ALL POSTS
TV Critics Organizations Roll Out Their Nominees
The Critics Choice Television Awards and the Televisions Critics Association have both released their list of nominees. It is clear that the critics in both organizations love Downtown Abbey,...
Trailer Watch: Shadow Dancer
Starring Andrea Riseborough a single mom running with the IRA. It premiered at Sundance and will open in the UK on August 25 and will open in the US in 2013. Description from imdb: “Set in 1990s...
Guest Post: One Woman’s View of Composing In/Out of Hollywood
Writing a blog for a website called Women & Hollywood presents an interesting opportunity for this film composer who dwells primarily in the world of independent documentaries. While not really...
Guest Post: One Woman’s View of Composing In/Out of Hollywood
Writing a blog for a website called Women & Hollywood presents an interesting opportunity for this film composer who dwells primarily in the world of independent documentaries. While not...
Trailer Watch: Beast of the Southern Wild
This is the film that won the top narrative prize at Sundance. It stars newcomer Quvenzhané Wallis. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a trailer quite like this. I am looking forward to this one. It...
Guest Post: Losing Control on the Way to Distribution
Filmmakers are often told, write what you know. And I know a lot about being so attached to a plan that it can be difficult to move forward when it isn’t working. So, as my protagonist was trying...
Having Trouble Finishing Your Film? Maybe You Could Get a Grant
The Women in Film Foundation announces the 27th cycle of their finishing fund grants which provide up to $15,000 in cash as well as some serious in-kind donations towards finishing your film. The...
Interview with Jennifer Westfeldt — Writer and Director of Friends With Kids
Jennifer Wesfeldt was kind enough to answer some questions (by email) about her new film, Friends with Kids which opened yesterday. Women and Hollywood: You were hesitant to step behind the camera...
Women in Film (LA) Names New Board Members
This board is full of some seriously powerful women. The new members (below) join the board for 2012. The board is led by producer Cathy Schulman. New Members Orly Adelson Adriana Alberghetti ...
Two Women Directed Films Get Deals
Magnolia PIctures has picked up the documentary Queen of Versailles by Lauren Greenfield. Here’s the description: the film “tells the story of David and Jackie Siegel, a couple who began...
Cross-Post: Women Kicking It on Kickstarter!
Kickstarter, called “the people’s NEA” by The New York Times, recently sent out their 2011 round-up of success stories on their crowdsourced fundraising site, with women filmmakers taking...
The Invisible War: New Poster
Haunting- Film Premieres at Sundance. Here’s the trailer. I love the tag line. The battle ground is your barracks. These are women dedicating themselves to serving the US and they are being raped...
Maiwenn Included on Best Director List for France’s Lumiere Awards
When I was in Paris in October you could not escape the posters for Maiwenn’s Polisse which premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. The film was made for about $7 million and it has already...
Cross-Post: 20 Years of Black Lesbian Cinema Before Pariah
Dee Rees’ debut film, Pariah, has rightfully been celebrated for its tender coming-out and coming-of-age story of a shy yet sexually curious 17-year-old African-American girl, Alike (Adepero...
Interview with Dee Rees — Writer and Director of Pariah
Pariah opens in limited release tomorrow. I was able to catch it and the Toronto Film Festival. Here is my conversation with writer/director Dee Rees. Women and Hollywood: Why did you start the...
Circumstance Producer Karin Chien Takes on the Producers Guild
There has been a bit of a controversy last week over the Producer’s Guild nominees. Karin Chien, the producer of Circumstance learned that her film was disqualified from the PGA Awards because the...
Headlines Matter
The Sundance competition lineup is out. Analysis on the gender breakdown to come. But here’s the first thing I saw when I opened the story in the Hollywood Reporter (I seriously think they need a...
Adrienne Shelly Foundation Launches Woman of Vision Award
Yesterday was the 5th anniversary of the death of director/writer/actress Adrienne Shelly and in remembrance of this day, the Foundation named for her which supports women directors and run by her...
Miss Representation Directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom Premieres October 20 on OWN
Readers of this blog know that there are gender biases in media. The documentary film Miss Representation which premiered last year at Sundance (and also played the Athena Film Festival) is the film...
Guest Post: 10 Things I Have Learned Having Our Film CONNECTED In Theaters by Tiffany Shlain
1. CUTTING YOUR OWN TRAILERDon’t try this. Very dangerous. When you are running at full speed to complete your film on your way to your premiere, don’t fool yourself that you have the perspective...
Toronto Film Festival — Day 2
The thing that I’ve gotten from this festival so far is that this is a festival really about buying and selling. The cool thing for me is to look at all the great European films for sale and try...
Interview with Circumstance Writer and Director Maryam Keshavarz
Here’s a piece I wrote for this summer’s Human Right Campaign Magazine Equality on the film. You can tell from the piece how impressive a film it is. It is a change making film because it tells...
Love and Risk in Iran: Circumstance Written and Directed by Maryam Keshavarz
Here is a piece I wrote on Circumstance written and directed by Maryam Keshavarz for the Human Right Campaign’s Equality Magazine, for their Summer 2011 Issue. Making an independent film is always...
