ALL POSTS
2019 Athena IRIS Screenwriting Lab Participants Announced
The Athena Film Festival has selected this year’s Athena IRIS Screenwriting Lab cohort. Eight women-written projects have made the cut. Their scribes will attend the Lab, a script development...
Weekly Update for February 8: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING What Men Want – Written by Tina Gordon Chism, Alex Gregory, and Peter Huyck Inspired by the Nancy Meyers hit romantic comedy “What Women Want,” this film follows...
Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche Drama “The Truth” Goes to IFC
Two of French cinema’s most celebrated actresses are teaming up for “The Truth,” and IFC Films is set to bring their collaboration to North American audiences. The company snagged...
Berlinale 2019 Women Directors: Meet Agnieszka Holland – “Mr. Jones”
Agnieszka Holland has made over 30 films, winning awards including the Golden Globe and Silver Bear, and has been nominated for a BAFTA and an Emmy. Her films “In Darkness,” “Europa...
Paul Feig’s Powderkeg Creating Diverse, Inclusive Writers’ Rooms with New Initiative
Powderkeg has launched its latest inclusive initiative. Paul Feig and Laura Fischer’s digital media production company is following up its incubator for women filmmakers with Break the Room...
Exclusive: WhoHaha Announces Spring Creator Lab Participants
WhoHaha, the Elizabeth Banks-co-founded creative community and digital content studio elevating women in comedy, has named the participants of its Spring Creator Lab. Women and Hollywood has...
Sara Colangelo to Direct Drama About 9/11 Lawyer “What Is Life Worth”
Sara Colangelo will follow up “The Kindergarten Teacher” with a biopic. She’s been tapped to helm MadRiver Picture’s “What Is Life Worth,” Deadline reports. Based...
“Black-ish’s” Marsai Martin Signs First-Look Deal with Universal
It’s starting to look like Marsai Martin may be a mogul in the making. Best known for playing Diane, AKA Dolly, on “Black-ish,” the actress is set to co-star with...
Nisha Ganatra to Direct “Covers” for Universal and Working Title
Nisha Ganatra scored one of the biggest deals out of Sundance 2019 for “Late Night,” and the helmer will follow it up with another high profile project. She’s in negotiations to...
Exclusive: A Teen Dreams of Transforming Her Life in Clip of Berlinale Pic “Goldie”
A young woman enters a clothing store with a simple mission in our exclusive clip of “Goldie”: she just wants to show her two sisters a coat. The owner is unimpressed. She doesn’t...
Study: Women Represent 25 Percent of Non-Acting 2019 Oscar Nominees
Another year, another Oscars ceremony dominated by male nominees. The Women’s Media Center (WMC) has released its annual study of gender representation among the non-acting Academy Award...
Apply Now: 2019 Writers Lab for Women Screenwriters Over 40
The 2019 Writers Lab is now accepting submissions. An intensive screenplay development retreat for women screenwriters who are 40 or older, the program will host its fifth edition October 2-6, 2019...
Berlinale Breaks Down 2019 Gender Stats in New Report
The 69th annual Berlinale begins today and, while the fest will not officially sign the Gender Parity Pledge until Saturday, it’s already stepping up its transparency efforts. The Berlin...
Athena Film Fest’s 2019 Awardees: Nina Shaw, Desiree Akhavan, & Cameron Bailey
The Athena Film Festival has announced its 2019 awardees. The ninth edition of the fest will honor Time’s Up founding member Nina Shaw, “The Miseducation of Cameron Post”...
Trailer Watch: Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba Are “L.A.’s Finest” in “Bad Boys” Spinoff
“L.A.’s Finest” sees Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba playing cops who have done some “crazy shit” in their day. A new trailer for the “Bad Boys” spinoff...
Olivia Colman to Receive BFI Fellowship
All hail Queen Olivia Colman. The “Favourite” star is set to receive the British Film Institute’s (BFI) highest honor, a BFI Fellowship. Set to accept the honor at the BFI...
From Dialogue to Action: Crowdfunding Picks
The question of turning dialogue into action is not a new one, particularly in an age where the internet allows millions of people around the world to participate in conversations about issues such...
