#Women Directors
The Family Complex: VOD and Web Series Picks
Our latest round of VOD and web series picks takes on one of the most complicated, universal, and inescapable institutions in existence: family. Whether it centers on a nontraditional path towards...
Trailer Watch: Teresa Palmer Plays a Trailblazing Jockey in Rachel Griffiths’ “Ride Like a Girl”
Rachel Griffiths’ feature directorial debut hits theaters in Australia September 26. “Ride Like a Girl” is based on real events and sees the Oscar-nominated actress telling the...
Guest Post: Why I Work in Film Exhibition, and How the Industry Is Changing
Guest Post by Alison Kozberg As Managing Director of Art House Convergence, an association dedicated to advancing excellence in art house cinemas, I have the great privilege to collaborate with...
New Film Series From Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY Will Screen Works by Agnès Varda, Euzhan Palcy, & More
ARRAY Alliance, Ava DuVernay’s nonprofit film collective, has been releasing films about and by women and people of color since 2010 — Heidi Saman’s “Namour,” Lisa France’s...
Annie Silverstein’s “Bull” Wins Top Honor at Deauville Film Festival
Annie Silverstein’s feature debut made a major impression at the 45th Deauville Film Festival. The coming-of-age rodeo drama took home three honors at the French fest: the Grand Prize, the...
Teaser Watch: Rosamund Pike Plays Trailblazer Marie Curie in Marjane Satrapi’s “Radioactive”
“Science is changing, and the very people who are running science believe the world is flat. I’m going to prove them wrong,” says Rosamund Pike in a new teaser for Marjane...
Weekly Update for September 13: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Hustlers – Written and Directed by Lorene Scafaria Inspired by a New York Magazine article by Jessica Pressler that went viral, the story centers around a group of...
“The Chambermaid” is Mexico’s Pick for International Feature Film Oscar
Lila Avilés’ award-winning feature debut could be heading all the way to the Oscars. Mexico has submitted “The Chambermaid” for consideration in the Best International Feature Film...
Film Adaptation of “The Lost Girls” on the Way from Livia De Paolis
Livia De Paolis is moving from emojis to Neverland. The writer, director, actress, and producer will follow up “Emoticon ;),” her 2014 feature debut, with an adaptation of Laurie...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Shonali Bose – “The Sky Is Pink”
Shonali Bose’s 2005 feature film debut, “Amu,” won several awards, including the FIPRESCI by the International Federation of Film Critics, as well as two Indian National Awards for...
Ava DuVernay to Be Honored with Gotham Awards Director Tribute, “Queen Sugar” Renewed for Season 5
Ava DuVernay keeps reeling in well-deserved honors. The multi-hyphenate has already snagged three 2019 Emmy nominations for Netflix miniseries “When They See Us” — which scored 16...
Zurich Film Festival’s 2019 Edition Includes a Record Number of Women Directors
The 15th Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) will be its most female-friendly to date. This year’s edition of the fest features a record number of films by women. According to a press release from ZFF,...
Submit: HBO Asian Pacific American Visionaries Short Competition
HBO has announced submission information for its 2020 Asian Pacific American Visionaries (APAV) short film competition. Per Deadline, “Warrior” exec producer and CEO of Bruce Lee...
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,...
Trailer Watch: A Mother Demands Justice in Lynching Doc “Always in Season”
“If you knew in your heart and in your mind that someone took your child’s life, how far would you go to get to the truth?” asks Claudia Lacy in a new trailer for “Always in...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Alma Har’el – “Honey Boy”
Alma Har’el is a film and music video director, best known for her documentaries “Love True” and “Bombay Beach,” the latter of which was awarded the top prize at the 2011 Tribeca Film...
Julia Ducournau’s Next Pic Will Be Released by Neon
Julia Ducournau continues to make headlines at the Toronto International Film Festival. The French filmmaker’s first feature, cannibal coming-of-age story “Raw,” received glowing...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Jorunn Myklebust Syversen – “Disco”
Jorunn Myklebust Syversen works across film, video-art, and photography. Her first feature was 2017’s “The Tree Feller.” Since 2005, her work has been shown at several international...
Euzhan Palcy Retrospective Set for London and Manchester
In 1983, French director Euzhan Palcy became the first black director to take home France’s César award for her first feature, “Sugar Cane Alley.” She was also the first black...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Klaudia Reynicke – “Love Me Tender”
Klaudia Reynicke is a screenwriter and director from Lima, Peru, now based in Switzerland. She directed her first short film, “Great Expectations NY,” in 2005. It was followed by additional...
WMC Study Reveals Women (Still) Make Up Less Than Half of Non-Acting Emmy Nominees
As the latest “Boxed In” report showed, the overall number of women on both sides of the camera increased in the 2018-2019 television season. Many projects from women creators, such as...
Mayim Bialik to Write and Direct “As Sick As They Made Us”
Mayim Bialik is learning yet another trade. The Emmy-nominated “Big Bang Theory” actress, author, and PhD in neuroscience is stepping behind the camera. She’ll make her directing...
Awkwafina’s Comedy Central Show Gets a Name and Announces Directors
Comedy Central has unveiled the title and stacked directing roster for Awkwafina’s upcoming series. As previously announced, Natasha Lyonne, co-creator, star, writer, director, and exec...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Lina Alabed – “Ibrahim: A Fate to Define”
Lina Alabed’s senior project, a documentary about author Mohamed Al-Maghout, was broadcast on Al Jazeera in 2007. Her first documentary short, “Noor Alhuda,” won the DOX BOX jury...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Hind Meddeb – “Paris Stalingrad”
Hind Meddeb currently works between Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Her first film, “Casablanca: One Way Ticket to Paradise,” tells the story of 14 Moroccan suicide bombers who killed...
