ALL POSTS
AFI Women Directors: Meet Karlyn Michelson
Karlyn Michelson is an Emmy Award-winning multimedia producer and video journalist. (AFI) Charlie Victor Romeo is playing AFI as part of the American Independents program. Women and Hollywood:...
TV Roundup: Patricia Cornwell, Zooey Deschanel, and Nahnatchka Khan Sell Shows to Networks
Bestselling author Patricia Cornwell, New Girl star Zooey Deschanel, and Don’t Trust the B — — in Apt 23 creatorNahnatchka Khan are among several women who recently announced...
The Strong Women in Thor The Dark World
We’restill a long way off from a female-led superhero film. There’s just no wayaround it — even if the studios started working on it now, it would be pushingit to get it out by 2015. So...
AFI Women Directors: Meet Kasia Roslaniec
Kasia Roslaniec was born in Poland in 1980. She graduated from Warsaw Film School and also studied at the Wajda School. Her graduation film, Mall Girls, won Best Debut Director at the Polish Film...
AFI Women Directors: Meet Katrin Gebbe
Katrin Gebbe attended the Utrecht Graduate School of Visual Arts and Design in the Netherlands and received her master’s degree in directing at the Hamburg Media School. Her short, Sores &...
Miranda Otto Talks About Playing Elizabeth Bishop in Reaching for the Moon
Reaching for the Moon tells the story of the explosive love affair between Pulitzer Prize winning poet Elizabeth Bishop (Mirnada Otto) and Brazilian architect Lota de Macedo Soares (Gloria Pires) in...
Marvel Introduces Kamala Khan, a Muslim-American Superheroine
You’d never know it from Marvel’s (white)sausage-fest movies, but the comic-book company has reinvented itself in recentyears as Team Diversity. Vulture noted last month that, “in a cheeky bit...
Director Joan Carr-Wiggin Shooting Female Friendship Film
Femalefriendship is the subject of writer-director Joan Carr-Wiggin’s fourth film, If You See Her. Carr-Wiggin’s follow upto this year’s romantic comedy If I WereYou will star JanetMontgomery...
Producers of Jane Got a Gun Sue Lynne Ramsay
The saga of Jane Got a Gun and Lynne Ramsay continues and it’s not pretty. If you recall, Lynne Ramsay left the production right before the start of production. Reports were that Ramsay never got...
Navigating Hollywood’s Cutthroat Corners with Ms. in the Biz
Helenna Santos-Levy launched her online magazine, Ms. in the Biz, just six months ago, with thesimple goal of connecting women working in Hollywood with one another. Today ithas 61,000 readers in...
Swedish Cinemas Push Hard for Gender Equity
What is it about Sweden? What’s in the water? On the heels of my recent piece about what the Swedish government is doing to combat the gender disparity in the directing ranks, now comes news that...
November Film Preview
After an Oscar buzzy October with Sandra Bullock’s turn in Gravity and the tremendous performances of the controversial Blue is the Warmest Color, we move into a more mainstream November. November...
“Fear Teaches Us A Lot About Ourselves” — An Interview with Ginger Snaps Writer Karen Walton
As we’ve explored in this month’s horror series, there’s a lot — both good and bad — to discuss when it comes to the intersection of horror, women and feminism. One movie that...
Season of the Witch: Conjuring Strength Through Power
It’s the season of the witch, both in the sense that it’s Halloween, and that supernatural sisters are in the midst of a huge comeback. Meryl Streep’s playing the Witch in a movie adaptation...
The Horror of Little Girls and Social Anxiety About Women
Horror films frequently provide commentary on the social fears and anxieties of their time. A universally recognized truth of horror is that children can be terrifying — especially little...
Valentine Road: An Examination of Accountability, Awareness and Compassion
The documentary Valentine Road — depicting the aftermath surrounding the shooting of young Oxnard, California high school student Larry King — had been winning accolades and gaining...
Questions of Queer Identity, Coming of Age and Loss of Self in Blue is the Warmest Color
There’s no doubt when Abdellatif Kechiche’s Blue is the Warmest Color hits theaters today it will cause controversy. The movie has already experienced the both praise and backlash from critics,...
