ALL POSTS
Guest Post: What I Learned From Making a Doc About a Refugee
Guest Post by Kate McCaslin Much of what I know about filmmaking I learned this year from a Sudanese refugee named Rebecca Mabior. I admit it’s peculiar given that I’ve worked in the film...
SXSW 2018 Women Directors: Meet Kay Cannon— “Blockers”
Kay Cannon is an Emmy-nominated comedy writer, producer, and director. Her work has been awarded a Peabody and multiple Writers Guild Awards. Her first feature screenplay was the hit “Pitch...
SXSW 2018 Women Directors: Meet Becca Gleason — “Summer ‘03”
Becca Gleason is the writer and director of three short films which made the rounds on the festival circuit; her directorial debut, “Molly,” won the LACMA Young Directors award, and her second...
SXSW 2018 Women Directors: Meet Yuqi Kang — “A Little Wisdom”
Born in Inner Mongolia, China, Yuqi Kang was awarded the Paula Rhodes Memorial Award for Exceptional Achievement in Social Documentary Film upon graduating the School of Visual Arts in New York. Her...
SXSW 2018 Women Directors: Meet Hannah Marks — “Shotgun”
Hannah Marks is an actress, writer, and director known for her roles in the BBC America/ Netflix series “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency” and films such as “Anesthesia,”...
Rachel Brosnahan on Playing an Undercover Feminist in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Brosnahan in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”: Sarah Shatz At a recent event at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, Rachel Brosnahan was asked about the #MeToo movement and its potential impact on...
Women Who Persist: March’s VOD and Web Series Picks
This month we find ourselves especially inspired by the determination of women — perhaps because it’s Women’s History Month, and we’re feeling particularly conscious of the struggles...
Rachel Morrison & Diane Warren Sign on to Amy Ziering & Kirby Dick’s Upcoming #MeToo Hollywood Doc
Two of last night’s Oscar nominees have boarded Amy Ziering and Kirby Dick’s upcoming doc about the lack of parity and diversity within Hollywood. “Mudbound” cinematographer Rachel Morrison...
Eve Ensler on Her New One-Woman Show “In the Body of the World”
Ensler in “In the Body of the World”: Joan Marcus/bodyoftheworldplay.com Eve Ensler is a Tony Award-winning playwright, performer, author, and social activist. Twenty years ago her name became...
“Oh Lucy!” Writer-Director Atsuko Hirayanagi on Exploring Identity Through Comedy
Atsuko Hirayanagi was born in Nagano and raised in Chiba, Japan. She graduated from NYU Tisch School of The Arts, Asia, with an MFA in Film Production. Her shorts include “Mo ikkai,” “Wake,”...
Sundance Winners “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Shirkers” Find Homes
Two big winners out of Sundance 2018 have secured distribution: Reed Morano’s post-apocalyptic drama “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Shirkers,” Sandi Tan’s documentary about the bizarre...
Diane Paulus on Directing the Raw, Personal One-Woman Show “In the Body of the World”
Diane Paulus is a name most theatergoers are familiar with. She has directed productions of “Waitress,” “Finding Neverland,” “Pippin,” and “Porgy and Bess,” and serves as the Terrie...
Trailer Watch: “I Am Evidence” Shines a Light on the 400,000 Untested Rape Kits in the U.S.
“The rape kit back log is the most shocking demonstration of how we regard these crimes,” says Mariska Hargitay in a new trailer for “I Am Evidence.” Produced by the “Law & Order:...
Quote of the Day: Lynne Ramsay on Her Reputation for “Being Difficult”
“I’ve got a reputation for being difficult,” says Lynne Ramsay in a new interview with The Guardian, “and yet with my crew and my cast, I’m super-collaborative and we get on really well,...
Pilots: Amirah Vann Joins NYPD Drama About Sisters, Natalie Morales to Topline Bar Comedy “Abby’s”
“Underground’s” Amirah Vann and “Santa Clarita Diet’s” Natalie Morales each have a pilot in development. Vann has been cast as the lead in an untitled NYPD drama at ABC exec produced by...
Weekly Update for February 23: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“Annihilation” Films About Women Opening This Week Annihilation After her husband disappears, a biologist (Natalie Portman) signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition in an environmental...
Adventures in Authenticity: Crowdfunding Picks
“Lorene’s Gotta Boogie” Follow the beaten path or the one less traveled? Life presents us many opportunities to explore this question, but every person’s journey towards a more authentic...
