Women Directors
Sundance 2018 Women Directors: Meet Marina Zenovich — “Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind”
Marina Zenovich is an Emmy-winning filmmaker whose credits include “Independent’s Day,” “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired,” and “Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic.” “Robin Williams:...
Regina King & Rashida Jones Among Women Directors Spotlighted in Alice Initiative List
At a time when Hollywood’s conditions feel particularly grim, it’s important to recognize the movements and resources continuously committed to industrial change and an equality-driven future....
Sundance 2018 Women Directors: Meet Bridey Elliott — “Clara’s Ghost”
Bridey Elliott is is an actress, writer, and director. She starred in the SXSW Grand Jury Prize winner “Fort Tilden.” Her other acting credits include “Battle of the Sexes” and “Mosaic.”...
Trailer Watch: Zosia Mamet May Fall for “The Boy Downstairs”
“Why is it a crime to want to be friends with your ex-boyfriend?” 20-something writer Diana (Zosia Mamet) casually asks. Friendship seems like a necessary route — especially when she...
Rachel Israel’s Award-Winning “Keep the Change” Acquired by Kino Lorber
Writer-director Rachel Israel’s romantic comedy “Keep the Change” made for quite the directorial debut at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival. In addition to winning Best U.S. Narrative...
Sundance 2018 Preview: Films About the Apocalypse, LGBTQ Teens, RBG, and More
“On Her Shoulders” The Sundance Film Festival begins this Thursday, January 18 and as expected, there are tons of exciting projects by and about women. For those of you making the trek to Park...
2018 NAACP Image Awards Praises Ava DuVernay, “Girls Trip,” and More
This year, black actresses and female creators alike dominated the NAACP Image Awards in almost every major category. From Entertainer of the Year to Outstanding Motion Picture, last night’s...
Trailer Watch: Gloria Allred Refuses to Be Silenced in “Seeing Allred”
“Seeing Allred” “Women are now empowered,” feminist attorney Gloria Allred declares in the trailer for “Seeing Allred,” “and they will never be silent again.” That’s true: our...
Trailer Watch: Whitney Cummings Investigates Romantic Impulses in “The Female Brain”
“After years of research we discovered the male and female brain is wired very differently,” says Whitney Cummings in a new trailer for “The Female Brain.” The comedian’s directorial debut...
Guest Post: Mary Pickford, Frances Marion, and the Influence of Women in Hollywood’s Early Days
Guest Post by Melanie Benjamin Some of the highest grossing and critically-acclaimed films released last year were by and about women. 2017 was somewhat of a banner year for women in Hollywood,...
Trailer Watch: Offred Is Back and Covered in Blood in “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 2
It’s nearly time to welcome back everybody’s favorite dystopian drama. A teaser has dropped for Season 2 of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and the world of Gilead still feels disturbingly...
“Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami” Acquired by Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber has snagged North American rights to “Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami,” a press release has announced. If you’re already familiar with the singer-songwriter’s art and persona,...
Weekly Update for January 12: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“Proud Mary”: Dana Starbard/CTMG Films About Women Opening This Week Proud Mary Mary (Taraji P. Henson) is a hitwoman working for an organized crime family in Boston. Mary’s life is completely...
Carrie Brownstein Is Adapting Her Memoir for Hulu
“Portlandia” co-creator and Sleater-Kinney guitarist Carrie Brownstein is set to revisit her roots in the Pacific Northwest. The multi-hyphenate is adapting her best-selling memoir as a...
Chicken & Egg Pictures Announces Breakthrough Filmmaker Award Recipients
Chicken & Egg Pictures will support Nanfu Wang, Ramona Diaz, Natalia Almada, Laura Nix, and Kimi Takesue as they break through to the next phase of their filmmaking careers. The five documentary...
Aisling Walsh’s “Maudie” Leads Irish Film and TV Academy Award Nominations
The Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) has announced the nominees for its 2018 awards, and the film that scored the most nods is Aisling Walsh’s “Maudie.” Per Screen Daily, the Maud...