Feminist Quote of the Day: Brit Marling
When talking to the Salt Lake City News about the whole “it girl” thing: When women enter the scene, they’re a commodity, and when men enter the scene, they’re actors. She hit it right on...
Interview with Larysa Kondracki — Director of The Whistleblower
Women and Hollywood: How did you come up with the idea for the film? Larysa Kondracki: I am a Ukrainian Canadian, and the issue of sex-trafficking was very much being discussed in my community. My...
Interview with Amy Wendel — Director of All She Can
In All She Can Luz wants to get the hell out of Benavides, Texas. The way she can get out is either through the Army or through a weight lifting scholarship to college. Her brother is in the Army and...
Toronto Film Festival Lineup Roll Out: The Women
Yesterday came the announcement of part (the galas and special presentations) of the Toronto Film Festival lineup. I am very excited because I will be covering the festival for the first time this...
25 New Face of Independent Film: The Women
Not a bad job on representing both genders. Here’s the editors talking about creating the list: Welcome to the 14th edition of Filmmaker’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film.” When we...
Hollywood Feminist of the Day: Brit Marling
Brit Marling is the co-writer and star of Another Earth which opens on Friday. I really liked the film. It has a totally different female lead — an astrophysicist student. How cool. Aside from...
Interview with Liz Garbus, Director of Bobby Fischer Against the World
Liz Garbus is a prolific documentarian. Her latest film, Bobby Fischer Against the World which premiered at Sundance is a fascinating look at chess champion Bobby Fischer and all his demons, will...
!Women Art Revolution directed by Lynn Hershman Leeson Opens in NYC Today
There are not many films that are able to show the development of a true revolution and Women Art Revolution is one of them. It shows how feminism affected women’s art and how art affected...
Cannes Winners: The Women
The Cannes Film Festival concluded last evening and Poliss directed by Maiwenn won the jury prize (which is third place.) The film has been picked up Sundance Selects. None of the other films by...
Trailer Watch: Buck — directed by Cindy Meel
This film premiered at Sundance and has been playing the festival circuit all spring. It opens on June 24
Circumstance — Written and Directed by Maryam Keshavarz Closes New Directors/New Films
This evening Maryam Keshavarz’ Sundance award winning film will close the New Directors/New Film series in NYC. I spoke with Maryam this week and the full interview will be available when the film...
Circumstance – Written and Directed by Maryam Keshavarz Closes New Directors/New Films
This evening Maryam Keshavarz’ Sundance award winning film will close the New Directors/New Film series in NYC. I spoke with Maryam this week and the full interview will be available when the...
Hollywood Feminist of the Day: Vera Farmiga
I want to be invited to Vera Farmiga’s house when she does one of the burnings described in this piece from The Guardian. It seems that Farmiga burns the scripts she gets that she doesn’t like...
Hot Docs: The Women
Hot Docs is one of the best and biggest documentary film festivals. This year’s festival takes place in Toronto from April 28-May 8. The Special Presentation section (their most high profile...
Guest Post: Women of Cinematic Arts Inaugural Film Festival by Katherine Bowman
Women of Cinematic Arts held its inaugural film festival on February 5 at the Ray Stark Family Theatre at the University of Southern California. The festival featured new and upcoming filmmakers with...
New Directors/New Films — The Women
I always looks at the lineup of New Directors/New Films as a kind of Sundance east because some of the best of Sundance inevitably make it to NYC for this festival. Some highlights from Sundance will...
New Directors/New Films – The Women
I always looks at the lineup of New Directors/New Films as a kind of Sundance east because some of the best of Sundance inevitably make it to NYC for this festival. Some highlights from Sundance...
Some News Missed Over the Last Week
Vera Farmiga’s Sundance film Higher Ground got picked up for distribution by Sony Pictures Classics. (Deadline) Charlize Theron joins Noomi Rapace in Prometheus. (MTV) Nicole Kidman and Rachel...
Guest Post: The Athena Film Festival Kicks Off by Kathleen Sweeney
The Athena Film Festival kicked off last night at Barnard College with an awards ceremony honoring the breakthrough achievements of thirteen extraordinary film world mavericks. Citing them as her...
Panel Alert: How Social Media Can Be used to Help Build the Women’s Audience for Films
I’m going to be moderating and participating on this panel sponsored by Pepsico in advance of the Athena Film Festival later this week. Event Title: “How Social Media Can Be used to Help Build...
The Susan Smith Blackburn Finalists
This is the 33rd year of the awards that honor the most outstanding English written play by a woman. Julia Cho won the award in 2010. The 2011 nominees are (descriptions below):Lisa...
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...
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 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...
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...
Sexism Watch: The Black List
Once upon a time in Hollywood the black list was a very bad thing. If your name was on the black list (that supposedly never existed) you couldn’t get a gig in Hollywood. It was a sucky time and...
Defending Mo’Nique
One of the ongoing narratives of this awards season has been about Mo’Nique. About how great her performance is, and also about how supposedly ungrateful she is because she hasn’t been...