We are the Weirdos, Mister: Revisiting The Craft
I was eight years old when The Craft came out in 1996. I remember seeing the VHS on the shelves of the video store for years and then finally picking it out when I was in sixth grade. There’s...
There’s a New “Final Girl” in the House — and She’s a Beast: A Review of You’re Next
Crispian : Where’s Felix? Erin : I put a blender on his head and killed him. You’re Next is sick, and I mean sick like “disgusting” and sick like “badass” because somewhere in my...
Cross Post: Heroines of Cinema: ‘Blue is the Warmest Color’ and the Real Problem With Male Filmmakers and Female Sexuality
I am a man, and this is an article concerning female sexuality, at least in part. I feel that should be noted immediately, lest anyone take it as an unnoticed irony rather than a relevant starting...
The Haunting of Hill House and a Sense of Belonging
“No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream. Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against...
Carol Burnett Receives Mark Twain Prize
On Sunday, the iconic Carol Burnett received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, one of the highest honors for a comedian. Burnett was paid tribute by other iconic stars like Julie Andrews and...
LFF Interview with Destiny Ekaragha — Director of Gone Too Far!
Destiny Ekaragha’s debut feature film, Gone Too Far!, follows two incredibly well received short films, Tight Jeans and The Park, onto the screens of her local film festival, the BFI’s LFF. But...
“It Reaches the Level of Myth” — An Interview with Kimberly Peirce — Director of Carrie
Kimberly Peirce is taking a stab at reimagining one of the most iconic horror classics, Carrie, which arguably stars one of the best horror heroines in the genre. Hitting theaters on Friday,...
Interview with Diablo Cody — Director of Paradise
Diablo Cody’s directorial debut, Paradise, is out on October 18th, 2013 in Los Angeles and New York theaters. The story about a young Mormon girl named Lamb who survives a horrific plane crash and...
How Can We Still be Talking About Whether Women Are Funny?
Yesterday morning brought the great news that Amy Poehler and Tina Fey will be hosting the Golden Globes in 2014 and 2015. They were so terrific as hosts last year that the Globe people were smart...
Woman Seeks Revenge: What’s the Purpose of the Rape/Revenge Horror Film?
If you want to start a spirited debate amongst horror fans, a sure fire topic to bring up is the infamous rape/revenge sub-genre probably best knownbecause of movies like Meir Zarchi’s 1978 film I...
Woman Seeks Revenge: What’s the Purpose of the Rape/Revenge Horror Film?
If you want to start a spirited debate amongst horror fans, a sure fire topic to bring up is the infamous rape/revenge sub-genre probably best known because of movies like Meir Zarchi’s...
Overcoming Trauma of the Home: Women Gaining Strength in Light of Abuse
Much has been made by media critics of the propensity of horror movies to fetishize the murder of women — to make them victims, suffering at the hands of brutal forces for their sexual sins....
LFF Women Directors: Meet Chika Anadu
Chika Anadu’s debut feature film, B For Boy, is in competition in the London Film Festival’s first feature section. Having delivered two ambitious and acclaimed short films on a similar subject,...
The Bad Girls of American Horror Story: TV’s Most “Unlikeable” Women
At the American Horror Story: Coven premiere last weekend, Women and Hollywood asked creator Ryan Murphy how he goes about creating such complex and interesting female characters for the show. I...
HIFF Women Directors: Meet Donna Zaccaro
Donna Zaccaro is Founder and President of Dazzling Media, a New York-based media production company and is also Geraldine Ferraro’s daughter. Donna served as the director and producer for...
Guest Interview: Meg Wolitzer — Author of The Interestings
Novelist Meg Wolitzer talks with Holly Rosen Fink about the success of her latest novel, The Interestings (Riverhead Books, 2013), inspiration, sexism in the literary world, working with Nora...
HIFF Women Directors: Meet Barbara Kopple
Barbara Kopple is a two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker. A director of documentaries, as well as narrative TV and film, her most recent project is the documentary Running From Crazy, which...
