#Documentaries
TIFF 2022 Women Directors: Meet Luis De Filippis – “Something You Said Last Night”
Luis De Filippis is a Canadian-Italian filmmaker whose work has played at festivals such as TIFF, Rotterdam, and Sundance, where her most recent work, “For Nonna Anna,” received a Special...
TIFF 2022 Women Directors: Meet Gabriela Cowperthwaite – “The Grab”
Gabriela Cowperthwaite has been directing both documentaries and narrative films for over 20 years. She directed the 2013 documentary “Blackfish,” which amassed over 100 million viewers...
Trailer Watch: French Volcanologists Can’t Get Enough of Their Work in Sara Dosa’s Epic Doc “Fire of Love”
Sara Dosa’s “Fire of Love” ignited a fiery bidding war at Sundance this year, and now audiences can get their first peek at why it had distributors so hot and bothered. National...
Cinematographer to Watch: Kira Kelly of “13th” and “Queen Sugar”
Kira Kelly isn’t new to the cinematography game — not by a long shot. Having worked in the industry for more than 20 years, her film and TV credits include a versatile mix of documentary and...
Seeking Truth Through Self-Acceptance: Crowdfunding Picks
Documentary filmmakers are constantly on a journey – a journey to find the next compelling story and remarkable characters, a journey to find the truth in humanity, and, perhaps the most...
Critics Choice Doc Award Nominees Include “Ascension,” “Becoming Cousteau,” & “The Rescue”
“Ascension” continues to ascend. Already the recipient of honors at Tribeca Film Festival and Hamptons International Film Festival, Jessica Kingdon’s exploration of the contemporary...
Under the Radar: “Women of My Billion” Examines India’s Long-Standing Gender-Based Social Injustices
How does one deal with the anger and frustration propelled by news of violent social injustices rampant in one’s country? If you’re Srishti Bakshi, you walk it off. Walk the entire length of...
Investigating Intimacy: Crowdfunding Picks
This round of crowdfunding explores the stakes of our interconnectivity and the imperatives of creating ethical and accountable intimate relationships. Whether immersing viewers in familial...
DOC NYC 2020 Women Directors: Meet Lauren DeFilippo and Katherine Gorringe – “Red Heaven”
Katherine Gorringe is a documentary director and editor whose work has been featured at numerous festivals including SXSW, CPH:DOX, and Lunafest. Her most recent editing work includes the...
Editor to Watch: Jacqueline Basse of “She’s Gotta Have It” and “Aggie”
Shorts, features, documentaries, and memorable, acclaimed series populate up-and-coming editor Jacqueline Basse’s portfolio. Editing is an artistic exercise of technical prowess that maximizes...
September 2020 Film Preview
By Shayna Maci Warner and Tatiana McInnis September is rich in documentaries and epic narratives with long-awaited releases. This month’s varied documentary releases highlight women’s...
August 2020 Film Preview
By Shayna Maci Warner and Tatiana McInnis This August, women run the gamut in film: offering laughs, working through breakups, and even fending off killer lions. There are a wealth of VOD and...
July 2020 Film Preview
This July offers many new films by and about women to discover on VOD and streaming platforms, and — as some films make their tentative return to cinemas — in movie theaters,...
Hot Docs 2020 Women Directors: Meet Andrea Testa – “Mother-Child”
Andrea Testa is an Argentinian-born filmmaker. She made her feature documentary debut with 2016’s “Pibe Chorro.” Her 2016 feature film “The Long Night of Francisco Sanctis,” co-directed...
Hot Docs 2020 Women Directors: Meet Elizabeth St. Philip – “9/11 Kids”
Elizabeth St. Philip is a senior producer at CTV where she has traveled the globe covering a host of stories for both national news and the investigative show “W5.” She has a deep...
Tribeca 2020 Women Directors: Meet Kristine Stolakis – “Pray Away”
Kristine Stolakis is a director whose films explore power, politics, and prejudice — and the way they unfold in real people’s lives. Stolakis’ directorial debut, “The Typist,”...
