Four Chicago film critics provided their thoughts about the 91st Academy Award nominations January 22. FF2 Media Contributor Pamela Powell joined WGN’s Dean Richards, WCIU’s Brandon Pope and Hollywood and Chicago’s Patrick McDonald at the CMX Cinemas in Skokie to discuss their favorite films, along with snubs and surprises. The critics unanimously agreed that Roma…
Category: Events/Festivals
This is the place where we cover “sneak peeks” of films seen at film festivals &/or special screening events. These are NOT intended to be full reviews (like the reviews on Penny & Tzivi). Sneak Peeks are “appetizers” to give readers enough of a taste to whet their appetites. Whenever possible, Sneak Peeks should include photos of the event — including photos of FF2 Team Members at the event — especially in the context of a film festival. Goal is to give readers a “we were there” feel :-)
Sundance increases number of women directors
This year’s Sundance Film Festival (Park City/Salt Lake City, Utah) will be different. What makes it different is the presence of female-directed movies - close to 42 percent, according to Women and Hollywood report. With a four percent overall increase from last year, female-directed films will be featured in various categories, including large percentages in…
#MakeOscarGold campaign breaks down male bias
Although the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has faced backlash of their mostly-male, mostly-white nominees, generating hashtag campaigns like #OscarsSoWhite and #OscarsSoBlue, FF2 Media continues championing #MakeOscarGold: merit-based award nominations.
New York Jewish Film Festival program to highlight films by women
Have a case of the winter blues? Get out and see a film festival! The New York Jewish Film Festival runs from January 9-22 at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Out of the 22 feature films playing at the festival, eight are by women directors.
Golden Globes acceptance speeches laud female creators
There were many triumphant moments for women at the 76th Golden Globe Awards, despite very few female writers and directors being represented in film categories. Many winning actresses used their acceptance speeches as an opportunity to champion female creators. On the television side, Best Actress Rachel Brosnahan of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel thanked many women…
Golden Globes Preview: Female-directed features snubbed
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has once again neglected to acknowledge female filmmakers in its pool of Golden Globe nominees. For the fourth year in a row, no women are nominated for best director. Only five women have ever been nominated in this category, and Barbra Streisand is the only winner (for Yentl in 1984).…
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…
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.
The Bostonians 4K Restoration World Premiere—Q&A with James Ivory
The Quad in New York screened the World Premiere 4K Restoration of The Bostonians on November 30th 2018. The film boasts many awards and nominations, and is one of the many proud pieces created by the collaborating partners Director James Ivory and Writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. Jhabvala has won two Oscar awards and nominated for…
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,…
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.
Films by women directors are few, but memorable at NYFF
The New York Film Festival of the Film Society of Lincoln Center (FSLC) sets the standard for the best arthouse films in the U.S. The 56th annual festival opened September 28, 2018, and ran through October 14. This year’s included a modest number of women directors, but, as Ruth Gordon wrote in the classic Pat…
Nia DaCosta's 'Little Woods' the heart of Chicago International Film Festival
The Chicago International Film Festival wraps up today after featuring an excellent 12-day lineup, 30 percent of which was directed by women. Female characters and their creators played a central role in this year’s festival, from documentaries to foreign language features, but it was the following films directed by women that made the most impact.…
Chicago International Film Festival screens best from Vietnam, Dominican Republic
Continue to support more female filmmakers by attending Ash Mayfair’s The Third Wife (Vietnam), Natalia Cabral’s film Miriam Lies (Dominican Republic, Spain), Laura Bispuri’s film Daughter of Mine (Italy) and Sudabeh Mortezai’s film Joy (Austria). For more information on the CIFF, please visit their site.
CIFF this week: ‘Olympia’ and ‘Core of the World’ part of Women in Cinema
In part one of FF2 Media’s “Best of the Fest” coverage for the 54th Annual Chicago International Film Festival, we covered several interesting films directed by women. CIFF will run through October 21 at the AMC River East Theater. Support female filmmakers by attending the festival and screening McKenzie Chinn’s Olympia (United States) and Natalya…
Complex parental relationships a dominant theme at Chicago International Film Festival
Though the festival is offering a variety of notable foreign films from female directors now through Oct. 21, FF2 has selected three of our favorites from France, Italy and Spain - all of which display the complex relationships between parents and their children, the past and the present.
