Women Directors
Kirsten Johnson’s “Cameraperson” Acquired by Janus Films
Kirsten Johnson’s “Cameraperson” has been acquired by Janus Films after a successful run on the festival circuit. The distributor picked up all North American rights to the documentary, which...
Summer 2016 Preview
“Me Before You” by Eboni Boykin and Diana Martinez This summer will be packed with a broad range of films by and about women for your enjoyment as you escape the summer heat. Kicking off the...
Correcting the Record on Wonder Woman Comment
Last week at the Cannes Film Festival on a Women in Motion panel, I said that Patty Jenkins, the director of the upcoming “Wonder Woman” film, is the first female director to have a $100 million...
Inside Out 2016 Women Directors: Meet Cecilia Aldarondo — “Memories of a Penitent Heart”
Cecilia Aldarondo holds a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and is an Assistant Professor of Film Studies at Skidmore College. She was the inaugural recipient of the Roberto Guerra Documentary...
Watch: Women and Hollywood at Cannes for Women in Motion Panel “Show Us the Money”
At the Cannes Film Festival last week, Women and Hollywood’s founder and publisher Melissa Silverstein sat down with Francine Raveney of the European Women’s Audiovisual Network and a Elsa...
Inside Out 2016 Women Directors: Meet Sarah Rotella — “Almost Adults”
Sarah Rotella directs short films, web series, and features. “Almost Adults” is her debut feature length film. Her directing efforts have garnered over 68 million YouTube views and her films...
Seeking Our Story: Growing Up with Catherine Hardwicke’s “Thirteen”
“Thirteen” Guest Post by Angela Trott Catherine Hardwick will be appearing in person at this event, see details below. Catherine Hardwicke (b. 1955) grew up in McAllen, Texas on the border...
The Orchard Acquires Julia Hart’s Directorial Debut “Miss Stevens”
The Orchard has acquired all North American rights to Julia Hart’s (screenwriter, “The Keeping Room”) directorial debut, “Miss Stevens,” Variety has reported. The film stars Lily Rabe...
Whitney Cummings Making Directorial Debut with “The Female Brain”
Comedian Whitney Cummings is going to be stepping behind the camera and making her directorial debut with the relationship comedy “The Female Brain.” Based on the book by Louann Brizendine, the...
Rebecca Miller Launches Production Company
“Maggie’s Plan” writer-director Rebecca Miller has founded a production company with Damon Cardasis, one of the romantic comedy’s producers, Deadline has reported. “Maggie’s Plan” is...
Cannes’ Women Winners: Houda Benyamina, Andrea Arnold, Maren Ade, and More
“Divines” The Cannes Film Festival wrapped up over the weekend, and though we are still without a solo female winner for the Palme d’Or (Jane Campion won a shared Palme in 1993 for “The...
Cannes: Or Sinai’s “Anna” Awarded Cinefondation First Prize
Israeli director Or Sinai has been awarded the First Prize at Cannes in the Cinefondation section for “Anna.” Cinefondation is arguably the world’s most prestigious film competition for...
DGA Report: Women Directed 17% of TV in 2015–16 Season
Women and ethnic minorities are making advancements in the world of episodic directing — but a sneak peak of the Director’s Guild of America’s annual report concedes that the figures for...
Trailer Watch: Anna Gunn Demands “Equity”
Anna Gunn starred as Skyler White on the hit AMC series “Breaking Bad” for the show’s entire run and was on the receiving end of a lot of sexist criticism for the role. The barrage of death...
Marielle Heller, Crystal Mozelle, and More Chosen for Sundance’s FilmTwo Initiative
“The Diary of a Teenage Girl” The Sundance Institute has announced an expansion of its artist development programs to include support for second-time feature filmmakers. The new FilmTwo...
Emily Carmichael to Write and Direct “Powerhouse” for Amblin Entertainment
Are we finally getting a female director go from the indie world into a big-budget project? According to The Hollywood Reporter, indie filmmaker Emily Carmichael will write and direct...
Cannes 2016 Women Directors: Meet Shirley Abraham — “The Cinema Travellers”
“The Cinema Travellers” is Shirley Abraham’s feature directorial debut. The documentary was co-directed by Amit Madheshiya. The film premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on...
