ALL POSTS
Trailer Watch: In a Better World Directed by Susanne Bier
This woman is a master. Her version of Brothers was way superior to the American remake and After the Wedding is stunning. She got screwed when she came here and made Things We Lost in the Fire. The...
Kristen Schaal Defines The Gray Areas of Rape on The Daily Show
As if there are any gray areas. She talks about rape rape, rapeesque (being raped by a famous penis), rapeish rape with benefits (date rape) and a rape mare. Home3
The Numbers Speak For Themselves
This is day two of crappy stats about women in the creative business — this time, the literary world. An organization named VIDA — Women in Literary Arts — has released a very...
Hollywood’s Top Earners
It’s time for Vanity Fair’s annual Hollywood issue and the cover always stirs controversy. This year they seem to have airbrushed in Robert Duvall, forgot to dress Olivia MunnWilde (I am...
Natalie Portman Focuses on Producing
Now that Portman is going to take some time off from being in front of the screen for her pregnancy, she is not going to just disappear. She’s ramped up her producing business handsomecharlie with...
Bridesmaids Trailer
I liked the poster and I am very mixed on the trailer. It really looks like it is a “Hangover” with women. Do women need to prove that we can fart and burp just as well as men? But I am still not...
The Celluloid Ceiling Just Keeps Getting Higher and Higher
Groundhog Day might be tomorrow, but it sure feels like today with the release of the new Celluloid Ceiling Study from Dr. Martha Lauzen Executive Director, Center for the Study of Women in...
Cross-Post: On TV, The Lesbians Are All Right… As Long As They’re Pregnant by Trish Bendix
Originally posted on Alternet This week, NBC announced it was working with ex-“Will & Grace” executive producer Jhoni Marchinko on a new half-hour sitcom called “I Hate That I Love You.“...
ABC Family Goes All Girl
Three new shows were given the green light yesterday and they all focus on young women. The good news is that the Jennifer Weiner (yes, the best-selling author) created show The Great State of...
Bridesmaids Poster
While I pretty much never want to see another wedding movie ever, I might just be interested in this one. I think the poster is very different. Those women look ready to rumble. The film is written...
The Bigelow Effect — Why We Care
Why do we care about women’s presence in the awards race? Specifically, why do we care so much about a woman getting nominated for best director? That is a great question raised in an very...
Sundance Deals and Award Winners
Sundance 2011 is over. The week started off with the NY Times article declaring that Sundance is a welcoming place for women directors, and it ended with a couple of women getting deals and awards....
The DGA Awards — Not a Single Female Winner
Last year we celebrated the fact that Kathryn Bigelow broke the cycle for women directors in the feature category at the DGA Awards, and this year we knew that a woman wouldn’t win, because none...
30 Rock Gives it to Mel Gibson
Totally awesome https://medium.com/media/1919bf14aa02c43fc768f7b45a0706e4/href
The Women’s Media Center Video From Sundance
Sundance might be a more welcoming place for women, but this video reminds us how much work there still is to be done. Women’s Media Center
When We Leave
German actress Feo Aladag makes her debut as writer and director with When We Leave, a moving film about how “honor” and “tradition” can lead to devastating consequences. The film tells the...
Focus Features Buys Pariah in Two Picture Deal With Dee Rees
Big news. A woman gets a seven figure deal. Focus Features the the studio that released The Kids Are All Right to great box office and critical success including its multiple Oscar nominations this...
Interview with Feo Aladag — writer and director of When We Leave
When We Leave, Germany’s entry for the Academy Awards, is written and directed by Feo Aladag. It is a powerful film that tells the story of a young Turkish German woman who leaves her unhappy and...
Top Grossing Comedy Actresses
The Hollywood Reporter has a list of the top grossing comedy films led by actresses and surprise your highest grossing female comedy actress in Meryl Streep. Her comedic films have earned $1.3...
The Game on BET Changes the Game for BET
The Game, created by Mara Brock Akil as a spin off from Girlfriends, languished with low ratings in its three years on the CW. It never was able to connect with a decent size audience and the CW...
Keira Knightley and Elisabeth Moss Take on Hellman’s The Children’s Hour
I have to say this is one of my favorite plays and Hellman is one of my favorite female writers. I remember when I got to Graduate school and had to read a ton of plays (yes, I have a degree in...
Nomination Reaction
I was able to get in touch with Alix Madigan Yorkin, producer of Winter’s Bone to get her reaction on her four nominations, including a best picture nod. We are beyond excited about being...
Miranda Hart Wins Three British Comedy Awards
British comedian Miranda Hart scored three big awards at British comedy awards this past weekend. She won the best comedy actress, best new show for Miranda which she writes and stars in, as well as...
A Look at the Oscar Nominations
I held my breath this morning as the best picture nominations were read. It wasn’t until I heard the 10th, the one that named Winter’s Bone as a nominee that I was finally able to exhale. If I...
Wonder Woman is Revived and Other Women Getting Pilot Gigs
Bob Greenblatt, the new chief at NBC, is aggressively stepping up his pilot pickups for next season and he’s hired several women writer/creators. He has also revived that recently deceased David E....
National Book Critics Circle Finalists — 2010
Here are the female finalistsFictionJennifer Egan, A Visit From The Goon Squad, Knopf BiographySarah Bakewell. How To Live, Or A Life Of Montaigne. Other PressSelina Hastings. The Secret Lives Of...
