#Women Writers
Amy Poehler to Direct Riot Grrrl-Inspired “Moxie” for Netflix
Amy Poehler’s feature directorial debut, “Wine Country,” doesn’t hit Netflix until May, but the Emmy winner has already lined up another project with the streamer. The...
TV Series About Joan and Jackie Collins in the Works
Fable Pictures is bringing a story about iconic sisters to the small screen. The production company acquired rights to Joan and Jackie Collins’ life stories, which will serve as the basis for a...
Nahnatchka Khan Signs Overall Deal with Universal Television
Nahnatchka Khan is going into business with Universal Television, Deadline confirms. In what was described as a “competitive situation,” the company landed Khan for an eight-figure,...
Trailer Watch: An Artist Falls in Love and Finds Her Voice in “The Souvenir”
“The most important thing about learning is that you grow,” a quiet film student (Honor Swinton Byrne) is told in a new trailer for Joanna Hogg’s “The Souvenir.” Julie...
Gurinder Chadha’s Ode to Springsteen “Blinded by the Light” Gets Release Date
Sundance breakout “Blinded by the Light” is slated to hit theaters this August, offering audiences the best possible weather to roll down their windows and blast some Bruce Springsteen on...
Amelia Bullmore Writing Women-Led Crime Drama “Traces” for UK’s Alibi
Good news, “Happy Valley” fans: your next UK crime TV obsession has been announced. Deadline confirms Alibi — a UK broadcaster run by Discovery and UKTV — has commissioned a...
Antoinette Nwandu to Adapt Nafissa Thompson-Spires’ “Wash Clean the Bones” for Amazon
Antoinette Nwandu has signed on to pen Amazon Studios’ film adaptation of “Wash Clean the Bones,” a short story from Nafissa Thompson-Spires’ acclaimed 2018 collection,...
Awkwafina Assembles All-Female Writers’ Room for Her Comedy Central Show
Awkwafina is opening doors for other women in comedy. The “Crazy Rich Asians” breakout has a semi-autobiographical Comedy Central series in the works, and The Huffington Post reports...
Awards Roundup: Angela Shanelec Wins Berlinale Prize, WGA Honors “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
With the Oscars less than a week away, awards season is winding down. Women have nabbed several prestigious honors throughout the 2019 awards circuit, including at the Berlinale and WGA Awards this...
Gabrielle Union to Star in & Produce Deborah Riley Draper’s “Coffee Will Make You Black”
Gabrielle Union is set to play double duty for an adaptation of April Sinclair’s 1994 coming-of-age novel “Coffee Will Make You Black.” The “Being Mary Jane” alumna will...
Weekly Update for February 15: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING The Breaker Upperers – Written and Directed by Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami (Available on Netflix) Fifteen years ago, Mel (Madeleine Sami) and Jen (Jackie van...
Margaret Atwood and #MeToo Founder Tarana Burke to Be Celebrated at VH1 Trailblazer Honors
Two of the most influential voices in modern feminism are being recognized. VH1 has announced that “Handmaid’s Tale” author Margaret Atwood and #MeToo founder and activist Tarana...
“Fleabag” Director Vicky Jones Talks Bringing Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Play Back to the Stage
Before “Fleabag” was making audiences laugh, cry, and squirm via the screen, it was doing so on the stage. The BBC Three/Amazon Prime series is based on series creator and star Phoebe...
Trailer Watch: A College Student Takes a Crash Course in Life and Lust in “After”
The “Fifty Shades of Grey” franchise grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide at the box office, but the erotic thriller’s humble origins were in fan fiction. Author E.L. James was...
Susannah Grant to Direct “Until the Wedding” Pilot for ABC
Oscar-nominated “Erin Brockovich” scribe Susannah Grant has another small screen project in the works. In addition to her upcoming Netflix limited series “Unbelievable,” Grant...
Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino Sign Overall Deal with Amazon Studios
The Palladinos are all in on Amazon. Variety reports that Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino have extended their overall pact with Amazon Studios, the home of their award-winning dramedy...
Exclusive: Gemma Chan Sets Her Sights on a Picky Bachelor in the “Mr. Malcolm’s List” Trailer
It’s 1818 and a young woman, portrayed by Gemma Chan (“Crazy Rich Asians”), wants to get married in our exclusive trailer for the new Refinery29 short “Mr. Malcolm’s...