Greta Gerwig Scores DGA Nomination for “Lady Bird”
Critics and audiences loved “Lady Bird,” and it looks like directors did, too. The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has announced films in the running for their annual awards, and Greta...
DGA TV Nominations: Women Score Majority of Nods in Comedy Category
The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has announced the TV nominees for their annual awards, and women directors dominate the Comedy Series category, where three of five nominated episodes are...
2017 Celluloid Ceiling Report: Number of Women Behind the Scenes Has Barely Shifted in 20 Years
Less than a week after the publication of the latest “Inclusion in the Director’s Chair?” report comes another in-depth study about women’s representation in 2017 film. The research, Dr....
Women In Film LA Announces Film Finishing Fund Recipients
Thanks to Women In Film, Los Angeles, over a dozen projects by and about women are on their way to the finish line. The non-profit organization has announced the winners of the 32 annual film...
BAFTA Nominations: For the Fifth Year in a Row, Women Are Shut Out of Best Director Race
BAFTA nominations are in, and for the fifth year in a row, exactly zero women are nominated in the best director category. As Variety reports, the last female director to score a nod was Kathryn...
Athena Film Fest’s 2018 Lineup Includes “The Breadwinner,” “I Am Not a Witch,” “Lady Bird,” & More
Disappointed by the Golden Globes’ lack of love for women directors? You can check out some of the year’s best films — many of which were helmed by women — at the upcoming Athena...
Domenica Cameron-Scorsese on the Redemptive Power of Love in “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...
Chloé Zhao Wins Film Independent’s Inaugural Bonnie Award
The Indie Spirit Awards won’t take place until March 3, but Chloé Zhao has just scored a major honor from Film Independent. The writer, director, and producer of “The Rider” was named...
Liz Garbus’ New York Times Doc Gets Release Date on Showtime
Awards for fake news stories and the fact that terms like “post-truth” exist suggest that we need a David and Goliath narrative about the importance of journalism now more than ever. Thankfully,...
Weekly Update for January 5: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“In Between” Films About Women Opening This Week In Between — Written and Directed by Maysaloun Hamoud “In Between” captures the daily duality of three young Palestinian women (Mouna...
“Wonder Woman” and “Lady Bird” Score PGA Nominations
The Producers Guild of America is recognizing two of 2017’s box office heroines: Diana Prince and Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson. Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman” and Greta Gerwig’s...
Join the #GoldenRobes Initiative to Recognize Women & Minority Filmmakers
Disappointed by the lack of Golden Globes love for “Ladybird’s” Greta Gerwig, “Wonder Woman,” and “Mudbound”? You’re not alone — and there’s an initiative you can participate...
New Research: The Needle Hasn’t Moved for Women Directors Over Past 11 Years
Patricia Riggen is the only Latina to direct a top-grossing movie from 2007 to 2017: patriciariggen.com 2017 brought us the Women’s March and #MeToo but, as new research shows, there’s still a...
Cate Blanchett to Serve as Jury President at Cannes 2018
Cate Blanchett is set to serve on one of the world’s most glamorous juries. Cannes Film Festival has announced that the two-time Oscar winner is their 2018 Jury President. “I have been to Cannes...
Guest Post: The Importance of Amplifying Quieter Voices in Film
Guest Post by Elhum Shakerifar At the end of 2017, I was humbled to accept the Women in Film and TV Factual Award. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in news, factual programming, current...
“Pitch Perfect” Franchise Has Grossed Over Half a Billion Worldwide
The Barden Bellas have sung their way past a major milestone. The “Pitch Perfect” franchise has now grossed more than $500 million worldwide, Deadline reports. We’d say half a billion dollars...
January 2018 Film Preview
“Proud Mary” January is here with a collection of women-centric, women-directed, and women-written films that range from kick-ass to life-altering to eye-opening. The month begins with “In...
Guest Post: Lizzie Borden on Harvey Weinstein and The Need to Stand Together
Guest Post by Lizzie Borden I have been silent because I felt my story was of no great significance compared to the women who were raped and assaulted by Harvey Weinstein. But I feel compelled to...