Quote of the Day: Natalie Portman on What the Woody Allen Conversations Are Missing
Natalie Portman has never been one to remain silent about gender inequality in Hollywood. She’s spoken out about receiving one-third of co-star Ashton Kutcher’s pay for “No Strings...
Distribution Deals: Christina Choe’s “Nancy” and Lorna Tucker’s Vivienne Westwood Doc
Two women-directed films that bowed at Sundance 2018 recently scored distribution deals: Christina Choe’s Andrea Riseborough-starrer “Nancy” and Lorna Tucker’s Vivienne Westwood documentary...
National Sawdust Names Winners of First Female & Non-Binary Composer Contest
National Sawdust, the Brooklyn performance venue, has announced the winners of its inaugural Hildegard Competition for Female and Non-Binary Composers: Kayla Cashetta, X. Lee, and Emma O’Halloran....
Berlinale 2018 Women Directors: Meet Emily Atef — “3 Days in Quiberon”
Emily Atef is an award-winning writer-director. Her credits include “Molly’s Way,” “The Stranger in Me,” and “Kill Me.” She’s one of the six German directors participating in this...
Berlinale 2018 Women Directors: Meet Tinatin Kajrishvili — “Horizon”
Tinatin Kajrishvil made several short films before her feature debut, “Brides.” The drama premiered at the Berlinale in 2014, where it won the Audience Award, and went on to screen at many...
Olivia Wilde Is Making Her Feature Directorial Debut with “Booksmart”
Olivia Wilde is stepping behind the camera for her feature directorial debut. After helming a couple of music videos and a short, the “House” alumna is teaming up with Annapurna Pictures and...
Sally Potter on Tackling Politics On-Screen in “The Party” and the Future of Feminism
Sally Potter is the writer-director behind films such as “Ginger & Rosa,” a coming of age tale set against the Cuban Missile Crisis, the romantic, iambic pentameter-performed “Yes,” and...
Berlinale 2018 Women Directors: Meet Janet van den Brand — “Ceres”
Janet van den Brand is a Dutch director currently living in Brussels. Her films have been selected for numerous film festivals including the Generation Kplus competition at the Berlinale in 2013 and...
Valeska Grisebach on Exploring Heroes and Male Mythology in “Western”
Interview by Kelsey Moore Valeska Grisebach’s directorial debut, “Be My Star,” won the Critics’ Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Torino Film Festival’s main prize....
Trailer Watch: Award-Winning Autism Rom-Com “Keep the Change” Tells a Universal Story
“Because [‘Keep the Change’] deals with the subject of disabilities and specifically autism, people who haven’t yet seen it might dismiss it as a niche film — but it’s not a niche...
WGA Winners: Tina Fey, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Flint,” and More
Offred’s story is still striking a chord. The 70th annual Writers Guild of America Awards took place over the weekend, and Emmy, Golden Globe, and DGA winner “The Handmaid’s Tale” took home...
NBC’s Jennifer Salke Takes Over as Head of Amazon Studios
Jennifer Salke is saying goodbye to NBC and hello to Amazon Studios. After six years as entertainment president at NBC, the exec has been hired as the head of Amazon Studios, Variety confirms. Her...
Weekly Update for February 9: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“The Female Brain” Films About Women Opening This Week The Female Brain — Directed by Whitney Cummings; Co-Written by Whitney Cummings and Louann Brizendine (Also Available on VOD) What...
Mary Harron’s Manson Family Pic Moves Forward, Set to Launch in Berlin
“American Psycho” director Mary Harron is one step closer to tackling one of the most infamous crimes in history. Matt Smith (“The Crown”) and Suki Waterhouse (“The White Princess”) have...
Raising Films Launches Crowdfunding Campaign to Continue Work for Parents & Carers in the Biz
Motherhood shouldn’t prevent women from making films, but it can. Caring for one’s elderly parents or sick family members shouldn’t upend a person’s career in show business, but it can....
Weekly Update for February 2: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“A Fantastic Woman” Films About Women Opening This Week A Fantastic Woman Marina (Daniela Vega) and Orlando (Francisco Reyes) are in love and planning for the future. Marina is a young waitress...
February 2018 Film Preview
“Annihilation” February is when many of us need a mid-winter pick-me-up. Luckily, there are plenty of theatrical releases this month that make for the perfect antidote to cabin fever. Kicking...
