Sandra Luckow has been a working documentarian for more than two decades. Although she's occasionally included herself in her work, such as the feature Belly Talkers about ventriloquists (one of her other skills). But her new film That Way Madness Lies, is her most personal and painfully revealing film, documenting her brother's descent due to…
Category: Features
Queer Your Queue: Lesbian period pieces to watch after 'The Favourite'
Our readers may have seen that I had a lot of thoughts about The Favourite and its use of queer characters in a period piece. My main point in that article was that the stories we tell influence our internal realities, which then affects how we interact with our external realities. While simply watching “woke”…
‘The Favourite’ Queers The Past And The Present
I’m currently on a mission to get every queer person I know to see The Favourite. You could say it’s my “Favourite” movie of 2018, and since I’m writing this in late December you can really tell I’ve seen everything the year has to offer and chosen this decadent lesbian sweetmeat of a film out…
Christina Hodson's 'Bumblebee' tackles Transformers franchise with heart and humor
Hodson is one of the women in the genre on the rise in the industry, landing on the Blacklist three times before being tapped for Bumblebee. We’ll next see her name in the DC Universe with Birds of Prey (the Harley Quinn film starring Margot Robbie) and Batgirl. She’ll also be living out a childhood…
Watch at Home: ‘All About Nina’ & more from female filmmakers
FF2 Media’s new “Watch at Home” columns list the new films written and/or directed by women filmmakers that are newly available each week on DVD, Video On Demand &/or streaming services.
'Mortal Engines,' Peter Jackson and the future of fantasy film
Mortal Engines is a clear attempt at a new fantasy series by the team behind The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Co-written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson, the film takes place in a futuristic world where resources have greatly depleted and cities-on-wheels hunt each other.
Penny Marshall: A pioneer for women in film
Penny Marshall was a pioneer for women filmmakers. The actress, director and producer died December 17, leaving behind a lifetime of memorable work.
Film Forum hosts Q&A with 'Capernaum' filmmaker Nadine Labaki
On Friday, December 14, Film Forum screened the film Capernaum from acclaimed director, writer, and actor Nadine Labaki, boasting 18 awards and 16 nominations. Nadine Labaki’s tear-jerking, powerful movie Capernaum follows a young boy of roughly 12 years old in Lebanon. In the film, Labaki takes us through a whirlwind of a story showing the struggle…
Maria Pulera wants to embrace the weird and wild in 'Between Worlds'
Written and directed by Maria Pulera, the genre-bending Between Worlds weaves supernatural horror and erotic thriller together to create a wild, sometimes campy, often funny ride.
Today, it's OK to cry in baseball
When I was a little girl, I had a sweater that had an ‘L’ sewn onto the chest – just like Laverne DeFazio had worn on her sweater in the ABC sitcom Laverne & Shirley. I wore it because, obviously, my name is Lisa, but also because two of my favorite actresses at the time…
Watch at Home: ‘A Simple Favor’ & more from female filmmakers
Based on the book of the same name, Paul Feig's A Simple Favor offers a charming fun comedic thriller with a side dish of mystery.
Romance, class and heists in Stacy Cochran's 'Write When You Get Work'
Stacy Cochran takes a similar approach with her new romantic dramedy/heist film Write When You Get Work. In the world of New York high finance and Manhattan private schools, have-not Johnny (Finn Wittrock) pursues his ex-Ruth (Rachel Keller), an admissions officer, and gets entangled in the lives of the Nobles (Emily Mortimer and James Ransone),…
'Jeff Tries to Save the World' in Kendell Goldberg's debut film
Writer-director Kendell Goldberg, making her feature debut with Jeff Tries to Save the World (an extension of the short she made in college). Despite it’s big title, Goldberg has created an intimate and sweet story about Jeff (played by Jon Heder in one of his best performances) who takes great pleasure in his work as…
Women directors shut out of early award nominations
Despite the supposed advances for women in the entertainment industry fueled by the #MeToo movement of 2017, the first round of awards cycle nominations show little progress for acknowledging female directors.
