Two great women directors have recently been in the news. Andrea Arnold has been named the Filmmaker in Residence for the 51st New York Film Festival and Catherine Hardwicke will be directing a pilot for MTV.
Arnold was named the 2013 Filmmaker in Residence, a program through the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Jaeger LeCoultre, which wants to “further the goals of filmmakers at an earlier stage in the creative process.” Arnold will have the opportunity to focus on new work she’s developing, take master classes, mentorships and cultural exchanges or film programs with Film Society members, filmmakers and the public.
Arnold commented in an interview about receiving the residence.
It’s very exciting. I’m very excited. The timing is perfect. I’m just coming to the end of writing something set in America. I know it has another level to
go to and the idea of actually being in America while I’m writing was just something that landed right in front of me and felt like the perfect thing. I
[submitted] my project [plans] thinking it was a nomination but that would be it. But when I actually did get it I, of course, was delighted.
A friend of mine said I’m like a “Method Director,” like there are Method Actors–I need to live the thing I’m writing. So it’s great for me to be there.
My next [project] is set in America, though it’s not New York, but I think just being there will be of great benefit.
The Filmmaker in Residence program was announced in April when the partnership between the Film Society and Jaeger LeCoultre was announced while honoring Barbra Streisand.
In other news, Catherine Hardwicke will be directing and executive producing, Eye Candy, for MTV.
Written by Emmy Grinwis, the pilot is based on R.L. Stine’s book of the same name which follows, Lindy, a tech whiz, whose roommate urges her to try online dating. When Lindy finally caves, she tries it out but later suspects that one of her online bachelors isn’t what he seems. Lindy teams with her fellow hackers and cyber police and learns that there’s a serial killer in Manhattan. She suspects it’s her online suitor and teams up to bring him and other online criminals to justice.
Grinwis will also executive produce the project. As of now, there’s no timeline for when filming begins. Hardwicke’s latest film Plush is in limited release and on VOD.