Teaser Watch: TV’s Most Toxic Love Story Continues in “Killing Eve” Season 2
Perfectly scored to “Addicted to Love,” a teaser for Season 2 of “Killing Eve” has dropped. Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a glimpse into the future of TV’s most...
Reed Morano and Naomi Alderman Are Bringing “The Power” to Amazon
Reed Morano is stepping behind the camera for another adaptation of a feminist dystopia. The Emmy-winning “Handmaid’s Tale” helmer is bringing Naomi Alderman’s “The...
Under the Radar: Susanne Heinrich’s “Aren’t You Happy?” Creates a New Feminist Archetype
“Aren’t You Happy?” credits its protagonist only as “the melancholic girl” (Marie Rathscheck), a woman with ever-changing hairstyles that suspiciously resemble those of old Hollywood...
Trailer Watch: Sharon & Rob Deal with Death, AA, and Illness in “Catastrophe’s” Final Season
Season 3 of “Catastrophe” ended on quite the dark note. Sharon (Sharon Horgan) discovered her alcoholic husband, Rob (Rob Delaney), had been drinking again when he got into a car...
Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland” Acquired by Fox Searchlight, Frances McDormand Stars
Frances McDormand is following up her Oscar-winning performance in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” — and her impassioned acceptance speech calling for more inclusivity...
Melora Walters to Write, Direct, and Star in “Drowning”
Melora Walters is re-teaming with Mira Sorvino. She’ll direct the Oscar winner and co-star with her in indie drama “Drowning.” Deadline confirmed the news. Based on Walters’...
Projects from “Broad City’s” Abbi Jacobson and Naomi Ekperigin in Dev at Comedy Central
“Broad City” might be ending — no, kween! — but luckily, a couple of its alumnae are already working on new projects for Comedy Central. According to Deadline, the network is...
Zoe Lister Jones to Helm “Woman Up” Pilot at ABC
Already set to write and star in “Woman Up,” Zoe Lister-Jones is now signed on to direct the comedy following its pilot order at ABC. Deadline confirmed the news. The single-camera...
Trailer Watch: Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson Are Con Artists in “The Hustle”
Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson use sexism to their advantage in “The Hustle.” A remake of 1998’s “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” the comedy sees the pair teaming up to con...
Tuva Novotny’s “Britt-Marie Was Here” Lands at Cohen Media
Cohen Media Group has snagged North American rights to Tuva Novotny’s follow-up to “Blind Spot,” “Britt-Marie Was Here.” Variety broke the news. Based on a bestselling...
Trailer Watch: “Working Woman” Tackles Sexual Harassment
A tale of sexual harassment in the workplace, “Working Woman” has been referred to as “timely” in much of the press surrounding the film. Has there ever been a time period...
Aretha Franklin to Be Subject of “Genius” Season 3, Suzan-Lori Parks Will Showrun
National Geographic is honoring Aretha Franklin’s “Genius.” The Queen of Soul will be the protagonist of “Genius” Season 3, Deadline reports. Each year the anthology...
Issa López Is Writing and Directing a Revenge Thriller for Legendary
Mexican filmmaker Issa López is set to write and direct another supernatural story. The “Tigers Are Not Afraid” helmer is teaming up with Legendary for an untitled feature. The Hollywood...
2019 Athena IRIS Screenwriting Lab Participants Announced
The Athena Film Festival has selected this year’s Athena IRIS Screenwriting Lab cohort. Eight women-written projects have made the cut. Their scribes will attend the Lab, a script development...
Weekly Update for February 8: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING What Men Want – Written by Tina Gordon Chism, Alex Gregory, and Peter Huyck Inspired by the Nancy Meyers hit romantic comedy “What Women Want,” this film follows...
Nisha Ganatra to Direct “Covers” for Universal and Working Title
Nisha Ganatra scored one of the biggest deals out of Sundance 2019 for “Late Night,” and the helmer will follow it up with another high profile project. She’s in negotiations to...
Apply Now: 2019 Writers Lab for Women Screenwriters Over 40
The 2019 Writers Lab is now accepting submissions. An intensive screenplay development retreat for women screenwriters who are 40 or older, the program will host its fifth edition October 2-6, 2019...