Watch at Home: ‘The Miseducation of Cameron Post’ & more from female filmmakers
From Editor-in-Chief Jan Lisa Huttner: It is an honor to introduce our newest team member, Danielle Solzman (Managing Editor of Solzy at the Movies). Danielle's mission is to track films as they migrate from theatres in Manhattan to home screens everywhere (either on DVD, VOD &/or Streaming). So add FF2's "Watch at Home" link to your weekly…
Danish director Pernille Fischer talks inspiration behind ‘Becoming Astrid’
Swedish author Astrid Lindgren is mostly remembered for Pippi Longstocking and Karlsson-on-the-Roof book series. Her numerous titles have been translated into 85 languages and published in more than 100 countries. Now, everyone will have a chance to see what teenage Astrid’s life was before she became this literary giant - Becoming Astrid opened November 23…
'The Long Dumb Road' offers modern take on buddy-road movie
For audiences who love annual viewings of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, there’s a new road comedy out in select theaters and on-demand. The Long Dumb Road is a bit of left turn from Hannah Fidell, whose previous dramas A Teacher and 6 Years, focused on deeply flawed women. The Long Dumb Road may be a…
‘Saving Daisy’ seeks to raise awareness for trauma survivors
Ella Fairon will direct the short documentary Saving Daisy, following sexual assault survivor Daisy Coleman through treatment for her post-traumatic stress disorder. Viewers first met Coleman in the Netflix documentary Audrie & Daisy, which told parallel stories about the trauma associated with sexual assault. Saving Daisy will largely focus on eye movement desensitization reprocessing, a…
DOC NYC: Sarah Teale & Lisa F. Jackson talk 'Patrimonio'
Each and every year at DOC NYC Film Festival, the films are extraordinary, providing insight and knowledge about topics, many of which were previously unknown. This year, we have a classic David versus Goliath tale in Baja Sur, Mexico thanks to the dedicated talent and determination of filmmakers Sarah Teale and Lisa F. Jackson with…
Lewinsky has last word in female-directed docuseries
The A&E docuseries The Clinton Affair premiered November 18, the first in a six-part series reexamining the former president’s controversial affair with Monica Lewinsky. The show marks 20 years since Clinton’s impeachment process began in December 1998, in which he was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice for lying under oath about his relationship…
Screen adaptations a rarity for female authors
Widows and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald both hit theaters November 15, with the latter earning $9.1 million on its opening night according to early Deadline reports. Both films are written by best-selling authors - Widows by Gillian Flynn and Fantastic Beasts by JK Rowling. Their screenplays are entirely original, not adapted from novels.
DOC NYC: ‘Care to Laugh’ shows humor, hope of caregivers
In Care to Laugh, comic Jesus Trejo balances his life each and every day as he cares for his elderly parents and perfects his art as a comedian in Los Angeles. Care to Laugh will play at the DOC NYC Film Festival on Wednesday, Nov. 14 and Thursday, Nov. 15.
New database gives history's women artists ‘A Space of Their Own’
The Advancing Women Artists Foundation will launch A Space of Their Own, an online database of more than 600 female artists working from the 15th and 19th centuries. The illustrated online space “will become something of a virtual museum, providing the public with access to paintings that might otherwise languish in museum storage,” according to…
DOC NYC: 'The Providers' hopes to bridge healthcare divide
The bottleneck remains in these parts of the country, even with dedicated providers, including those documented in Laura Green and Anna Moot-Levin’s new film, The Providers. Focusing on the El Centro Family Health clinics in New Mexico, the staff of doctors, nurse practitioners and physicians’ assistance work to provide the care their neighbors deserve.
DOC NYC: Gudrun Schyman talks 'The Feminist: a Swedish Inspiration'
DOC NYC and New York Women in Film & Television presented the International premiere of The Feminist: a Swedish Inspiration on Saturday, November 10 at Cinepolis Chelsea. Produced by Helene Granqvist and directed by Hampus Linder, the documentary is an intimate portrait of Gudrun Schyman—a living icon among feminist supporters in Sweden. As a candid politician,…
Netflix adds films by women to November roster
While you’re getting your Thanksgiving pants ready for the holiday season, be sure to check out these films (written and directed by women) streaming on Netflix this November.
'Distant Constellation' captures essence of disappearing community
Filmed over a six-year period, Shevaun Mizrahl’s debut film Distant Constellation required a slow and steady approach. The meditative film focuses on the final years of several seniors living in a Istanbul retirement home, all while the neighborhood they live in is being torn down and redeveloped.
Alicia Malone’s ‘The Female Gaze’ highlights essential movies from female filmmakers
Film reporter and author Alicia Malone highlights 52 female-directed films in her new book, “The Female Gaze.” She argues that the male lens and perspective is objectifying women in film rather than showing women as they are.
DOC NYC ‘is all the stronger for acknowledging’ women directors
Out of the 135 features, 62 of them -- or 46 percent -- have female directors or co-directors, an increase at the festival compared to both 2016 and 2017. “We have typically had representation of female filmmakers at 40 percent or more over the past several years,” said Basil Tsiokos, director of programming.
Hulu streams the year’s best from female filmmakers
Streaming service Hulu isn’t just for rewatching every new episode of The Good Place for the third time (although I highly recommend doing that). In addition to its same-day streaming of network and cable shows, premium original content like the Stephen King-inspired series Castle Rock and the award-winning phenomenon The Handmaid’s Tale, a Hulu subscription…