#gender equality
Quote of the Day: Angelina Jolie Praises “Wicked” Women
“Wicked” — like “bitch,” “slut,” “difficult,” “shrill,” “emotional,” or “nasty” — is a word that is...
Women Directed Over Half of San Sebastian’s 2019 New Directors Lineup
Spain’s San Sebastian International Film Festival signed the Gender Parity Pledge last year and — if its 2019 New Directors lineup is any indication — is taking its commitment to...
Apply Now: Leica Camera’s New Gender Diversity Initiative
Leica Camera USA has launched a new program called the Leica Women Foto Project “to support diversity and inclusion in photography,” a press release has announced. The initiative includes...
Study: Just 14% of Past Decade’s Sci-Fi and Superhero Films Featured Solo Female Leads
Last year a study from Women’s Media Center (WMC) and BBC America concluded that female representation in superhero and sci-fi stories can have an empowering effect on girls in the real world. This...
Locarno 2019: Women-Directed Films Comprise 28% of Main Lineup
The Locarno International Film Festival has revealed its 2019 program. According to Screen Daily, 10 women-directed pics — including the previously-announced opener, Ginevra Elkann’s...
Apply Now: NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre
Attention, New York City women working in the arts: the NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre is now accepting applications. Per a press release, the grant program — previously known...
Susan Meiselas Will Receive Kering’s First Women in Motion Photography Prize
Kering is recognizing women’s contributions to another male-dominated creative field. Best known for its Women in Motion program at Cannes — which celebrates women’s strides in...
Women-Created Podcast Network Earios’ Inaugural Slate Features Shows from Margaret Cho & More
“Podcasts by women, for everyone.” That’s the slogan for Earios, the new podcast network launched by comedy performers Maria Blasucci (“Mascots”) and Amanda Lund...
New Program from Refinery29 and Kate Spade Gives Women Directors Opp to Helm Video Short
Media company Refinery29 and fashion brand Kate Spade are working together to provide opportunities to emerging women directors. According to WWD, the businesses are partnering on “Pilot Season,”...
WIF LA & Pepperdine University to Boost Funding for Women-Run Businesses in Film Industry
Women In Film, Los Angeles (WIF LA) and Pepperdine University are working together to address the entertainment industry’s gender gap in business funding. A press release has announced that the...
2019 Kilroys List Spotlights 33 Plays from Women, Trans, & Nonbinary Writers
Feminist theater collective The Kilroys has unveiled The List 2019, a collection of 33 un-produced or underproduced plays written by women and trans and non-binary playwrights. The Kilroys describes...
UK Channel ITV Will No Longer Commission Comedy Shows from All-Male Writing Teams
ITV head of comedy Saskia Schuster is working to correct the wide gender gap among her department’s scribes. BBC confirms the UK channel is banning comedy series penned by all-male writing...
Number of Women Directors, Writers, & More at U.S. Film Fests Reaches Historic High
The number of women at film festivals such as SXSW, Tribeca, and AFI Fest is reaching a critical mass. Dr. Martha M. Lauzen and the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film have published...
New Georges Founder Susan Bernfield Talks Empowering Women in Theater
When Susan Bernfield was starting out as an actress in 1992, she realized there were not a lot of roles being written for her, or for women in general. She couldn’t even find plays by women at the...
Trailer Watch: Shonda Rhimes, Geena Davis, & More Talk Gender Inequality in “This Changes Everything”
“The door has to be open. We just want inclusion,” says Meryl Streep in a new trailer for “This Changes Everything.” The documentary explores gender inequality in Hollywood,...
Winners Announced for Bumble’s Second Female Film Force Competition
Bumble is awarding five women-made short films funding as part of its second Female Film Force competition. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the winning projects include a comedic drama about...
Apply Now: North Face’s Move Mountains Grant for Women Directors
If you’re a woman filmmaker with a love for the Great Outdoors, then The North Face has the grant for you. The apparel company has announced the Move Mountains Filmmakers Grant, “a...