Editor to Watch: Carla Gutierrez of “RBG” and “Chavela”
Film editing is a behemoth of a task, especially when it comes to documentaries. Sifting through decades of archival footage, juxtaposing them with recent interviews in a way that makes an impact,...
March 2020 Film Preview
From live-action remakes to festival darlings and intimate documentaries, there are plenty of films by and about women to support in March. Kicking things off is Kelly Reichardt’s much anticipated...
Under the Radar: “We Are the Radical Monarchs” Champions Young Activists
These aren’t your average Girl Scouts — they’re the Radical Monarchs. “We Are the Radical Monarchs,” a doc from director Linda Goldstein Knowlton, follows the first troop of...
February 2020 Film Preview
From Sundance pics to blockbusters, there are a variety of films made by or about women to check out this February. Starting off the month is the highly anticipated “Birds of Prey (And the...
Sundance 2020 Women Directors: Meet Cristina Costantini – “Mucho Mucho Amor”
Cristina Costantini’s first feature documentary, “Science Fair,” won audience awards at both the Sundance and SXSW Film Festivals in 2018, as well as an Emmy and Critics’ Choice...
January 2020 Film Preview
Offerings from women filmmakers will not be slowing down in the new year. From thrillers to comedies to documentary films, there will be something for everyone to enjoy in January. Floria Sigismondi...
Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton Are “Still Working 9 to 5” in This Exclusive Trailer
Today, December 19, marks the 39th anniversary of “9 to 5’s” release. And the topics the beloved comedy tackled — equal pay, sexual harassment, childcare, women’s...
2019’s Best Documentaries By and About Women
Women-directed docs have been a major part of the awards conversation all year — if only we could say the same about equally deserving titles in the narrative world. Our favorite documentaries...
Yes She Can: Crowdfunding Picks
This month’s crowdfunding picks look at women who persevere — whether through daring feats, everyday moments that could mean life or death, or divulging something personal to someone they...
December 2019 Film Preview
For many, the holiday season is closely linked with a love of film; be it a family outing to see the latest offerings at the movie theater, or winter nights spent gathered around the TV to watch a...
DOC NYC 2019 Women Directors: Meet Karen Bernstein – “i’m gonna make you love me”
Karen Bernstein has numerous producing credits to her name in the field of documentary film, has directed a number of TV documentary episodes, and is the co-director of “Richard Linklater: Dream Is...
November 2019 Film Preview
Awards season kicks into high gear this November. A host of films by and about women — prestigious biographical films, Oscar hopefuls, and blockbusters alike — are set to premiere. One...
Women Making History: Crowdfunding Picks
When it comes to history, women’s contributions have often been left out of the textbooks, or an event has been told exclusively from the male perspective. Each of this month’s crowdfunding picks...
October 2019 Film Preview
October’s film releases feature women in all their multitudes, and working in a variety of professions. In “Lucy in the Sky” (October 4), an astronaut loses her grip on reality upon...
Paths to Success: Crowdfunding Picks
The path to success is full of uncertainty and comes with no guarantees. For many, an already-difficult road is compounded by various factors: gender, race, sexuality, economic status, appearance,...
September 2019 Film Preview
By Jenna Dorsi and Camryn Garrett September is an exciting month for films from women with different stories, backgrounds, and experiences. From crowd-pleasers about women turning the tables on...
ESPN Celebrates NFL Centennial with Female Owners Doc “A Lifetime of Sundays”
This year marks the NFL’s 100th season. To celebrate, ESPN will debut “A Lifetime of Sundays,” an NFL Films documentary profiling four of the league’s female owners. Narrated...
Film as Grassroots Activism: Crowdfunding Picks
Films can have many impacts on their viewers: they can entertain, first and foremost, they can make you feel like you aren’t alone, and they can introduce you to new people or places. But they...
