Women Directors
Indie Spirit Award Nominations: “Lady Bird,” “The Rider,” and More
The 2018 Independent Spirit Award nominations are in. Two of five Best Feature nominees are women-directed: Greta Gerwig’s universally adored “Lady Bird,” a coming-of-age story about a...
Female-Led WWII Spy Thriller from Lydia Dean Pilcher and Sarah Megan Thomas in Development
Another female-led spy thriller is on the way, this one based on a true story. Set in WWII, the pic tells the story of spy recruiter Vera Atkins. The as-yet untitled project will be written by Sarah...
Pascal Pictures Acquires Kat Wood’s Sci-Fi Spec “Envoy”
Amy Pascal has yet another promising project in the works. According to Deadline, Pascal Pictures nabbed the rights to Kat Wood’s sci-fi thriller spec “Envoy.” Described as being in the vein...
Marja-Lewis Ryan to Serve as Showrunner on Showtime’s “The L Word” Sequel
The upcoming “L Word” sequel has found a showrunner. According to Deadline, Marja-Lewis Ryan (“The Four-Faced Liar”) will be steering Showtime’s continuation of the beloved series....
Laura Dern, Julie Dash, & More to Be Honored at NYWIFT’s Muse Awards
New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) is set to honor some of the entertainment industry’s best and brightest. For 38 years, the professional association has presented the Muse Awards...
Trailer Watch: A Girl Becomes a Warrior to Save Her Dad in Ava DuVernay’s “A Wrinkle in Time”
“You can’t keep using your father’s disappearance as an excuse to act out,” Meg (Storm Reid) is told at school in a new trailer for Ava DuVernay’s “A Wrinkle in Time.” Rather than...
Weekly Update for November 17: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“Mudbound” Films About Women Opening This Week The Breadwinner — Directed by Nora Twomey; Written by Anita Doron and Deborah Ellis “The Breadwinner” Parvana (Saara Chaudry) is an...
Women In Animation and Raising Films Join the Fight Against Sexual Harassment
Women In Animation (WIA) and Raising Films are joining the growing movement combating sexual harassment and abuse in the entertainment industry. Per Deadline, WIA has been bringing the subject up at...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Lisa Immordino Vreeland — “Love, Cecil”
Lisa Immordino Vreeland is an award-winning director whose credits include “Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel” and “Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict.” “Love, Cecil” premiered at the...
A New Chapter: Crowdfunding Picks
“Freelancers Anonymous” As you reach the end of a chapter in your life, the idea of confronting what’s next can be daunting, but the opportunity to start a new chapter can often be refreshing...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Evan Briggs — “The Growing Season”
Evan Briggs worked as a field producer on the documentary “Tough Love,” which aired on the PBS series “P.O.V.” in 2015. She has taught filmmaking through the Digital Media Academy in San...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Alison Chernick — “Itzhak”
In award-winning documentaries profiling major contemporary artists, Alison Chernick has captured the thoughts and processes of this century’s most prolific visual artists. Her credits include...
Ava DuVernay to Receive Industry Visionary Award at American Black Film Fest Honors
2018 is gearing up to be a great year for Ava DuVernay. The “Selma” director’s much-anticipated adaptation of “A Wrinkle in Time” hits theaters March 9, and now comes word that she’ll be...
Women and Hollywood Announces London Trailblazer Awardees & First-Time Female Filmmaker Contest…
Women and Hollywood Announces London Trailblazer Awardees & First-Time Female Filmmaker Contest Winners Women and Hollywood is honored to share the recipients of the Trailblazer Awards, which...
“Girls Trip’s” Tiffany Haddish Has Two New Projects in the Works
Thanks to Tiffany Haddish, we’ll never look at grapefruits the same way. The hilarious “Girls Trip” breakout is riding the momentum of the box office hit and is in talks to join New Line’s...
Whitney Cummings’ “The Female Brain” Snagged by IFC
Whitney Cummings’ directorial debut has secured distribution. IFC Films scored the U.S. and Canadian rights to “The Female Brain,” Variety reports. Based on Louann Brizendine’s bestselling...