Nicole Kidman Goes All Feminist at Variety Awards
Nicole Kidman was honored at this year’s Variety Power of Women awards for her work with UN Women to advance the rights of women and girls across the world. Variety’s 5th annual Power of Women...
TIFF Interview: Jasmila Zbanic and Kym Vercoe — Director and Co-Writers of For Those Who Can Tell No Tales
For Those Who Can Tell No Tales written by Jasmila Zbanic and Kym Vercoe and directed by Zbanic is one of those rare films that just stays with you. The film tells the story of Kym...
How Will We Remember ‘Breaking Bad’s Skyler White?
In the lead-up to the final half-season of Breaking Bad, AMC’s much-admired show about an Albuquerque chemistry teacher who began cooking and selling methamphetamine when he received a cancer...
Sundance Interview Rerun: Concussion — Directed by Stacie Passon, Produced by Rose Troche, Starring Robin Weigert
Originally published on February 1st. Concussion opens in theaters and on VOD on October 4th. Concussion was one of my favorite movies at Sundance this year. It was truly a revelation. Robin...
Natalie Portman Gives Some Real Talk About Feminist Portrayals in Hollywood
Natalie Portman, in an interview for Elle UK, gave some surprisingly blunt real talk about what Hollywood considers feminist portrayals of female characters. Portman has been outspoken about wanting...
TIFF Interview with Megan Griffiths and Emily Wachtel — Director and Writer of Lucky Them
Lucky Them tells the story of a stuck in place music writer played by the extraordinary Toni Collette. The film is directed by the wonderfully talented Megan Griffiths who directed the terrific film...
Cross Post: The State of the Race: Will There be a Hillary Effect on the Oscar Race?
Imagine as we enter Oscar race 2013 three strong films written and directed by women, with leading women at the forefront, one of which is crowned the early frontrunner to win. Imagine an Oscar race...
Talking Catherine Breillat, Claire Denis, Agnieszka Holland, and agnès b on the Eve of the NYFF
On the eve of the NYFF, Director of Programming and Selection Committee Chair Kent Jones and I spoke about three extraordinary filmmakers — Catherine Breillat, Claire Denis, Agnieszka Holland...
Why Characters Like Masters Of Sex’s Virginia Johnson Matter
On September 29 at 10PM, when Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan) walks briskly through the halls of a St. Louis hospital as she goes about her duties as the assistant to Dr. William Masters (Michael...
Callie Khouri Talks Season Two of Nashville
Season Two of Nashville starts tonight at 10pm on ABC, and if you care about shows with strong women creators and shows created and run by women, you need to support this show. The women are...
Wadjda Rises Hackles in Saudia Arabia Just By Being Considered for an Oscar Nomination
Wadjda written and directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour is making its way around the world in limited release. The reviews have been spectacular, it has won festival prizes, and is also making an emotional...
Weekly Update for September 20: Women Centric, Directed and Written Films Playing Near You
Films About Women Opening This Weekend Enough Said – Written and Directed by Nicole Holofcener You don’t go to a Nicole Holofcener movie to see superheroes save the...
Interview with Nicole Holofcener – Writer and Director of Enough Said
Women and Hollywood: How long does it take you to write a script like this? Nicole Holofcener: 6 months, maybe. WaH: One of the best definitions of your characters, for me, is...
Sundance Rerun: Interview with Lana Wilson and Martha Shane – Directors of After Tiller
Originally published on January 29. After Tiller is in theaters today. One of the highlights of Sundance was seeing the documentary After Tiller directed by Martha Shana and Lana Wilson....
Carine Roitfeld in Conversation on Mademoiselle C
After a decade as editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris ended with her resignation in December 2010, Fabien Constant’s Mademoiselle C elegantly shows Carine Roitfeld embarking on a new project,...
Guest Post: My Adventures of Filming in China
This film was the hardest thing I have done in my career but ultimately the most rewarding. I was asked to develop My Lucky Star as an adventure-comedy for the biggest female star in China,...
Weekly Update for September 13: Women Centric, Directed and Written Films Playing Near You
Films About Women Opening This Weekend Wadjda – Haifaa Al-Mansour What Wadjda (Waad Mohammed) wants to do is simple – ride a bike. That shouldn’t be so...