producing
Now that Portman is going to take some time off from being in front of the screen for her pregnancy, she is not going to just disappear. She’s ramped up her producing business handsomecharlie with...
Bridesmaids Trailer
I liked the poster and I am very mixed on the trailer. It really looks like it is a “Hangover” with women. Do women need to prove that we can fart and burp just as well as men? But I am still not...
Bridesmaids Poster
While I pretty much never want to see another wedding movie ever, I might just be interested in this one. I think the poster is very different. Those women look ready to rumble. The film is written...
Sundance Deals and Award Winners
Sundance 2011 is over. The week started off with the NY Times article declaring that Sundance is a welcoming place for women directors, and it ended with a couple of women getting deals and awards....
The DGA Awards — Not a Single Female Winner
Last year we celebrated the fact that Kathryn Bigelow broke the cycle for women directors in the feature category at the DGA Awards, and this year we knew that a woman wouldn’t win, because none...
30 Rock Gives it to Mel Gibson
Totally awesome https://medium.com/media/1919bf14aa02c43fc768f7b45a0706e4/href
The Women’s Media Center Video From Sundance
Sundance might be a more welcoming place for women, but this video reminds us how much work there still is to be done. Women’s Media Center
Focus Features Buys Pariah in Two Picture Deal With Dee Rees
Big news. A woman gets a seven figure deal. Focus Features the the studio that released The Kids Are All Right to great box office and critical success including its multiple Oscar nominations this...
Top Grossing Comedy Actresses
The Hollywood Reporter has a list of the top grossing comedy films led by actresses and surprise your highest grossing female comedy actress in Meryl Streep. Her comedic films have earned $1.3...
The Game on BET Changes the Game for BET
The Game, created by Mara Brock Akil as a spin off from Girlfriends, languished with low ratings in its three years on the CW. It never was able to connect with a decent size audience and the CW...
Miranda Hart Wins Three British Comedy Awards
British comedian Miranda Hart scored three big awards at British comedy awards this past weekend. She won the best comedy actress, best new show for Miranda which she writes and stars in, as well as...
Wonder Woman is Revived and Other Women Getting Pilot Gigs
Bob Greenblatt, the new chief at NBC, is aggressively stepping up his pilot pickups for next season and he’s hired several women writer/creators. He has also revived that recently deceased David E....
Sundance Women — Part 3
Deals• Buck directed by Cindy Meehl goes to Sundance Selects• Circumstance written and directed by Maryam Keshavarz was bought by Participant Media. The Future- directed by Miranda July• The...
Sundance is Here and The World Discovers Women Can Direct
It feels like “Groundhog Day.” The most visible film festival in the US and one that showcases independent films and SURPRISE there are women making great films around town. It’s not news that...
Applause
Paprika Steen is a big star in Denmark. Now folks in the US will get a chance to see her as her film Applause opens here in the US. The film tells the story of an actress struggling to conquer her...
Seriously, Clint Eastwood to Direct A Star is Born Remake?
I know that he is a musician and composer, but pleeeze, how can it be a good idea for Clint Eastwood to direct Beyonce in the remake of A Star is Born. This would be the fourth incarnation of the...
Women in Film Hits Sundance
Women in Film hosts its fifth “Meet the Filmmakers Panel” on Sunday, January 23 at noon. Bad news for those of you without tickets, it is sold out. Panelists Include: • Joslyn...
No Surprise — Most Film Super Bowl Ads Are Targeted at Men
The Super Bowl is gearing up to be one big commercial for the big Hollywood boy flicks that will premiere throughout the year. It’s not like women don’t watch the Super Bowl. They do. And...