TIFF News: Updates on “Military Wives,” Jennifer Kent’s Latest, and More
TIFF isn’t just ten days jam-packed with film screenings; it’s also a rendezvous point for development, funding, and distribution deals. Recent days have brought news of projects by and...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Kasi Lemmons – “Harriet”
Kasi Lemmons is an award-winning director, writer, actress, and professor. Her acclaimed 1997 feature directorial debut, “Eve’s Bayou,” received the Independent Spirit Award for Best First...
Trailer Watch: Céline Sciamma Tells a Love Story for the Ages in “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”
Currently screening at the Toronto International Film Festival, Céline Sciamma’s “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” made its world premiere at Cannes, where it made history as the first...
Trailer Watch: Imogen Poots Has a Horrifying Holiday in Sophia Takal’s “Black Christmas”
A trailer for Sophia Takal’s “Black Christmas” reboot has landed, and it looks like the cult favorite slasher pic has gotten a feminist update. The spot kicks off with Hawthorne...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Eva Orner – “Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator”
Eva Orner’s directing credits include “The Network,” “Chasing Asylum,” and “Out of Iraq.” She’s also produced many films, including “Taxi to the...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Lisa Barros D’Sa – “Ordinary Love”
Lisa Barros D’Sa’s debut feature film, “Cherrybomb,” co-directed with Glenn Leyburn, premiered at the Berlinale in 2009. Barros D’Sa and Leyburn’s second feature, “Good Vibrations,”...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Lauren Greenfield – “The Kingmaker”
For the last 25 years, Lauren Greenfield has made documentaries about consumerism, youth culture, and gender. Her feature film credits include “Thin,” “The Queen of...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Myriam Verrault – “Kuessipan”
Myriam Verreault made a name for herself by co-directing, scripting, producing, and editing “West of Pluto,” her critically-acclaimed 2019 feature debut. The film went on to be screened...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Barbara Kopple – “Desert One”
Barbara Kopple’s “Harlan County, USA” and “American Dream” both went on to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. In addition to documentaries, she has also...
Weekly Update for September 6: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice (Documentary) At the height of unprecedented success, Linda Ronstadt, a restless and adventurous artist, turned away from pop music to...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Eva Mulvad – “Love Child”
Eva Mulvad had her international breakthrough in 2006, with the release of documentary “Enemies of Happiness,” which followed a female politician in Afghanistan. The film won the World...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Marielle Heller – “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”
Marielle Heller’s “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” was nominated for three Academy Awards in 2019. Heller’s 2015 directorial debut, “The Diary of a Teenage Girl,” won...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Maria Sødahl – “Hope”
Maria Sødahl has written and directed several television dramas, documentaries and short films. Her first feature film, “Limbo,” was nominated for ten of Norway’s Amanda Awards,...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Coky Giedroyc – “How to Build a Girl”
With a background in documentaries, pop videos, and arts programs, British director Coky Giedroyc made her feature debut with “Stella Does Tricks,” starring Kelly Macdonald. Her BAFTA-...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Sanja Živković – “Easy Land”
Sanja Živković is a writer, director, and film professor. Her work is influenced by having grown up in both Serbia and Canada. She’s directed multiple short films, including...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Julie Delpy – “My Zoe”
Julie Delpy began her international career as an actress, then turned to writing and directing. Her first feature was 2007’s “2 Days in Paris,” for which she later directed a...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Tamar Shavgulidze – “Comets”
Tamar Shavgulidze was born in Tbilisi. She’s made several shorts and one feature; her projects have won competitions at the National Film Center four times, and she also has been a jury member...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Antoneta Kastrati – “Zana”
Originally from Kosovo, Antoneta Kastrati’started directing in the late-1990s after surviving the war. She began tackling issues of post-war society in documentaries that she collaborated on...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Gabriela Cowperthwaite – “The Friend”
Gabriela Cowperthwaite is a Brazilian American filmmaker who rose to prominence with the release of her 2013 film “Blackfish,” which premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Paula Hernández – “The Sleepwalkers”
Paula Hernández’s debut film, “Inheritance,” won Best First Feature from Argentina’s National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts. Her next two features,...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Heather Young – “Murmur”
“Murmur” is director Heather Young’s first feature. Her 2016 short “Fish” has played at festivals around the world. It won Best Short Film in the NSI Online Short Film...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Shelly Love – “A Bump Along the Way”
Award-winning artist and director Shelly Love has devised, written, and directed numerous music videos, commercials, and short films including “Little White Bird,” “Pod,” “Scratch,”...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Rojda Sekersöz – “My Life as a Comedian”
Rojda Sekersöz’s first feature, “Beyond Dreams,” debuted in 2017 and won the Göteborgs Film Festival’s Angelos and Audience Choice for Best Film. It also won Best Picture at...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Aisling Chin-Yee – “The Rest of Us”
Aisling Chin-Yee is an award-winning producer, writer, and director. She produced “Rhymes for Young Ghouls,” which was a TIFF Top 10 film and won Best Director at the Vancouver...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Alla Kovgan – “Cunningham”
Alla Kovgan is writer, director, and editor who was born in Moscow. Her film “Nora” received 30 awards and was broadcast worldwide. She co-directed, wrote, and edited the Emmy-nominated...
TIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Chiara Malta – “Simple Women”
Chiara Malta’s documentary “Armando E La Politica” premiered as the opening night film at Turin Film Festival and aired on ZDF and Arte. She has written and directed many shorts,...