News
WIF Launches Campaign Encouraging Audiences to See “Wonder Woman” Opening Weekend
We know where we’ll be next weekend — watching Gal Gadot kick ass on the big screen. After years of anticipation, Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman” is opening in theaters. And we’ll be...
Toni Collette Options “The Best of Adam Sharp”
Toni Collette has nabbed the rights to Graeme Simsion’s novel and screenplay for “The Best of Adam Sharp,” Deadline reports. The romance marks Collette’s first project under her...
Watch: “Victoria” Season 2 First Look Sees the Monarch Embracing Motherhood
In the inaugural season of “Victoria,” audiences saw the titular young queen (Jenna Coleman) as she settled into her life as a monarch. Victoria was coronated, broke away from her mother...
Cannes Update: Chloé Zhao’s “The Rider” Snagged by Sony Pictures Classics
Sony Pictures Classics has acquired the North American rights to Chloé Zhao’s “The Rider,” a press release has announced. The company will also distribute the cowboy drama in Latin America,...
Elisabeth Moss to Star in and Produce TV Adaptation of Mary Beth Keane’s “Fever”
Elisabeth Moss is set to topline another TV adaptation of a novel. Deadline reports that the Golden Globe winner will star in and executive produce “Fever,” a limited series based on Mary Beth...
Women Filmmakers Receive 66% of Doha Film Institute Spring Grants
In much-needed good news, Variety reports that Doha Film Institute (DFI) is awarding more than half of its spring grants to female filmmakers. In fact, women will receive about 66 percent of the...
Hedgebrook’s Screenwriters Lab Now Accepting Applications
If you’re dreaming of writing for the big screen, take note: Hedgebrook’s third annual Screenwriters Lab is now accepting applications. Selected screenwriters will be in residence for ten days...
“Criminal Minds” Actresses Kirsten Vangsness and A.J. Cook Push for Equal Pay
Kirsten Vangsness and A.J. Cook of Criminal Minds” are fighting for equal pay. The duo are seeking parity with co-stars Joe Mantegna and Matthew Gray Gubler for the CBS procedural’s 13th season...
Haifaa Al-Mansour to Direct “The Perfect Candidate”
“Wadjda” writer-director Haifaa Al-Mansour has lined up her next project. The trailblazing Saudi Arabian filmmaker will helm “The Perfect Candidate,” a drama about a young female physician...
Trailer Watch: Clone Club Preps for Its Final Fight in “Orphan Black” Season 5
Last time we saw the Clone Club sisters (all portrayed by Tatiana Maslany), they weren’t doing great. Resident Bad Clone Rachel had abducted Sarah’s family, Sarah and Cosima were severely sick...
Cannes Update: Rihanna, Lupita Nyong’o, Ava DuVernay, and Issa Rae Team Up for Buddy Film
This is not a drill: Rihanna and Lupita Nyong’o are starring in a buddy movie together. “Insecure” co-creator Issa Rae is writing the script. “Selma” helmer Ava DuVernay is directing. If...
Cannes Update: Amma Asante’s Amandla Stenberg-Starrer “Where Hands Touch” Acquired by Sony Pictures…
Cannes Update: Amma Asante’s Amandla Stenberg-Starrer “Where Hands Touch” Acquired by Sony Pictures Worldwide Amandla Stenberg is one step closer to breaking audience’s hearts yet again....
Cannes Update: Catherine Deneuve to Star in Julie Bertuccelli’s “Claire Darling”
“School of Babel” director Julie Bertuccelli has begun production on her next film, “Claire Darling.” According to Variety, Catherine Deneuve and her daughter Chiara Mastroianni have signed...
Elvira Lind’s Tribeca Winner “Bobbi Jene” Acquired by Oscilloscope
Elvira Lind’s “Bobbi Jene” has found a home. Oscilloscope Laboratories snagged the U.S. rights to the the award-winning documentary about American dancer Bobbi Jene Smith, a press release has...
Cannes Update: Joanna Hogg to Direct “The Souvenir”
“Exhibition” writer-director Joanna Hogg has a new project in the works. The British filmmaker will helm “The Souvenir,” a romantic mystery executive-produced by Sikelia Productions’...
Yara Shahidi-Led “Black-ish” Spinoff Greenlit at Freeform
Zoey Johnson is officially heading to college. “Black-ish” star Yara Shahidi will topline a spinoff of the ABC comedy, Variety reports. The 13-episode first season of “College-ish” will...