DGA Reports Slight Increase in Number of Women and Minority TV Directors in 2016–17 Season
“Insecure” employed 100 percent women and minority directors in 2016–17 The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has published the 2016–17 Episodic TV Director Diversity Report. The annual study...
“Wonder Woman 2” Release Gets Bumped Up, MGM Dates Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson Comedy
Diana Prince is returning sooner than expected. Originally scheduled to hit theaters December 13, 2019, “Wonder Woman 2” will now be released November 1, 2019, six weeks earlier than planned....
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Tiffany Bartok — “Larger Than Life: The Kevyn Aucoin Story”
Tiffany Bartok worked consistently as an actress but soon discovered a talent for makeup artistry. She began to sharpen her makeup skills on celebrities and film crews. Bartok made the decision to...
Watch NYWIFT’s Fall Shorts Festival Online Now
Want to check out a film festival without the hassle of ordering tickets, waiting in long lines, and dressing up? You’re in luck. You can experience the New York Women in Film & Television...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Lili Fini Zanuck — “Eric Clapton: Life In 12 Bars”
Lili Fini Zanuck is an Oscar-winning producer with a talent for finding and transforming unconventional material into box-office champions. Her producing credits include “Cocoon,” “Driving...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Sascha Ettinger Epstein — “The Pink House”
Sascha Ettinger Epstein is a documentary director/shooter known for raw, observational Australian stories featuring unusual characters. Her credits include “Painting with Light in a Dark World,”...
Embracing Mythology: The Success of “Wonder Woman” and Failure of “Thor: Ragnarok”
The Amazons of “Wonder Woman” Since the launch of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe in 2008, every year seems to be a Big Year for superhero action films, but 2017 in particular saw the release of...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Attiya Khan — “A Better Man”
Attiya Khan is a first-time director who primarily works as an advocate and counselor for abused women and children. She has worked in women’s shelters in Canada and the United States, including...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Rebecca Cammisa — “Atomic Homefront”
Rebecca Cammisa is a director, producer, and cinematographer. Her first feature documentary film, “Sister Helen,” aired on HBO, and went on to win the 2002 Sundance Film Festival’s Documentary...
“Lady Bird” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” Impress at the Box Office
Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson and Mildred Hayes make a strong impression as the lead characters of “Lady Bird” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” respectively. So it’s...
“The Breadwinner,” “Loving Vincent,” and More Women-Directed Animated Films Submitted for Oscar…
“The Breadwinner,” “Loving Vincent,” and More Women-Directed Animated Films Submitted for Oscar Race The Oscar race is heating up. Features submitted for consideration in the Animated...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Laura Fairrie — “Spiral”
Laura Fairrie is an award-winning documentary director with a background as a current affairs journalist and producer. At the beginning of her career she worked in the UK, Northern Ireland, China,...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Julia Bacha — “Naila and the Uprising”
Julia Bacha is a Peabody award-winning filmmaker, media strategist, and the Creative Director at Just Vision. Her credits include “Encounter Point,” “Budrus,” and “My Neighbourhood.”...
Weekly Update for November 10: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” Films About Women Opening This Week Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Paige Goldberg Tolmach — “What Haunts Us”
Paige Goldberg Tolmach founded The Little Seed in 2007, an eco conscious store in Los Angeles which helped raise awareness about the dangers of toxic chemicals in households. In 2009, The Little...
Exclusive: Female Activists Unite in “Naila and the Uprising” Trailer
“Naila and the Uprising” “For over a decade, whenever I’ve asked Palestinian grassroots leaders about the models of inspiration that they draw on, they’ve consistently pointed me towards...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Talya Tibbon — “Sky & Ground”
Talya Tibbon is an award-winning director, producer, and writer. She’s worked in four continents documenting wide-ranging subjects such as street gangs, mass shooters and those who survive their...
Navigating This Life Together: November’s VOD and Web Series Picks
“Like Crazy” Friendships between women often don’t receive the attention they deserve in the narratives we consume. So the women behind this month’s VOD and web series picks have taken things...