Rachel Morrison to Direct “Hightown” for Starz
History-making cinematographer Rachel Morrison is adding another major credit to her resume. Deadline reports that she’s been tapped by Starz to direct “Hightown,” an upcoming crime...
Trailer Watch: Yara Shahidi Only Has One Day for Love in “The Sun Is Also a Star”
“This is my home. New York is my home,” Jamaica-born Natasha Kingsley (Yara Shahidi) pleads in the trailer for “The Sun Is Also a Star.” But it doesn’t matter:...
Women in Politics Doc “Knock Down the House” Nabs Record Sundance Deal, Wins Fest Fave Award
We already knew “Knock Down the House” was one of Sundance 2019’s biggest winners. Rachel Lears’ documentary about four working-class, progressive women running for Congress...
Netflix Orders Bilingual Latinx Dramedy “Gente-fied” Exec Produced by America Ferrera
America Ferrera made history as the first Latina actress to win an Emmy for lead actress in a comedy series, and she’s working to ensure others follow in her footsteps. The...
WeForShe Unveils 2019 WriteHer List
WeForShe has made its selections for its fifth WriteHer List. A curation of the best women-written, women-centric unproduced TV scripts, the annual list “seeks to answer the endemic gender...
Maggie Kiley to Direct Pilot for “Riverdale” Spin-Off “Katy Keene”
Josie McCoy (Ashleigh Murray) is leaving Riverdale and her gig singing at Le Bonne Nuit behind to pursue her dreams in New York City, and Maggie Kiley will be behind the camera capturing all the...
Berlinale 2019 Women Directors: Meet Lone Scherfig – “The Kindness of Strangers”
Lone Scherfig is an award-winning writer and director. Her first feature, “The Birthday Trip,” screened at the 1991 Berlinale and won several awards at festivals worldwide. Her more recent...
“Power” Creator Courtney A. Kemp Developing Cop Drama for HBO
Courtney A. Kemp has a project about dirty cops in the works at HBO. The “Power” creator is joining forces with Lionsgate TV head of scripted Chris Selak to develop “Dirty...
Social Media Campaign Examines Gender Rep in Hollywood and U.S. Senate “Then and Now”
The U.S. Senate is far from achieving gender equality: just 25 percent of senators are women. Yet it’s a progressive haven for women compared to Hollywood, as a new social media campaign...
Kelly Marcel to Make Directorial Debut with “Ferryman” Adaptation
Best known for writing the screenplays for “Venom,” “Fifty Shades of Grey,” and “Saving Mr. Banks,” Kelly Marcel is set to make her directorial debut. The BAFTA...
“The Hate U Give” Author Angie Thomas Re-Teaming with Fox for Adaption of Her Next Book
Angie Thomas’ new novel, “On the Come Up,” hits bookshelves today but the story is already on its way to the big screen. The author is re-teaming with Fox 2000, the studio behind...
Less Than 20% of Top Musical Artists in 2018 Were Women, Study Finds
A new Time’s Up/Annenberg Inclusion Initiative challenge might be in order. The latter has released its second “Inclusion in the Recording Studio?” report, a study of gender and race...
Trailer Watch: Nine Pacific Female Filmmakers Team Up for Berlinale Pic “Vai”
Written and directed by nine Pacific female filmmakers and filmed on seven Pacific islands, “Vai” depicts one woman’s life story in eight separate moments. When a young Vai asks a...
Paramount Accepts #4PercentChallenge from Time’s Up and Annenberg Inclusion Initiative
Paramount has accepted Time’s Up and the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative’s #4PercentChallenge. Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, and Paramount Players are committing to announcing...
Beth Leavel on Broadway’s “The Prom” and Making LGBTQ History at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Beth Leavel’s career on the Broadway stage spans 30-plus years and includes an impressive roster of musicals such as “42nd Street,” “Mamma Mia!” and “Elf.”...
Jessica Barth and Caitlin Dulany Launch Voices in Action to Combat Sexual Misconduct
Jessica Barth and Caitlin Dulany met under strange and difficult circumstances. They and nine other women were being filmed at a coffee shop while discussing personal trauma. All 11 of them had...
Sundance Deals: “One Child Nation,” “Honey Boy,” and “American Factory”
This year’s edition of Sundance Film Festival wrapped up yesterday, but many of the titles in the program have plenty of screenings to come: three more women-directed and co-directed titles...
Women Dominate Sundance 2019 Awards: Chinonye Chukwu, Nanfu Wang, & More
Exactly zero women are up for Best Director at the upcoming Oscars, and none of the films nominated for Best Picture are helmed by women. Fortunately, the Sundance Awards are here to remind everyone...
Figuring It Out: VOD and Web Series Picks
Young womanhood comes with many inevitable challenges. Making friends, pleasing family, dating, career-planning: there’s a lot to figure out. Luckily, women creators are taking to the internet...
Weekly Update for February 1: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Miss Bala – Directed by Catherine Hardwicke “Miss Bala”: Columbia Pictures Gloria (Gina Rodriguez) finds a power she never knew she had when she is drawn...
Trailer Watch: A Police Shooting Leaves Families Reeling in “The Red Line”
Three families’ fates intertwine in a newly released trailer for “The Red Line.” Exec produced by “A Wrinkle in Time” helmer Ava DuVernay and set in Chicago, CBS’...
“Diary of a Female President” Series Coming to Disney+, Gina Rodriguez Exec Producing
“Jane the Virgin” breakout Gina Rodriguez has much to celebrate this week, perhaps over one of Abuela’s famous grilled cheese sandwiches. “Miss Bala,” which marks her...
Trailer Watch: “The Chi” Tackles Joy and Despair in Equal Measure in Season 2
When Kevin (Alex R. Hibbert, “Moonlight”) begins speaking in the trailer for “The Chi” Season 2, he seems to be listing his favorite things to do.”Bike, basketball,...
Sundance 2019 Women Directors: Meet May el-Toukhy – “Queen of Hearts”
Writer-director May el-Toukhy worked in theater before moving to film. In addition to her feature directorial debut “Long Story Short,” she has directed radio dramas, stage plays, and...
New Ad Campaign Celebrates Women Directors, Brings Attention to Awards Season’s Gender Gap
2018 saw the release of many acclaimed films from women directors, including Chloé Zhao’s “The Rider,” Debra Granik’s “Leave No Trace,” and Marielle...
February 2019 Film Preview
From rom-coms to slashers to dramas, moviegoers have plenty of options when it comes to films made by and about women this February. The month kicks off with the February 1 release of Catherine...
Carey Mulligan Teams Up with Emerald Fennell for “Promising Young Woman”
2019 is shaping up to be a banner year for Emerald Fennell. Best known for her role as Patsy on beloved BBC drama “Call the Midwife,” the multi-hyphenate plays Camilla Parker Bowles in...
Trailer Watch: Olivia Wilde Takes Down Abusers in Sarah Daggar-Nickson’s “A Vigilante”
We can only imagine what Olivia Wilde’s character in “A Vigilante” would do to get her hands on Perry from “Big Little Lies.” A trailer has dropped for Sarah...
Brie Larson Sets “Unicorn Store” and “Lady Business” at Netflix
Brie Larson’s feature directorial debut premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and went on to screen at the 2018 Edinburgh International Film Festival, but after that the...
Sundance: “Knock Down the House,” “Them That Follow,” and More Land Distribution
Sundance doesn’t just present filmmakers with the opportunity to have their films seen — the fest is also a great place to have your work seen by someone who wants to buy it. Gurinder...
Gabriela Cowperthwaite Teaming Up with Dakota Johnson for “The Friend”
Gabriela Cowperthwaite is following up Kate Mara-starrer “Megan Leavey” with another feature inspired by a true story. She’s teaming up with “Suspiria” actress Dakota...
Trailer Watch: Diane Joins the Resistance in “The Good Fight” Season 3
Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski) has always been a devout liberal feminist, so things have been difficult for her since Trump’s election. Happily it looks like she’s reclaiming her...
Women Directing 40 Percent of Upcoming Disney Films, CEO Announces
Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Robert Iger made an exciting announcement via Twitter while addressing the 4% Challenge, the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative and Time’s Up campaign...
“Westworld’s” Lisa Joy to Make Feature Directorial Debut with Sci-Fi “Reminiscence”
“Westworld” co-creator Lisa Joy is taking on another sci-fi story for her feature directorial debut. She’ll helm “Reminiscence,” a co-production between Kilter Films,...