Cannes Update: Jessica Chastain to Star in and Produce “Seducing Ingrid Bergman”
Jessica Chastain is set to portray an icon of the silver screen. The two-time Oscar-nominated actress will topline and produce “Seducing Ingrid Bergman,” Deadline reports. Chastain will play the...
Industry Double Standards: The Success of “Everything, Everything” and Failure of “King Arthur”
Stella Meghie’s “Everything, Everything” is beating box office expectations. Guy Ritchie’s “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” is bombing. But let’s be real, Ritchie will still get his...
“Mamma Mia!” Sequel Announced
Universal has realized it could never let go of “Mamma Mia!” Variety reports that a sequel for the 2008 musical hit is officially in the works. “Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!” will hit...
Cannes 2017 Women Directors: Meet Cecilia Atan and Valeria Pivato — “The Desert Bride”
Cecilia Atan’s documentary series “Madres de Plaza de Mayo, la Historia” was nominated for the International Emmy Awards. “The Sea,” her first short film, screened at the Cannes Short Film...
Directors UK Launches New Mentorship and Career Development Program
Directors UK has launched a new initiative for its members. Directors UK Inspire: A Mentoring and Career Development Programme “aims to inspire and encourage directors across genres to seek...
Cannes Update: Claire Denis’ “Let the Sunshine In” Acquired by Sundance Selects
Sundance Selects has snagged all North American rights to Claire Denis’ “Let the Sunshine In,” Variety reports. The dramedy just made its world premiere at Cannes, where it received positive...
Catherine Zeta-Jones to Star in Lifetime’s “Cocaine Godmother”
Catherine Zeta-Jones is set to play a criminal mastermind. The Oscar winner has signed on to star in Lifetime’s “Cocaine Godmother,” a biopic about Griselda Blanco, better known as the...
Cannes 2017 Women Directors: Meet Bonni Cohen — “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power”
Bonni Cohen is an award-winning producer and director. She co-directed “Audrie & Daisy,” which premiered in competition at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and was picked up as a Netflix...
Carrie Brownstein to Make Feature Directorial Debut with “Fairy Godmother”
In news that’s sure to please “Portlandia’s” feminist bookstore owners, actress, writer, and Sleater-Kinney guitarist Carrie Brownstein has signed on to direct the Chiara Atik-penned...
Cannes Update: New Films with Ashley Judd and Maggie Q on the Way
Films toplined by Ashley Judd and Maggie Q are the latest projects seeking distribution deals at the Cannes Film Market. According to ScreenDaily, Red Sea Media has begun talks with international...
Chelsea Manning Documentary in the Works
A documentary about former U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning is in the works. According to a press release, “XY Chelsea” is the result of several years of “unique access” to...
Cannes Update: Greta Gerwig to Star in Mia Hansen-Løve’s English-Language Debut
French filmmaker Mia Hansen-Løve is set to make her English-language debut. ScreenDaily reports that the award-winning writer-director will helm “Bergman Island,” starring Greta Gerwig, Mia...
Trailer Watch: A Little Girl Fights to Rescue Her GMO Friend in “Okja”
“We needed a miracle. And then we got one,” says Tilda Swinton in the first trailer for “Okja.” The Oscar-winning actress plays the CEO of a corporation that endeavors to revolutionize the...
Misha Green Teaming Up with Jordan Peele for HBO’s “Lovecraft Country”
If you couldn’t get enough of “Get Out’s” winning combination of horror thrills and biting social commentary about racism, you’re in luck. The smash hit’s writer-director, Jordan Peele,...
Trailer Watch: Michelle Yeoh and Sonequa Martin-Green Call the Shots in “Star Trek: Discovery”
Before Kirk and Spock there was Captain Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) and Commander Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green). A trailer for CBS All Access’ new “Star Trek” series hints that its...
BAFTA Names 15 Female Directors Selected for Elevate 2017 Program
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced the participants of its annual Elevate program. As this year’s initiative addresses the gender gap among directors in the...
Trailer Watch: An Aspiring Rapper Makes a Name for Herself in “Patti Cake$”
A trailer has finally landed for one of Sundance 2017’s biggest hits, “Patti Cake$.” The spot kicks off by giving the drama’s protagonist an amazing introduction: “Bow down, the Queen is...
Trailer Watch: Emmanuelle Riva Goes Missing in Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon’s “Lost in Paris”
A woman travels to Paris with an unusual mission in Fiona Gordon and Dominique Abel’s latest offering, “Lost in Paris.” A U.S. trailer has dropped for the whimsical comedy, which centers on...