Banff Fest 2019: Fund Launched for Women in TV, Paul Feig Talks Equality & Representation
Gender equality and inclusion have been among the main topics of conversation at this year’s Banff World Media Festival. The Canadian fest saw the announcement of the Banff Accelerator for...
Study: Just Four Women Among Directors of the Top Animated Films 2007-2018
The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative presented its latest research today at the Women in Animation World Summit, held as part of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. The report,...
Ali Stroker, “Hadestown” Team, and More Make History at the 2019 Tony Awards
Last night’s 73rd Annual Tony Awards marked many firsts for women who are paving the way on Broadway, both onstage and off. The show was indicative that post-#MeToo, the course of history for...
Quotes of the Day: Taraji P. Henson and Ellen Pompeo Get Candid About Race and Fair Pay
Taraji P. Henson and Ellen Pompeo work on two of the biggest shows on network TV. The respective “Empire” and “Grey’s Anatomy” stars are also outspoken advocates for...
Apply Now: Chicken & Egg Pictures’ 2020 (Egg)celerator Lab
If you’re a woman or nonbinary director working on your first or second nonfiction feature, this is for you. Chicken & Egg Pictures is now accepting applications for its 2020 (Egg)celerator...
Karlovy Vary Film Fest’s 2019 Main Competition Lineup Is 25% Women-Directed
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival has announced the lineup for its 54th edition. Cineuropa confirms 12 titles have been selected for the fest’s Main Competition. Three of those...
2019 Women in Animation Summit to Feature New Study from Stacy L. Smith
The third Women in Animation World Summit will unveil landmark research from Dr. Stacy L. Smith and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. A press released announced that the Summit — to be...
New Database of Women Working Above & Below the Line in Film Introduced at Cannes
The tired myth that gender equality in film is impossible because there just are not enough women working is being disproven yet again. A new database, Primetime, debuted at Cannes today. Founded by...
Swedish Film Institute Unveils Initiative for Women Screenwriters at Cannes
The Swedish Film Institute has launched a new initiative in the hopes of addressing the gender gap among Sweden’s screenwriters — especially the one that persists on bigger budget films....
Cannes Releases Gender Stats for 2019 Festival, in Accordance With Parity Pledge
Representation-wise, Cannes 2019 has been a significant — albeit not unexpected — disappointment for women directors. Just a handful of women-helmed films have been selected for...
Report: Top Studios and Talent Agencies’ Leadership Lagging in Inclusion
Throughout the past year or so, the film industry has seen several gains in terms of inclusivity. Sixteen black directors worked on top-grossing movies in 2018, a 12-year high. Last year also marked...
Apply Now: Women and Hollywood Internship
Women and Hollywood is looking for two interns for the second half of 2019. The position will begin on July 1 and end December 23. Applicants must be willing to commit to 10-15 hours per week for the...
WGA Inclusion Report Card: There Is “Systemic Discrimination” in Hiring of TV Writers
The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) has issued an Inclusion Report Card for the 2017-2018 TV season, and it seems writers’ rooms are still struggling to make the grade when it comes to...
Niki Caro, Haifaa Al-Mansour, and More to Attend New Zealand’s Power of Inclusion Summit
Women in Film and Television International and the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) are tackling inclusion in the film industry. With support from the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and...
Four Women-Directed Films Will Screen in Cannes’ Main Competition. That’s Not Good Enough.
The Gender Parity Pledge was launched at Cannes last year with the mission of making film festivals more inclusive and transparent. Behind-the-scenes, the Cannes Film Fest does seem to be improving:...
Shakespeare’s Globe Hosting “Women & Power” Festival
Next month, Shakespeare’s Globe will put on a festival dedicated to “Women & Power.” From May 12-18, the iconic theater will host a series of performances, panels, workshops,...
Sandra Oh, “The Good Fight,” Leah Remini, & More Among 2019 Gracie Award Winners
The outpouring of love for “Killing Eve” is showing no signs of slowing down. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has announced the winners of the 2019 Gracie Awards, given in...
Women in the World & IFC Center Join Forces for Fest Celebrating Women’s Stories
Tina Brown’s Women in the World organization and IFC Center are collaborating on a new women’s festival. According to a press release, the inaugural 51Fest will be held July 18-21 in...