Athena Film Fest’s 2019 Awardees: Nina Shaw, Desiree Akhavan, & Cameron Bailey
The Athena Film Festival has announced its 2019 awardees. The ninth edition of the fest will honor Time’s Up founding member Nina Shaw, “The Miseducation of Cameron Post”...
From Dialogue to Action: Crowdfunding Picks
The question of turning dialogue into action is not a new one, particularly in an age where the internet allows millions of people around the world to participate in conversations about issues such...
Rachel Morrison to Direct “Hightown” for Starz
History-making cinematographer Rachel Morrison is adding another major credit to her resume. Deadline reports that she’s been tapped by Starz to direct “Hightown,” an upcoming crime...
Trailer Watch: Yara Shahidi Only Has One Day for Love in “The Sun Is Also a Star”
“This is my home. New York is my home,” Jamaica-born Natasha Kingsley (Yara Shahidi) pleads in the trailer for “The Sun Is Also a Star.” But it doesn’t matter:...
Netflix Orders Bilingual Latinx Dramedy “Gente-fied” Exec Produced by America Ferrera
America Ferrera made history as the first Latina actress to win an Emmy for lead actress in a comedy series, and she’s working to ensure others follow in her footsteps. The...
WeForShe Unveils 2019 WriteHer List
WeForShe has made its selections for its fifth WriteHer List. A curation of the best women-written, women-centric unproduced TV scripts, the annual list “seeks to answer the endemic gender...
Berlinale 2019 Women Directors: Meet Lone Scherfig – “The Kindness of Strangers”
Lone Scherfig is an award-winning writer and director. Her first feature, “The Birthday Trip,” screened at the 1991 Berlinale and won several awards at festivals worldwide. Her more recent...
“Power” Creator Courtney A. Kemp Developing Cop Drama for HBO
Courtney A. Kemp has a project about dirty cops in the works at HBO. The “Power” creator is joining forces with Lionsgate TV head of scripted Chris Selak to develop “Dirty...
Kelly Marcel to Make Directorial Debut with “Ferryman” Adaptation
Best known for writing the screenplays for “Venom,” “Fifty Shades of Grey,” and “Saving Mr. Banks,” Kelly Marcel is set to make her directorial debut. The BAFTA...
“The Hate U Give” Author Angie Thomas Re-Teaming with Fox for Adaption of Her Next Book
Angie Thomas’ new novel, “On the Come Up,” hits bookshelves today but the story is already on its way to the big screen. The author is re-teaming with Fox 2000, the studio behind...
Trailer Watch: Nine Pacific Female Filmmakers Team Up for Berlinale Pic “Vai”
Written and directed by nine Pacific female filmmakers and filmed on seven Pacific islands, “Vai” depicts one woman’s life story in eight separate moments. When a young Vai asks a...
Women Dominate Sundance 2019 Awards: Chinonye Chukwu, Nanfu Wang, & More
Exactly zero women are up for Best Director at the upcoming Oscars, and none of the films nominated for Best Picture are helmed by women. Fortunately, the Sundance Awards are here to remind everyone...
Figuring It Out: VOD and Web Series Picks
Young womanhood comes with many inevitable challenges. Making friends, pleasing family, dating, career-planning: there’s a lot to figure out. Luckily, women creators are taking to the internet...
Weekly Update for February 1: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING Miss Bala – Directed by Catherine Hardwicke “Miss Bala”: Columbia Pictures Gloria (Gina Rodriguez) finds a power she never knew she had when she is drawn...
Trailer Watch: A Police Shooting Leaves Families Reeling in “The Red Line”
Three families’ fates intertwine in a newly released trailer for “The Red Line.” Exec produced by “A Wrinkle in Time” helmer Ava DuVernay and set in Chicago, CBS’...
“Diary of a Female President” Series Coming to Disney+, Gina Rodriguez Exec Producing
“Jane the Virgin” breakout Gina Rodriguez has much to celebrate this week, perhaps over one of Abuela’s famous grilled cheese sandwiches. “Miss Bala,” which marks her...
February 2019 Film Preview
From rom-coms to slashers to dramas, moviegoers have plenty of options when it comes to films made by and about women this February. The month kicks off with the February 1 release of Catherine...