No matter what your terror-tolerance level, there is a film out there for you! Here’s a list of some of our favorite frightening films to get you into the Halloween spirit.
Category: Features
Constructed image on full display in Camille Thoman’s ‘Never Here’
In Camille Thoman's psychological thriller Never Here, she flips the story with her lead actress Mireille Enos, whose professional voyeur/installation artist Miranda suddenly finds herself as someone's new obsession.
'Big Sick' makes us 'Think Twice': Part I
If you’re like me, you were excited for The Big Sick’s release. But I have to be honest. About twenty minutes into the film I found myself asking where are the women.
‘Big Sick’ makes us ‘Think Twice:’ Part II
You might be saying "yeah, but the story doesn’t follow any women, it follows Kumail." And to that I would say yup. The story doesn’t follow any women, instead they’re used to portray certain emotions/themes.
Wendie Malick calls third act ‘the sweetest time in my career’
Wendie Malick has portrayed some of the sassiest characters on television, including Hot in Cleveland’s Victoria Chase and Just Shoot Me!’s Nina Van Horn. She has brought some of that sass to her newest role in Darrow & Darrow a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movie. She portrays Joanne Darrow, mother of Claire Darrow, a lawyer…
‘Take My Nose … Please’ finds the funny in cosmetic surgery
Outspoken about her own experiences and pulling from 25 years writing about the industry, Joan Kron argues against secrecy and looks at how female comedians have approached the issue - and their choices - publicly with humor.
Gerwig, Coppola among few women in Oscar prediction polls
Director Sofia Coppola’s adaptation of The Beguiled and Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut of her original script Lady Bird are among the top picks for Gold Derby’s 2018 Oscar Predictions.
Tan takes the Lead, Pop Aye wins at Zurich
Incredibly eloquent, funny, and honest, Kirsten Tan is a fantastic artist. Not only is she making poignant and artistically interesting films, she’s making huge strides in the industry for women, and minority women. Tan’s work swept through New York this summer with the release of Pop Aye, and now is sweeping through Europe, and we…
Weinstein scandal creates divide
Actresses Lena Dunham, Amber Tamblyn and Rose McGowan have spoken out against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein amid the sexual harassment allegations detailed by the New York Times.
‘The Sound’ director breaks the mold of horror genre
Chicago-born filmmaker Jenna Mattison is seated in the director’s chair for the first time, bringing viewers down to an ominous and dangerous place in the intensely chilling film, The Sound. We follow Kelly Johansen (Rose McGowan) on her treks to debunk the myth of ghosts and hauntings. This driven author and blogger finds her newest…
Chicago International Film Festival to highlight 36 female directors
The 53rd Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) is Oct. 12-26, featuring 36 films directed by women. The two-week festival will screen 140 films at the AMC River East downtown during the two-week festival, 25 percent of which have women at the helm. Cinema/Chicago is the presenting organization of CIFF, “A year round non-profit arts and…
18th Annual Woodstock Film Festival to spotlight women in film
This year, the festival presents films selected from more than 2,000 entries from around the world and represent France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and the USA. There will be 18 female film directors showcased.
Female filmmakers set to take the London Film Festival by storm
With 33 percent of the Official Competition films directed by women, the 2017 BFI London Film Festival is set to showcase far more work from female filmmakers than many of this year’s most prestigious film festivals.
'Female Forward Initiative' guarantees work for women directors
Thanks to the Female Forward Initiative, ten female directors will have the opportunity to observe as many as three episodes of an NBC series, and will also have the chance to direct at least one episode themselves.
Director Elvira Lind documents intimate journey of dancer ‘Bobbi Jene’
The new documentary, simply titled Bobbi Jene, tells the story of the American-born, Israel-residing dancer Bobbi Jene Smith’s return to America after more than a decade.
‘Beijing Spring’ documents China’s forgotten struggle for freedom
Award-winning filmmaker Gaylen Ross, co-directing with Andy Cohen, is finalizing post-production on Beijing Spring, a feature-length documentary on how Chinese artists pushed the boundaries of freedom after the death of Mao Zedong in the late 1970s.
‘Red Trees’ a love letter to director's father
Marina Willer blends her own narration with her father and actor Tim Pigott Smith, over impressionistic art and photography to tell this deeply personal story.