Oscilloscope Acquires Anna Biller’s “The Love Witch”
Oscilloscope Laboratories has announced the acquisition of worldwide rights to “The Love Witch,” the latest film written, produced, and directed by Anna Biller. The film’s official synopsis...
Kate Winslet’s Dark Comedy “The Dressmaker” Heading to Amazon
Jocelyn Moorhouse’s “The Dressmaker” has found an American home at Amazon Studios, reports Variety. The revenge comedy-drama stars Oscar-winner Kate Winslet as a sophisticated couturier who...
Chloë Sevigny Was Sexually Harassed During Auditions
It seems no woman is immune from sexual harassment, especially in the film industry. At the Cannes Film Festival this week, Chloë Sevigny, who is at the fest with a short film she directed called...
Cannes 2016 Women Directors: Meet Houda Benyamina — “Divines”
After completing her diploma at ERAC (Acting School for the Cannes Region), Houda Benyamina gained training as a director through the 1000 Faces association, which she founded in 2006 as a way of...
Courtney Love and Joey King to Star in Deborah Chow’s “The Possibility of Fireflies”
More Cannes news comes pouring in every day. It’s been announced that Courtney Love, lead singer of the band Hole and actress in “The People Vs. Larry Flint,” and Joey King (“Ramona and...
“Alien: Covenant” Will Include Two Female Directors
Ridley Scott’s upcoming “Alien: Covenant” will have an interesting addition to its credits: two female directors. According to Indiewire, it was announced by Screen Australia and the...
Amandla Stenberg to Star in New Amma Asante WWII-Set Film
“Hunger Games” vet Amandla Stenberg continues to add to her stacked resume. According to Variety, the teen will star in “Belle” helmer Amma Asante’s next feature, a romance set against the...
Sophie Hyde to Direct Adaptation of Cult Fave “Animals”
Australian director Sophie Hyde has announced her follow-up project to Sundance-winner “52 Tuesdays.” She’ll helm an adaptation of Emma Jane Unsworth’s 2014 novel “Animals,” a cult...
We Do It Together Announces First Project with Robin Wright, Catherine Hardwicke, and Freida Pinto
We Do It Together has announced its first feature film, the aptly titled “Together Now.” The non-profit production company launched in February this year with the promise to finance and produce...
Ellen Burstyn and Laura Dern to Star in Jennifer Fox’s “The Tale”
Ellen Burstyn and Laura Dern have signed on to star as a mother and daughter in Jennifer Fox’s “The Tale.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, “The Tale” centers on Jennifer (Dern), “a...
Cannes 2016 Women Directors: Meet Domenica Cameron-Scorsese — “Almost Paris”
Domenica Cameron-Scorsese is a Tribeca alum whose short films “Spanish Boots” and “Roots in Water” played the festival. Her first short, “A Little God,” won the Torchlight Short Film...
Catherine Keener’s “Little Pink House” Acquired by Film Mode
Film Mode Entertainment has acquired writer-director Courtney Moorehead Balaker’s “Little Pink House.” The David and Goliath drama stars two-time Oscar-nominee Catherine Keener (“Show Me A...
Cannes 2016 Part 1: On the Ground at this Wack Job of a Festival
It’s really hard to describe Cannes. They screen the crème de la crème of films (according to the fest, anyway) but they also have a market with lowbrow fare like “Dudes and Dragons.” It is...
Oscilloscope Acquires Sophia Takal’s “Always Shine”
Oscilloscope Laboratories has announced the acquisition of U.S. rights to Sophia Takal’s second directorial feature, “Always Shine,” which recently screened at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival,...
Alice Rohrwacher Named Film Society of Lincoln Center Filmmaker in Residence
Director Alice Rohrwacher has been named the fourth Film Society of Lincoln Center and Jaeger-LeCoultre filmmaker in residence, Variety has reported. The announcement was made at the Cannes Film...
Cannes 2016 Women Directors: Meet Julia Ducournau — “Raw”
Julia Ducournau’s previous credits include “Mange,” a television movie made for Canal plus, and “Junior,” a short. According to her bio, each of her films has been about physical...
Cannes 2016: “Toni Erdmann” Director Maren Ade Calls for 50% Quotas for Female Directors
Maren Ade is just one of three female directors in the competition section of the Cannes Film Festival this year, and like many of us, she’s demanding more. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter,...