Weekly Update for December 22: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“Pitch Perfect 3” Films About Women Opening This Week Pitch Perfect 3 — Directed by Trish Sie; Written by Kay Cannon After college graduation, the Barden Bellas are struggling with their...
Beyond the Bechdel Test: New Ways of Measuring Hollywood’s Gender Imbalance
The Bechdel Test is a useful but limited tool, a fact many have recognized for years. Created by cartoonist Alison Bechdel and her friend Liz Wallace, the test is often used to determine whether or...
Trailer Watch: Heather Graham Says Goodbye to Jerks in Directorial Debut “Half Magic”
“I want to have hot sex with someone who’s really nice to me,” says Heather Graham in a new trailer for her directorial debut, “Half Magic.” She stars as Honey, a woman who is sick of...
Paramount Announces Several Future Films, None Are Confirmed to Be By or About Women
When the sale of the Fox studio to Disney is complete, there will be five big studios left. Paramount has announced release dates for several slated films through 2021 — and none of them have...
22 Most Anticipated Films By and About Women of 2018
“A Wrinkle in Time” The end of 2017 is rapidly approaching, and it’s safe to say that plenty of us are relieved. Although this year in particular has been difficult, it did see the release of...
Eliza Hittman and Penny Lane Receive Grants from Rooftop Films
“Beach Rats” writer-director Eliza Hittman and “Nuts!” helmer Penny Lane both have something to celebrate. They’ve scored grants from non-profit org Rooftop Films, Variety reports. The...
Quote of the Day: Elizabeth Banks on Her “Great Epiphany” About Hollywood Sexism
There was a moment when Elizabeth Banks realized why she felt stalled in her acting career. Mainstream films weren’t providing her interesting roles, and smaller, independent fare wasn’t paying...
Metrograph to Host “Tell Me: Women Filmmakers, Women’s Stories” Film Series
The Metrograph wants to amplify women’s voices. The NYC theater has announced that an upcoming film series will focus on women directors, their work, and how their female subjects see the world....
Margot Robbie to Produce Female-Led Wall Street Series from Kat Blasband Page
2013’s “The Wolf of Wall Street” marked Margot Robbie’s breakout role. Now the “I, Tonya” star and producer is returning to the infamous business hub, but this time, she’ll be working...
2017’s Best TV Created By and About Women
“Big Little Lies”: HBO A group of tight-knit mothers with some very dark secrets. Two 20-something women of color trying to excel in their professional and personal lives. A rag-tag team of...
Ursula MacFarlane to Direct Harvey Weinstein Doc for the BBC
Harvey Weinstein’s abuse of women has been dominating the news cycle since early October. Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the disgraced mogul will be the subject of a BBC documentary...
Trailer Watch: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are Back in Vanessa Caswill’s “Little Women”
“Four small children is a recipe for heartache, headache, and indigestion,” says a mighty critical Aunt March (Angela Lansbury) in the first trailer for “Little Women.” But anyone familiar...
Get Busy Living: Crowdfunding Picks
“Side Work” We often have to make a choice between pushing back against the setbacks in our lives, or letting the current pull us under. To sink or swim, to fight or take flight — or to put...
Colette Burson on Showing a Different Side of the South in “Permanent”
Colette Burson co-created and executive produced HBO’s Golden Globe-nominated series “Hung.” She helmed several episodes of the show. Her other directing credits include short “Little Black...
“Awkward” Creator Lauren Iungerich Has a New Comedy Series in the Works at Netflix
“Awkward” creator Lauren Iungerich is set to deliver another coming-of-age comedy. Deadline reports that Netflix has ordered 10 episodes of a new half-hour series she co-created titled “On My...
“Step” Helmer Amanda Lipitz to Direct English-Language Remake of “Instructions Not Included”
Amanda Lipitz directed one of our favorite documentaries released this year, and now she’s set to make her narrative directorial debut. The “Step” helmer has signed on to bring an...
Weekly Update for December 15: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”: Lucasfilm Films About Women Opening This Week Star Wars: The Last Jedi Rey (Daisy Ridley) develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker...