ALL POSTS
Laurene Powell Jobs Investing in Documentary Film Studio Startup
Businesswoman Laurene Powell Jobs is using her fortune to produce and finance documentary filmmaking. According to Bloomberg, the world’s sixth-richest woman is backing a documentary studio...
Weekly Update for June 22: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING THIS WEEK Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts – Co-Written and Directed by Mouly Surya (Opens in NY; Opens in LA July 6) In the windswept uplands of the Indonesian...
Lifetime Orders Three Movies Based on Jane Green Novels, Kim Raver to Co-Direct the First
Lifetime is partnering up with Jane Green. The author of 17 New York Times best-sellers, Green has been published in over 30 languages around the world. Looking to capitalize on that popularity,...
Laura Dern and Jayme Lemons’ Jaywalker Signs First-Look Deal with Platform One Media
Laura Dern is following in the footsteps of her “Big Little Lies” co-star Nicole Kidman. Dern and Jayme Lemons’ Jaywalker Pictures has signed a first-look deal with Platform One Media,...
Céline Sciamma Will Start Shooting Her Next Film This Fall
Céline Sciamma’s fourth feature is in the works. The French filmmaker will follow up “Girlhood” with “Portrait de la jeune fille en feu,” which roughly translates to...
Mariette Rissenbeek Named Co-Director of Berlinale, Becomes First Woman to Lead the Fest
German Films managing director Mariette Rissenbeek will be the Berlin International Film Festival’s (Berlinale) next executive director, making her the first woman to lead the fest....
Research: New DGA Study Shows Lack of Opportunity for Women and Minority Feature Directors
“From the largest studio tent poles to the smallest indie films, diversity among feature film directors remained low in 2017,” a press release announcing the findings of a comprehensive...
In Search of Self: Crowdfunding Picks
Almost every woman can relate to the pressure to conform or compromise oneself — the struggle to be heard and seen, valued and understood. Yet so few stories accurately or realistically...
Angie Wang’s “MDMA” Acquired by Shout! Studios
Shout! Studios has snagged North American rights to MDMA, Angie Wang’s semi-autobiographical crime drama. Variety broke the news. Set in 1984, the pic tells the story of a student (Annie Q.,...
Queen Latifah and Katie Couric Partner with P&G to Support Women Directors and Creators
Earlier this week Procter & Gamble announced half of its commercials would be women-directed by 2023. The conglomerate also mentioned it would be teaming up with Queen Latifah and Katie Couric...
Trailer Watch: A Girl Finds Her Crew in Crystal Moselle’s “Skate Kitchen”
“For a while I was feeling really lonely — that loneliness that you have even in a crowded room. But I don’t feel it anymore,” says Camille (newcomer Rachelle Vinberg) in a...
“Sweat” Playwright Lynn Nottage Will Pen Michael Jackson Broadway Musical
Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage is taking on the King of Pop for her next gig. The New York Times confirms the “Sweat” writer will pen the book for a Broadway...
MTV Is Rebooting “Daria”
Daria Morgendorffer will deadpan once more. According to Variety, the iconic ’90s cartoon “Daria” will receive a reboot at MTV’s new production unit, MTV Studios....
Trailer Watch: A Teen’s Love Letters Are Leaked in “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”
Meet Lara Jean, the teen at the center of Susan Johnson’s “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” When she gets super intense crushes, the high schooler writes letters to the...
Jane Fonda to Be Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award at Michael Moore’s Fest
Jane Fonda is set to collect yet another trophy. The “Grace and Frankie” star will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival, a press...
“Coroner” Adaptation Coming to CBC, Serinda Swan Will Star
Jenny Cooper is coming to TV, and “Inhumans” alumna Serinda Swan will play her. Deadline reports that Swan will topline CBC’s adaptation of M.R. Hall’s best-selling book series...
Liz Garbus to Receive San Francisco Jewish Film Fest’s Freedom of Expression Award
The Jewish Film Institute (JFI) will present Liz Garbus with the 2018 Freedom of Expression Award. The Academy Award-nominated documentarian is set to accept the prize at the 38th San Francisco...
WGA East Survey: There Are “Significant Barriers” to Reporting Sexual Harassment
The Writers Guild of America, East (WGA East) has announced the findings from a sexual harassment survey given to its members in January and February — and the results are not encouraging. Per...
Apple Orders Immigrant Anthology Series Co-Created by Emily V. Gordon
Emily V. Gordon has booked another gig. Apple just ordered a timely half-hour anthology series inspired by immigrant stories co-written by “The Big Sick” scribe, Deadline reports....
Trailer Watch: A Peasant Travels Through Time in Alice Rohrwacher’s “Happy as Lazzaro”
A newly released trailer for Alice Rohrwacher’s Cannes winner “Happy as Lazzaro” begins and ends with the titular character’s name being whispered. This odd intro and book-end...
Study Shows Wide Gender Gap Persists on Telefilm Canada’s Big Budget Pics
The good news: Telefilm Canada’s goal of closing its movies’ off-screen gender gap by 2020 has resulted in tangible change. The bad news: the gap is still stubbornly wide on...
Jennifer Lee Named Head of Walt Disney Animation
Disney is getting a much-needed revamp. Jennifer Lee has officially been named chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, Deadline confirms. The news comes following the announcement...
U.S. Rights to Judy Davis-Starrer “Mystery Road” Snagged by Acorn TV
“Mystery Road” is headed stateside thanks to Acorn TV. The SVOD service has acquired U.S. rights to the Australian drama, Deadline confirms. The Judy Davis-starrer is scheduled to air in...
Guest Post: When I Stopped Asking for Permission and Started Giving It
Guest Post by Katy-May Hudson It’s mid-2016. I’m an experimental artist writing, performing, and creating new work, mostly with the NY Neo Futurists. We have a normal president in the White House...
Netflix Orders Female-Led Heroin Drama “Hache”
Netflix has another Spanish-language original series on the way, Variety confirms. Created and written by Verónica Fernández, “Hache” is drug thriller based on real events and takes...
Women Will Direct Half of Procter & Gamble Commercials by 2023
The powerhouse conglomerate behind products including Olay, Pantene, Tide, Gillette, and Tampax has committed to hiring more women directors for its commercials. According to CNN Money, Procter &...
Lena Waithe to Participate in Keynote Conversation at Essence Fest 2018
Fresh off her Trailblazer Award win at last night’s MTV Movie & TV Awards comes word that Lena Waithe will participate in a keynote conversation at the 2018 Essence Festival. The...
BAFTA Introduces New Diversity Criteria for 2019 Film Awards
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced new rules for films competing for the BAFTA Film Awards’ Outstanding British Film and Outstanding Debut by a British...
Apply Now: Sony TV’s 2018 Diverse Directors Program
Sony Pictures Television (SPT) is now accepting applications for this year’s Diverse Directors Program. The initiative gives emerging directors from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to...
Trailer Watch: Tiffany Haddish Vows to Catch a Catfisher in “Nobody’s Fool”
Tiffany Haddish made history last night as the first black woman to host the MTV Movie Awards. She also took home the trophy for Best Comedic Performance at the event. Now the “Girls...
Coming Out, Dialing In: June’s VOD and Web Series Picks
Each of our three web series and VOD picks this month includes a scene with two women walking in nature: friends Isobel and Cam hiking and letting out primal screams in the comedic web series...
Sundance Now Snags University-Set Psychological Thriller “Cheat”
Sundance Now has become the U.S. partner for “Cheat,” an upcoming psychological thriller from British network ITV. Deadline reports that the SVOD platform will bring the four-part series...
Laverne Cox Exec Producing Doc About Trans Representation On-Screen
Laverne Cox made history last year when she became the first transgender actress cast as a series regular on a broadcast show, CBS’ legal drama “Doubt.” It was a major feat for...
Trailer Watch: A Teen Avenges Her Mother’s Death in Sundance Winner “Night Comes On”
A trailer has landed for “Night Comes On,” Jordana Spiro’s award-winning feature debut about a 17-year-old on a mission. Recently released from juvenile detention, Angel (Dominique...