Trailer Watch: Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood are Resilient Sisters in “Into the Forest”
Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood’s sisterly bond is put to the test in a post-apocalyptic world in a newly released trailer for Patricia Rozema’s “Into the Forest.” The atmospheric clip...
Cannes 2016 Women Directors: Meet Shahrbanoo Sadat — “Wolf and Sheep”
Shahrbanoo Sadat is an Afghan screenwriter and director. Sadat’s first short fiction film, “Vice Versa One,” was selected at Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes in 2011. In 2013, she launched her...
Fantasy or Reality? May 2016’s Crowdfunding Picks
“Afterbirth” This month’s crowdfunding picks are centered around the ways love, fear, and anxiety can stop us from distinguishing between fiction and reality. The short film “Dreamer”...
Halle Berry To Star in “Mustang” Director Deniz Gamze Erguven’s English-Language Debut
Deniz Gamze Erguven’s English language debut has a major star attached. Academy Award-winner Halle Berry will topline “Kings,” a drama set against the backdrop of the 1992 Los Angeles race...
Oscar Winner Brenda Chapman to Make Live-Action Directing Debut
The Oscar-winning co-director of “Brave” is entering the world of live-action filmmaking. Brenda Chapman’s first foray outside of animation will be “Come Away,” a prequel to two animated...
Cannes 2016: Lynne Ramsay to Direct a New Thriller
ScreenDaily reports that director Lynn Ramsay will helm her first project since she left the Natalie Portman-led Western “Jane Got a Gun.” Ramsay will direct “You Were Never Really Here,” a...
Cannes 2016 Women Directors: Meet Stéphanie Di Giusto — “The Dancer”
Stéphanie Di Giusto co-wrote “The Dancer,” which marks her feature directorial debut. “The Dancer” will premiere at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on May 13. W&H: Describe the film for...
An Update on the EEOC Investigation Into Discrimination Against Women Directors
This week marks the first anniversary of the ACLU sending its landmark letter to the EEOC formally requesting that they look into the systemic discrimination against women directors in Hollywood. We...
Human Rights Watch Film Fest Lineup Over 50% Female-Directed
The lineup for the 2016 Human Rights Watch Film Festival has been revealed, and 10 of the 18 features being screened are directed or co-directed by women, amounting to 56 percent of the slate....
Natalie Johns on Her Inspiring Skateboarding Doc “I Am Thalente”
Natalie Johns was born in Zimbabwe, grew up in South Africa, and moved to London in 1997 to begin a career specializing in live entertainment television and documentary film. In 2013, she moved to...
Rosemary Myers’ “Girl Asleep” Acquired by Oscilloscope
The U.S. rights to Rosemary Myer’s debut feature, “Girl Asleep,” have been acquired by Oscilloscope Laboratories. Set in Australia in the 1970s, the coming-of-age tale centers on Greta...
Trailer Watch: Mira Nair’s “Queen of Katwe” Cheers For an Underdog Chess Champ
The trailer for Mira Nair’s highly anticipated “Queen of Katwe” has finally dropped, and the clip is introduced with an inspirational quotation that beautifully captures what follows: “The...
Megan Griffiths’ Richard Ramirez-Inspired “The Night Stalker” To Premiere on LMN
The demand for stories about serial killers is showing no sign of slowing down. LMN, a television network that’s part of the Lifetime family, has acquired award-winning writer-director Megan...
Maisie Williams To Star in YA Thriller Directed by Kate Maberly
Arya Stark has her vision back on “Game of Thrones,” and Maisie Williams has her eyes set on a new project. ScreenDaily reports that “The Falling” actress will star in Kate Maberly’s...
Jodie Foster Gets a Star on the Walk of Fame, Talks Her Directing Style
Two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “I grew up blocks from Hollywood Boulevard and would cross it every single day of my life,” said...
Women Directors at Cannes 2016 #SeeHerNow
The Cannes Film Festival kicks off this week with the unfortunate choice of a Woody Allen film in the opening slot. As we continuously note, Cannes, like so many other top tier festivals, continues...
Sundance Institute’s Annual Directors Lab Includes 5 Women
Sundance Institute has selected their first-time filmmakers for this year’s Directors Lab, and five out of the eight directors chosen are women. That’s a lovely 62 percent. The annual Lab...