‘High Fantasy’ a giant social experiment for director Jenna Cato Bass
South African-born Jenna Cato Bass premiered her second feature film, High Fantasy, at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Bass, the professionally trained magician-turned-filmmaker, to learn about how she found her actors and the hopes she has for her film.
Chloe Zhao redefines life for rodeo cowboy in 'The Rider'
Zhao tells a fictional tale of horse trainer and rodeo cowboy Brady Blackburn (Brady Jandreau) in the Badlands of South Dakota who attempts to redefine his life after a near fatal head injury.
‘Miami’ director examines complicated sisterhood in new thriller
The Finnish dramatic thriller film Miami premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Co-written and directed by Zaida Bergroth (The Good Son), it’s an intense and richly complex film that addresses the relationship between two estranged sisters now reunited.
Novick and Burns revisit history in documentary series 'The Vietnam War'
Lynn Novick has once again teamed up with documentarian Ken Burns to co-direct the upcoming PBS series The Vietnam War. “Ken turned to me and said ‘OK, I think we can really try to do Vietnam now,’ and I said, ‘I’m in. I’ve been in since day one, I’ve always wanted to do this story,’”…
‘Trophy’ documentary examines all aspects of hunting industry
One of the most talked about documentaries to premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival was Christina Clusiau and Shaul Schwarz’s Trophy. From hunters to conservationist, Trophy looks at all angles and captures some remarkable, albeit disturbing, images of nature.
Michal Aviad’s documentary shows spirit of Dimona settlers
Dimona Twist is partly about that cultural issue, but mostly, it's about women. Strong, wise, heartwarming women. Winner of the Van Leer award for Best Israeli Documentary Film - Jerusalem Interantional Film Festival, Israel, Director Michal Aviad dares to take "the cultural genie" out of the bottle.
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala story Heat & Dust newly re-released in 4G
In 1983, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's Booker-prize winning novel Heat and Dust was released in theatres for its first run, and in 1984, BAFTA rewarded her with a Best Adapted Screenplay award. But even many film buffs will not recognize her name. Ruth Prawer Who??? Although she was the genius who wrote most of screenplays for their their…
Female directors, protagonists redefining genre expectations
The 70th Locarno Film Festival (held in Locarno, Switzerland) excluded all films solely directed by women in its main competition. Other categories, however, included a handful of female directors and a couple “assertive” female leads, according to critic Jaime Grijalba in his essay “French Women Take a Stand: How Two New French Films Address Issues…
NYC's Film Society of Lincoln Center presents “Jane Campion’s Own Stories” Retrospective
Jane Campion, the pioneering New Zealand-born filmmaker known for her Oscar-winning film The Piano (1993) and now Sundance TV’s “Top of the Lake” series, is being honored with a retrospective look at her innovative film career. “Jane Campion’s Own Stories,” will run from September 8th through September 17th at the Film Society of Lincoln Center…
Julia Solomonoft's ‘Nobody’s Watching’ presents the immigrant experience
As our culture continues the debate surrounding cultural identity, immigration and diversity, Julia Solomonoft's new film Nobody's Watching (aka Nadie nos mira) comes at a perfect time. The film tells the story of Nico (Guillermo Pfening, best actor at this year's Tribeca Film Festival), a famous actor who's just moved to New York City and…
‘Viceroy’s House’ views Indian Partition through British lens
Gurinder Chadha, director of What's Cooking, Bend It Like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice, defines herself as a female British-Indian filmmaker - that part of her identity impacting the films she chooses to make. A majority of her films, which she writes and directs, focus on the struggle Indian women finding their place in English…
'Wonder Woman' crosses $800M mark
Wonder Woman has passed the $800 million mark. As the summer blockbuster continues to dominate the worldwide box office, director Patty Jenkins has formally signed a contract with Warner Bros. to return for the sequel, making her the highest-paid female director in Hollywood. Grossing $404 million domestically and receiving unanimous praise from members of the…
Angelina Jolie’s ‘First They Killed My Father’ gets Netflix premiere date
Release Date: September 15th, 2017 Angelina Jolie directs this Cambodia-set feature film based on Loung Ung’s memoir, “First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers.” Seen through the eyes of a five-year-old cut off from her family during the Khmer Rouge years (commonly known as the Cambodian Holocaust), script co-writer Ung details her…