Films from Melanie Mayron, Valerie Buhagiar, & More Screening at 2018 Female Eye Film Fest
The upcoming Female Eye Film Festival (FeFF) will include more than 90 pics directed by women, a press release has announced. Established in 2001 in response to the lack of women-helmed fare at...
Heather Graham to Topline Aisling Chin-Yee’s Family Dramedy “The Rest of Us”
Babe Nation Creation’s first feature has begun filming, Deadline confirms. The female-driven production company is behind “The Rest of Us,” Aisling Chin-Yee’s directorial debut....
Mariska Hargitay Applauds #MeToo in Monte Carlo TV Fest Award Speech
Mariska Hargitay was awarded the Monte Carlo Television Festival’s Crystal Nymph Award on Friday and the “Law & Order: SVU” star used the occasion to commend the #MeToo...
Trailer Watch: Kristen Bell and Kelsey Grammer Go on a Cruise in “Like Father”
Kristen Bell takes to the sea with unexpected company in a new trailer for Lauren Miller Rogen’s “Like Father.” She and her fiancé planned to go on a cruise to celebrate their...
Oprah Winfrey Signs Content Deal with Apple
Apple has secured another major talent. Reese Witherspoon has a number of projects in development with the streamer, and now the company has snagged a deal with none other than her “Wrinkle...
Weekly Update for June 15: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING THIS WEEK The Year of Spectacular Men – Directed by Lea Thompson; Written by Madelyn Deutch “The Year of Spectacular Men” follows...
Alicia Keys Announces Initiative for Female Advancement in the Record Biz
The “Girl on Fire” is looking to elevate and empower other women in the music industry. Alicia Keys has revealed that she’s working on a new initiative to “further female...
Tribeca Winner “Little Woods” Lands Distribution, Tessa Thompson and Lily James Star
Nia DaCosta’s feature directorial debut has secured North American distribution. Neon acquired the rights to the Tribeca winner, The Hollywood Reporter confirms.Tessa Thompson and Lily James...
Nicole Kidman Signs First-Look Deal with Amazon Studios
Nicole Kidman has inked a first-look deal with Amazon Studios, Deadline confirms. The pact sees the Oscar winner’s Blossom Films developing original series that will be available exclusively on...
Pinar Toprak Will Score “Captain Marvel,” Marking a Major Milestone
Pinar Toprak is about to make history alongside Brie Larson and Anna Boden. “Captain Marvel” marks Marvel’s first female-centric release, with Oscar-winning “Room” star...
Hilde Lysiak-Inspired Mystery Gets Series Order at Apple
A real-life Nancy Drew story is coming to Apple. The streamer has given a 10-episode straight-to-series order to a project inspired by Hilde Lysiak, a pre-teen investigative reporter, The Hollywood...
Turkish Culture Ministry Pulls Funding from Ankara Women’s Film Fest
The Flying Broom International Women’s Film Festival in Ankara, Turkey will no longer receive funding from the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry. The ministry has been supporting the fest for...
Sally Potter to Be Honored with FIPRESCI 93 Platinum Award
Sally Potter will receive the FIPRESCI 93 Platinum award at the Transatlantyk Festival, ScreenDaily confirms. The Polish fest will also screen five of the British writer-director’s films in its...
Quotes of the Day: Frances McDormand and Brie Larson on the Importance of Inclusion
“I’m here to take responsibility for my actions and restate a call to action,” said Frances McDormand as she took the stage at Women in Film’s Crystal + Lucy Awards. “I have this...
“Americanah” Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Wins 2018 PEN Pinter Prize
Renowned author, feminist, and speaker Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is this year’s recipient of the PEN Pinter Prize. As The Guardian reports, the honor, named after the late author Harold Pinter,...
“The Girlfriend Experience” Co-Creator Amy Seimetz Signs Overall Deal with FX
Hot off directing two episodes of “Atlanta’s” sophomore season, Amy Seimetz has signed an overall deal with the company behind the acclaimed Donald Glover-starrer. According to...
Deborah S. Esquenazi Launches Production Company, Adapting LGBTQ Doc “Southwest of Salem” for TV
“Southwest of Salem: The Story of the San Antonio Four” director Deborah S. Esquenazi “is set to demystify stories and myths about women of color and LGBTQ individuals with her...