New Research Shows Number of Women-Directed Films Screening at Fests Hasn’t Improved
If you attend a high-profile U.S. film festival, you are three times as likely to see a feature film directed by a man as you are to see one directed by a woman. And you are twice as likely to catch...
None of CBS’ New Fall Series Are Women-Centric
CBS has unveiled its fall 2017 lineup and, in terms of women-centric programming, it’s a wasteland. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the network is moving forward with eight pilots: four dramas, four...
Film London, BFI, and BBC’s Microwave Commissions Films From Female & Non-Binary Directors
Microwave, the small budget feature film program from Film London, BFI, and BBC Films has revealed its two latest commissions. ScreenDaily reports that trans romance “Violets Are Blue” and...
Cannes 2017 Women Directors: Meet Léa Mysius — “Ava”
Léa Mysius has directed three award-winning short films selected for a number of festivals: “Cadavre exquis,” “Les Oiseaux-tonnerre,” selected for the Cannes Cinéfondation award, and...
DC Announces “Wonder Woman Day” Celebrations
“Wonder Woman” will — at long last — hit multiplexes June 2. But the fun won’t stop there. DC Entertainment has announced that June 3 will be “Wonder Woman Day,” complete with...
Julie Taymor, Denée Benton, and More to Be Honored at 2017 Lilly Awards
The honorees of the eighth annual Lilly Awards have been announced. Director Julie Taymor and Broadway star and “UnREAL” actress Denée Benton are among the 2017 recipients, BroadwayWorld...
Scripted Series About Anna Wintour and Tina Brown Greenlit by Bravo
If you’re interested in the publishing industry and/or behind the scenes drama — and who isn’t? — you’ll want to keep an eye out for “All That Glitters,” a six-hour series that...
Trailer Watch: Emma Stone Tackles Sexism on the Tennis Court in “Battle of the Sexes”
“Battle of the Sexes” “I had a great idea,” Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) tells Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) over the phone in the new trailer for “Battle of the Sexes.” “‘Male...
Cannes 2017 Updates: Rosamund Pike, Blake Lively, and Noomi Rapace Line Up New Projects
Cannes is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, but it’s also a business hub. The fest — and Cannes market — officially kick off tomorrow, May 17, but new projects...
Women in Film and Television UK Launches Research Institute for Gender in Media
Women in Film and Television UK (WFTV) unveiled plans for a new research institute at its recent Making A Difference Conference. According to a press release, the new Research Institute for Gender...
Guest Post: How a Short I Wrote Ended Up Being Directed by Robin Wright and Premiering at Cannes
Guest Post by Denise Meyers I am the antithesis of what a successful screenwriter looks like: I am 57, female, and live in the fly-over zone. I am also a great one for beating the odds, because on...
Cannes 2017: Women in Motion to Honor Isabelle Huppert and Maysaloun Hamoud
The face of this year’s Women in Motion program is also the winner of its top prize. In partnership with Cannes, Kering will present the 2017 Women in Motion Award to Isabelle Huppert. The news...
Julianne Moore to Star in Re-Imagining of 2013’s “Gloria”
Julianne Moore has signed on to topline a re-imagining of Sebastian Lelio’s critically acclaimed “Gloria.” The 2013 Santiago-set drama earned rave reviews and took home three awards at the...
Sign Up for Paula Vogel’s Playwriting Boot Camp
Attention, aspiring playwrights: You have a chance to learn the tools of the trade from Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Paula Vogel. According to BroadwayWorld, the “Indecent” scribe will be...
Kristin Scott Thomas to Play BMW Heiress in Alexandra-Therese Keining’s “Paramour”
Kristin Scott Thomas has signed on to star in “Paramour,” a thriller about a doomed romance. Swedish helmer Alexandra-Therese Keining will direct the film, Deadline reports. Inspired by the...
Trailer Watch: Alison Brie Enters the Ring and Changes Her Life in “GLOW”
A trailer has finally landed for Alison Brie-starrer “GLOW,” and it’s perfect. The Netflix series is set in the ’80s and centers on Ruth (Brie, “Community”), an out-of-work actress who...
“Sworn Virgin” Director Laura Bispuri Announces Next Film
Laura Bispuri will examine the complex relationships between mothers and daughters as well as adoptive and biological parents in her next film. Per Variety, the “Sworn Virgin” director is set to...