For the First Time in History, Women Are Running All Three Network Morning Shows
Yesterday Diana Miller was promoted to executive producer of “CBS This Morning,” succeeding Ryan Kadro, who stepped down three months ago. But Miller’s new position is much more...
Time’s Up Now Accepting Applications for Who’s in the Room Mentorship Program
If you’re an assistant in the entertainment industry and looking to take the next step in your career, Time’s Up is here for you. A press release from the gender equality and inclusion...
Quotes of the Day: Taraji P. Henson, Bette Midler, & Gigi Hadid on the Power of Women
As Variety Power of Women: New York honorees, it’s no surprise that Taraji P. Henson, Bette Midler, and Gigi Hadid have plenty to say about feminism and the way women are treated in show...
Time’s Up and NowThis Are Creating Content Focused on Women’s Experiences in the Workplace
Time’s Up is celebrating Equal Pay Day 2019 with a new partnership. According to Deadline, the gender equality advocacy group is joining forces with media outlet NowThis to create videos...
AFI to Study Gender Parity in American Film History with $350K NEH Grant
The American Film Institute (AFI) has received a $350,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and plans to use those funds to conduct “an unprecedented, landmark study...
Women Make Up Over Half of Berlinale’s New Selection Committee Members
Last month the Berlin International Film Festival vowed to work toward better gender representation when its artistic director signed the Gender Parity Pledge. The fest seems to be taking that...
Cannes 2019: “Capernaum” Director Nadine Labaki Named President of Un Certain Regard
In 2018 Nadine Labaki won the Jury Prize at Cannes for “Capernaum,” her third feature film. This year she’ll be returning to the prestigious fest as the President of the Un...
Playwright Bekah Brunstetter on “The Cake,” Working on “This Is Us,” and The Kilroys
After three years of working on NBC’s hit series “This Is Us,” writer and producer Bekah Brunstetter is bringing two plays to the NYC stage this year: “The Cake” is now...
Hot Docs Announces Full Lineup, Tasha Hubbard’s “nîpawistamâsowin” to Open the Fest
Hot Docs has unveiled the full lineup for its 2019 edition and it’s set to be an exciting one for women filmmakers. According to a press release, the festival will present 234 films and...
Stephanie Allain and Madeline Di Nonno to Be Recognized with Special AAFCA Events
The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) will celebrate Women’s History Month by honoring veteran producer Stephanie Allain and Madeline Di Nonno of the Geena Davis Institute on...
Survey: 64% of Diverse TV Writers Have Encountered Discrimination on the Job
A new survey findings’ reveal that diverse writers are routinely isolated, tokenized, and mistreated in contemporary writers rooms. The Think Tank for Inclusion & Equity (TTIE) interviewed...
Number of Women Directors in France Is Increasing, Study Finds
“Captain Marvel’s” record-breaking debut was in good company on International Women’s Day. March 8 also saw the publication of a new study concluding that the number of women...
“A Wrinkle in Time,” “Widows,” “Hate U Give,” and More Receive ReFrame Stamp
Time to plan a feminist movie night. ReFame, a coalition working to advance women’s representation on and off-screen, has awarded its gender equality stamp to 20 of the top-grossing films of...
“Honor Diaries” Producer Paula Kweskin Fighting for Women’s Rights with New Film Fest
Filmmaker and human rights attorney Paula Kweskin responded to the censorship of her film “Honor Diaries,” a doc about gendered “honor violence,” by starting the Censored...
Theresa Rebeck, Heidi Schreck, & More to Attend Women’s Day on Broadway 2019
Last year Disney Theatrical Group launched Women’s Day on Broadway to spotlight women’s stories and galvanize the fight for gender equality in theater. According to Playbill, the...
Quote of the Day: Cate Blanchett on the Stigma of Talking About Money as a Woman in Hollywood
“It feels a little like a veil has been lifted, and we’re talking to one another in a muscular way about stuff that we’ve had to deal with,” Cate Blanchett tells Julia Roberts in a...