Women directors screen compelling stories at CIFF
The 54th annual Chicago International Film Festival began October 10 and will run through October 21 at the AMC River East Theater. There are 5,596 films from 135 countries - 38 of those films are directed by women.
Historic SWAN Day brings women and organizers together at Statera Conference
For the first time, the SWAN torch was passed on to StateraArts who will continue the movement under their umbrella. Many of the original SWAN organizers were there to witness this historical event - Christine Young from University of San Francisco, Sophie Doolan from Kenya, Jennifer Hill from Connecticut, Vanessa Gondron from Prague, and many…
Future bright for International ‘Support Women Artists Now’ Day
The historic International SWAN Day gathering took place in Milwaukee at the Statera Arts Conference (Oct. 4-7) where women from all over the world met to discuss the future of SWAN Day and witness “the swan” being passed on to Statera Arts (read more here).
‘Support Women Artists Now’ Day charges toward March ‘19
International SWAN Day. What is it? International Support Women Artists Now Day, a holiday celebrating the vast work of female writers, directors and creatives around the world. Held on the last Saturday of March, women (and men) gather to support the work of their favorite female artist - past or present - in any event…
In 'Capernaum' Nadine Labaki gives voice to Lebanon's invisible children
When the film Capernaum begins, audiences are immediately struck by the dramatic stand the film takes on the nature of poverty and neglect of children. A 12-year-old named Zain, in juvenile prison for stabbing someone, has sued his parents for neglect, telling the judge he’s suing them because they “gave him life.” While hearing this…
Woodstock Film Festival to spotlight women in film
“The 2018 Woodstock Film Festival is poised to be one of the most fiercely independent and empowering, with nearly half of the filmmakers being female,” Woodstock Film Festival Co-Founder and Executive Director Meira Blaustein said, “.. so many of the works telling meaningful stories by both emerging and accomplished filmmakers.”
HIFF champions women filmmakers, honors ‘E.T.’ writer Melissa Mathison
It’s not too late to head out to the Hamptons this week for the 26th annual Hamptons International Film Festival. The four-day festival takes place from October 4 to the 8, with Alec Baldwin and Randy Mastro serving as co-chairmen.
Few women directors featured at New York Film Festival
Unfortunately, if you’re looking to watch feature films by women filmmakers at the NYFF, you must know that the scale is tipped in the men’s favor. That doesn’t mean that associate director of programming, Florence Almozini, isn’t trying to bring more female representation to the festival. As she describes in my interview, it’s not exactly…
Chicago International Film Festival increases list of female directors
With more than 6,000 film entries, 36 out of 123 chosen feature films are directed by women, just under 30 percent. In the shorts category, it’s an equal representation of 50 percent.
‘That Time of Year’ director talks frustrating family bonds
Despite happening in September, a multitude of films this year were set during and around Christmas at the Toronto International Film Festival. After all, many can relate to the high pressure that comes with the holidays, especially holidays you celebrate with your family. That sense of frustration and love is key to Paprika Steen’s new…
‘Float Like a Butterfly’ director: "There's no such thing as a natural-born misogynist"
At this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, the Prize of the International Federation of Film Critics was awarded to Carmel Winters for Float Like a Butterfly, who attended the festival with her stars, Hazel Doupe (Francis) and Dara Devaney (Michael).
Sam Taylor-Johnson returns to indie world to make dream project a reality
Back to her indie-roots, with her husband Aaron Taylor-Johnson (the star of her first feature Nowhere Boy) alongside her once again to star and co-writer, they adapted James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces into a new film which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.
'Out of the Blue' star Patricia Clarkson at TIFF: "We need more female critics"
This understanding of the direct connection is part of the reason director Carol Morley was compelled to make her own version of Martin Amis' 1997 novel "Mystery Train." Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, Out of the Blue stars Patricia Clarkson as Detective Mike Hoolihan.
Women behind horror-western 'The Wind' hope to subvert familiar genres
The only human beings for miles, the two women develop a close but contentious relationship, made all the worse by the fear that something supernatural is among them. I spoke with the film’s writer, director, and leading actress Gerald about creating historical accuracy in genre and joining what has traditionally been a boys club.