Guest Post: How to Stay Open to Collaboration When Your Film is Deeply Personal
Guest Post by Victoria Negri My debut feature film “Gold Star” is loosely inspired by my experiences as one of my father’s caregivers in the last year of his life following an intense stroke....
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Barbara Kopple — “A Murder in Mansfield”
Barbara Kopple is a two-time Academy Award winning filmmaker. Her credits include “This Is Everything: Gigi Gorgeous,” “Miss Sharon Jones!” and “Harlan County USA.” Kopple actively...
WIDC Selects Eight Women Directors for Story & Leadership Program at Whistler Film Fest
Women In the Director’s Chair (WIDC), a professional development organization for female filmmakers in Canada, has announced the eight women who will participate in its Story & Leadership...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Jessica Wolfson — “Hot Grease”
Jessica Wolfson has created award-winning media content for ESPN 9 for IX, MTV, Conde Nast, NYU, Canon, and many nonprofit organizations. At IFCtv Original Programming, she developed and produced...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Ceyda Torun— “Kedi”
Ceyda Torun is an Istanbul-born director who spent her early years among the street cats, while her mother worried she’d get rabies and her sister worried she’d bring home fleas. She co-founded...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Geeta Gandbhir — “Armed With Faith”
Geeta Gandbhir is a prolific director, editor, and producer. She has co-directed numerous award-winning films, including “I Am Evidence,” “Prison Dogs,” “Remembering the Artist, Robert De...
Clio Barnard’s Ruth Wilson-Starrer “Dark River” Lands U.S. Distribution
Clio Barnard’s latest offering has secured U.S. distribution. According to ScreenDaily, FilmRise acquired the North American rights to the family drama “Dark River,” toplined by “The...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Chanda Chevannes — “Unfractured”
Chanda Chevannes is a Canadian filmmaker, writer, and educator. Her first feature-length film, “Living Downstream,” won several awards, has been screened publicly over 200 times, and was...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Alice Elliott — “Miracle on 42nd Street”
Alice Elliott is the Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker of “The Collector of Bedford Street.” Her short “Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy” was nominated for an International...
Domenica Cameron-Scorsese’s “Almost Paris” Nabbed by Freestyle Digital
Domenica Cameron-Scorsese has found a home for her feature directorial debut. Deadline reports that the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studio, Freestyle Digital...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Harriet Hirshorn — “Nothing Without Us: The Women Who Will End…
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Harriet Hirshorn — “Nothing Without Us: The Women Who Will End AIDS” Harriet Hirshorn is a documentary filmmaker with a focus on social justice issues....
Quote of the Day: Ava DuVernay Says Hollywood’s Exclusionary Hiring Is Intentional
By employing only women directors on “Queen Sugar” and via her film collective ARRAY, which spotlights work from women and people of color, Ava DuVernay has done plenty to fight against...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Rachel Dretzin — “Far From the Tree”
Rachel Dretzin has been honored with numerous awards for her documentaries, including the Emmy Award, the Peabody, the Du-Pont Columbia, and the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award. For many years...
New Advance “Lady Bird” Screenings Added
As you know, Women and Hollywood has been working with A24 to offer the Women and Hollywood community the opportunity to see advance screenings of “Lady Bird,” written and directed by Greta...
DOC NYC 2017 Women Directors: Meet Ky Dickens — “Zero Weeks”
Ky Dickens directed the acclaimed documentary “Sole Survivor,” which profiles four survivors of otherwise fatal plane crashes. “Sole Survivor” was acquired by CNN Films for broadcast and...
Vice Media to Invest in Female Filmmakers with Newly Launched Broadly Films
Vice Media is expanding Broadly, its female-driven channel and website. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Vice has introduced Broadly Films, a three-year program dedicated to funding and...
Carey Mulligan to Play Gloria Steinem in Dee Rees’ “An Uncivil War”
Two years after Carey Mulligan played a burgeoning feminist activist in Sarah Gavron’s women’s rights drama “Suffragette” comes word that she’ll portray one of the most famous feminists of...