August 2019 Film Preview
By Jenna Dorsi and Camryn Garrett While the season may be winding down, there are still plenty of films about or made by women to check out this summer. This August offers a wide selection of...
July 2019 Film Preview
Summertime can often be a grim time to go to the movies, as male-dominated blockbusters and a deluge of sequels clog the box office. But this July looks especially promising for original films by and...
Under the Radar: “A Woman’s Work” Tackles Gendered Notions of Labor
How many hours of practice does it take to become an NFL cheerleader? In Lacy Fields’ case, approximately 10,560 over 18 years. Yet after she finally accomplished that feat, joining the Oakland...
June 2019 Film Preview
The summer movie season is kicking off with dozens of films helmed by and centered on women. From Sundance pics to mega blockbusters, June promises to be a month chock-full of exciting...
Hot Docs 2019 Women Directors: Meet Pachi Bustos – “Haydee and the Flying Fish”
Pachi Bustos is a journalist and documentary filmmaker. She has worked as a director, writer, and researcher for prestigious Chilean television programs and nationally and internationally renowned...
May 2019 Film Preview
May 2019 promises to be an exciting month for new releases by and about women. From star-studded comedies to intimate documentaries, women’s stories are flooding theaters this month. Olivia...
Hot Docs 2019 Women Directors: Meet Jola Dylewska – “Marek Edelman… and There Was Love in the Ghetto”
Jola Dylewska is a Polish writer, director, and cinematographer. She has worked as a cinematographer on over 25 projects. She won Best Cinematography at the 2012 Polish Film Awards for her work on...
Hot Docs 2019 Women Directors: Meet Martha Kehoe and Joan Tosoni – “Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind”
Martha Kehoe is a writer, producer, and director who has worked on and created award-winning documentaries, series, and specials in multiple genres. Her early career focused on music, as she...
Hot Docs 2019 Women Directors: Meet Marwa Zein – “Khartoum Offside”
Marwa Zein is a Sudanese film director and producer. Her graduation project, “A game,” was an official selection of more than 30 international festivals worldwide and was translated into five...
Full Frame 2019 Women Directors: Meet Tania Hernández Velasco – “Titixe”
Tania Hernández Velasco is a Mexican film director, producer, and editor. Her short films have screened at several international film festivals, including ZagrebDox and San Sebastian International...
April 2019 Film Preview
After an exciting Women’s History Month, complete with the groundbreaking release of Marvel’s first superheroine film, April will continue the momentum with a slew of women-centric and...
SXSW Women Directors: Meet Julie Smith Clem – “It Started As A Joke”
Julie Smith Clem is the co-founder of Pretty Good Friends, a comedy production company. She’s produced shows for Comedy Central and Science Channel, co-created the Peabody Award-winning video...
SXSW 2019 Women Directors: Meet Waad Al-Kateab – “For Sama”
Waad Al-Kateab is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. She became a citizen journalist in 2011, after protests broke out across Syria against the Assad regime, and in January 2016 she...
SXSW 2019 Women Directors: Meet Jenifer McShane – “Ernie & Joe”
Jenifer McShane is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. Her credits include “A Leap of Faith” and “Mothers of Bedford.” “Ernie & Joe” will premiere at the 2019 SXSW Film...
SXSW 2019 Women Directors: Meet Chelsea Hernandez – “Building the American Dream”
Chelsea Hernandez is a Mexican-American filmmaker based in Austin, Texas. She is an eight-time Emmy winning director, producer, and editor for her work on the PBS documentary series “Arts in...
SXSW Women Directors: Meet Rebecca Stern – “Well Groomed”
Rebecca Stern is a director, writer, and producer. She started out in documentary filmmaking as the production coordinator of the Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning documentary “Cartel...
Sundance 2019 Women Directors: Meet Nanfu Wang – “One Child Nation”
Nanfu Wang is an Emmy-nominated and Peabody-winning filmmaker based in New York City. Wang’s feature debut, “Hooligan Sparrow,” premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. It was...