Trailer Watch: A Girl Decides to Live as a Warrior in “I Kill Giants”
“There are times when you have to ask yourself: Do I want to live my life as a coward or a warrior?” says a teen girl who’s embraced life as the latter in a new trailer for “I Kill...
Reboots on the Way: “Charmed,” “Cagney and Lacey,” and “Greatest American Hero”
“First Wives Club,” “Nancy Drew,” “Roswell” — it’s hard to keep up with all of the TV reboots in the works. In the past few days alone we’ve seen reports about three series...
Sundance 2018 Women Directors: Meet Jennifer Fox — “The Tale”
Jennifer Fox is an internationally acclaimed and award-winning producer, director, writer, and camerawoman. Her film credits include “Beirut: The Last Home Movie,” “An American Love Story,”...
Weekly Update for January 26: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“Please Stand By” Films About Women Opening This Week Please Stand By (Also Available on VOD) A young autistic woman (Dakota Fanning) runs away from her caregiver in order to boldly go and...
Sundance: Sexual Abuse Drama “The Tale” Snagged by HBO
One of the best-reviewed and most talked about films out of Sundance 2018 has found a home. HBO Films secured the rights to Laura Dern-starrer “The Tale.” Variety broke the news. Written and...
Sundance 2018 Women Directors: Meet Crystal Moselle — “Skate Kitchen”
Crystal Moselle is best known for her Sundance Grand Jury Prize award-winning documentary “The Wolfpack.” She served as producer on “Excavating Taylor Mead,” and in the last decade she has...
Sundance 2018 Women Directors: Meet Susan Lacy — “Jane Fonda in Five Acts”
Susan Lacy has received multiple Emmy and PGA Awards. She created PBS’ “American Masters.” Her directing credits include “Spielberg,” “Judy Garland: By Myself,” and “Joni Mitchell: A...
Apply Now: Disney and Nissan Launch Search for Next Visionary Director
Ava DuVernay just accepted the PGA’s Visionary Award, and now she’s playing a role in a nationwide search to find the next visionary filmmaker. Timed to coincide with the release of DuVernay’s...
Guest Post: Why I Stepped in Front of the Camera for My Short About Grief and Aging
Guest Post by Susan Bay Nimoy In 1979 I was one of six women in the Directors Guild of America that confronted the male-run Hollywood machine by demanding more directing opportunities for women....
Sundance 2018 Women Directors: Meet Stephanie Soechtig — “The Devil We Know”
Stephanie Soechtig is an award-winning writer, producer, and documentary film director. Her films “Fed up” and “Under the Gun” were previously nominated for Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize....
Sundance 2018 Women Directors: Meet Amy Adrion — “Half the Picture”
Amy Adrion is a graduate of the MFA film directing program at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her prior credits include “Shoegazer,” “The Home of Split Pea Soup,” and “Sucks...
SAG and PGA 2018: Wins for Nicole Kidman and Women-Led Projects
Women’s voices were heard loud and clear this past weekend, and not just at the second annual Women’s March. The 2018 PGA and SAG Awards ceremonies also took place, on Saturday and Sunday...
Sundance 2018 Women Directors: Meet Anouk Whissell — “Summer of ’84”
Anouk Whissell is a Montreal-based filmmaker and animator. Made with her filmmaker collaborators François Simard and Yoann-Karl Whissel, Anouk Whissell’s debut feature, “Turbo Kid,” premiered...
Sundance 2018 Women Directors: Meet Amy Scott — “Hal”
Amy Scott is a director and editor. A former media producer for the University of Chicago, she has been editing social-issue documentaries for over 15 years. “Hal” is her feature directorial...
Sundance 2018 Women Directors: Meet Ísold Uggadóttir — “And Breathe Normally”
Ísold Uggadóttir is an award-winning director from Iceland whose short films have screened at over 100 festivals including Telluride, Sundance, and New Directors / New Films at MoMA, and the Film...
Sundance 2018 Women Directors: Meet Elizabeth Chomko — “What They Had”
Elizabeth Chomko is an American film director, screenwriter, playwright and actress. She is an alum of the Sundance Institute’s Screenwriters and Composers Labs, and in 2015 won an Academy Nicholl...
Sundance 2018 Women Directors: Meet Sandi Tan — “Shirkers”
Sandi Tan is a Singaporean-born, California-based novelist and filmmaker. Her short films have played at over 100 film festivals including the New York Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand International...