Sundance Women — Part 3
Deals• Buck directed by Cindy Meehl goes to Sundance Selects• Circumstance written and directed by Maryam Keshavarz was bought by Participant Media. The Future- directed by Miranda July• The...
Sundance is Here and The World Discovers Women Can Direct
It feels like “Groundhog Day.” The most visible film festival in the US and one that showcases independent films and SURPRISE there are women making great films around town. It’s not news that...
Question: Who Has Two Movies in the Top 10 This Weekend?
Answer. Natalie Portman. Portman has had some successful movies but she has never been considered a box office threat, but now she clearly is with The Black Swan crossing the $80 million mark (it...
Sexism Watch: Worst Headline Ever
You will never believe where the headline comes from — Time Magazine Here’s the description: At a look-at-me event like the Golden Globes, nothing should trump the “Does this really...
Sundance Women Part 2
Some goings on and reviews for women directors and women’s films Miss Representation:Sundance documentary: Are you Miss Represented? (Salt Lake Tribune) Sundance Review: ‘Miss Representation’...
Interview with Lynn Hershman Leeson Director of !War: Women Art Revolution
Lynn’s film Women Art Revolution played at Sundance last night. I was able to interview her when the film premiered last fall at the Toronto Film Festival. Women and Hollywood: This is the most...
Guest Post: Advocating Through Film by Maria Cuomo Cole
As an advocate, I have always believed that the most effective change rises from constituents and communities. In the same way, it is the personal stories of challenge and triumph that serves as the...
Applause
Paprika Steen is a big star in Denmark. Now folks in the US will get a chance to see her as her film Applause opens here in the US. The film tells the story of an actress struggling to conquer her...
Seriously, Clint Eastwood to Direct A Star is Born Remake?
I know that he is a musician and composer, but pleeeze, how can it be a good idea for Clint Eastwood to direct Beyonce in the remake of A Star is Born. This would be the fourth incarnation of the...
Women in Film Hits Sundance
Women in Film hosts its fifth “Meet the Filmmakers Panel” on Sunday, January 23 at noon. Bad news for those of you without tickets, it is sold out. Panelists Include: • Joslyn...
No Surprise — Most Film Super Bowl Ads Are Targeted at Men
The Super Bowl is gearing up to be one big commercial for the big Hollywood boy flicks that will premiere throughout the year. It’s not like women don’t watch the Super Bowl. They do. And...
Sundance Women’s News — Pariah Premieres
First up on opening night was the coming of age story Pariah written and directed by Dee Rees. Here’s the description: “A Brooklyn teenager juggles conflicting identities and risks friendship,...
Feminists Characters Fall Out of Contention for Awards Consideration
In early October I wrote a post talking about all the great feminist characters that were going to be seen on screen throughout the fall. I was really hopefully that several of them would make it...
Playing at a Theatre Near You: Natalie Portman
While Natalie Portman has not won an Oscar (yet), she is clearly one of the biggest beneficiaries from this awards season. On Friday, Portman will be the biggest star on the most screens this...
Trailer Watch: Archipelago directed by Joanna Hogg
The Oscar Foreign Film Shortlist — Two Female Directors Nominated
Yesterday, the shortlist for the foreign film Oscar was released. There are two female directed films out of nine nominees. That’s 22%. The two female directors are both European, Susanne Bier for...
Noomi Rapace Bags Big Action Role
How cool and exciting. Noomi Rapace has signed on to play Elizabeth Shaw in the Ridley Scott directed Prometheus which even though is not yet written already has a release date of March 9, 2012....
The Berlin Film Festival Reveals Full Competition Lineup
The Berlinale has announced the full competition lineup for its 61st edition kicking off on February 10th. Out of the 20 films in competition, four are directed by women. That’s 20%. Here are the...
BAFTA Nominations
The BAFTA nominations were revealed today and there are some surprises. Here’s what I noticed: Complete snub of Winter’s Bone — no Jennifer Lawrence nomination No women directors...
BAFTA Nominations
The BAFTA nominations were revealed today and there are some surprises. Here’s what I noticed: Complete snub of Winter’s Bone — no Jennifer Lawrence nomination No women directors...
No Wonder Woman Reboot Coming
I was excited over the potential to see a rebooted version of Wonder Women. If Battlestar Galactica, a cheesy show, can be remade into a major league great show, how can we not do some justice to...
Introducing Women and Hollywood 2.0
Welcome to (the new) Women and Hollywood, your site for all things related to women and the entertainment industry. This is a feminist blog that puts women and women’s issues front...
About
Founder/Editor — Melissa Silverstein MelissaSilverstein is the founder and editor of Women and Hollywood. She is the Artistic Director and co-founder of the Athena Film Festival — A...
A Visionary Theatrical Entrepreneur — Molly Smith at Arena Stage
At a time when many theatres are retrenching because of financial difficulties, Arena Stage is bucking that trend and is actually expanding under the guidance of Artistic Director, Molly Smith....
Hollywood Feminist of the Day: Mark Ruffalo
For standing up for female directors and saying this backstage at the Golden Globes: I would just like to say to the academy members: why don’t you grow a pair and vote for Lisa Cholodenko...