Women and Hollywood


Melissa Silverstein is the founder and editor of Women and Hollywood, one of the most respected sites for issues related to women and film as well as other areas of pop culture. Women and Hollywood educates, advocates, and agitates for gender parity across the entertainment industry.

She is also the co-founder and Artistic Director of The Athena Film Festival. The 4th annual festival will take place from February 6-9, 2014 at Barnard College in NYC.

Melissa recently published the first book from Women and Hollywood, In Her Voice: Women Directors Talk Directing, which is a compilation of over 40 interviews that have appeared on the site.

Email Melissa

Women and Hollywood

Trailer Watch: Touchy Feely - Directed by Lynn Shelton

Lynn Shelton's latest, Touchy Feely, premiered at Sundance earlier this year. We got a chance to speak with Shelton at the festival about the film, which focuses on Abby (Rosemarie DeWitt), a massage therapist who suddenly develops an aversion to touch. While Abby is grappling with this, her brother Paul (Josh Pais), a dentist develops "healing powers" that transform his struggling practice. The film also stars Ellen Page and Allison Janney. 
  • By Kerensa Cadenas
  • |
  • June 18, 2013 10:15 AM
  • |
  • 0 Comments

Trailer Watch: In A World... Written, Directed and Starring Lake Bell

Lake Bell's directorial debut came out strong from Sundance with great reviews and winning the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. Finally, we've now got a trailer for the film.
  • By Melissa Silverstein and Kerensa Cadenas
  • |
  • June 14, 2013 10:00 AM
  • |
  • 0 Comments

Amy Adams: A Lois Lane We Deserve

Reviews for the new re-imagining of Superman--Man of Steel--hit the internet earlier in the week. So far many are saying it's a new version that is certainly worth checking out.
  • By Kerensa Cadenas
  • |
  • June 13, 2013 11:30 AM
  • |
  • 1 Comment

Trailer Watch: Haute Cuisine

Haute Cuisine is based on the true story of Daniele Delpeuche (Catherine Frot) and how she was appointed as the chef for Francois Mitterrand, the president of France.
  • By Kerensa Cadenas
  • |
  • June 13, 2013 9:49 AM
  • |
  • 0 Comments

Trailer Watch: Teaser for Diana - Starring Naomi Watts

Check out the teaser trailer for Diana, starring Naomi Watts, as the iconic Princess Diana. The film focuses on the last two years of her life--looking at her activism and relationships with Dodi Fayed and Hasnat Khan.
  • By Kerensa Cadenas
  • |
  • June 12, 2013 12:00 PM
  • |
  • 0 Comments

Trailer Watch: Red-Band Trailer for The To-Do List - Written and Directed by Maggie Carey

Maggie Carey's The To-Do List is on our list of our most anticipated summer movies. The film stars Aubrey Plaza as Brandy, a recent high school graduate who decides to channel her scholastic prowess into becoming more sexually experienced before she heads to college.
  • By Kerensa Cadenas
  • |
  • June 11, 2013 2:30 PM
  • |
  • 0 Comments

Trailer Watch: Lifetime's Anna Nicole - Directed by Mary Harron

The late Anna Nicole Smith has been one of the most fascinating and tragic celebrity figures. And Lifetime is telling her story.
  • By Kerensa Cadenas
  • |
  • June 10, 2013 2:00 PM
  • |
  • 0 Comments

Kathleen Kennedy on How Far Women Have to Go in Hollywood

President of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy was profiled as one of USA Today's Innovators and Icons. She talks about her history in the industry, her new position and about minorities in Hollywood.
  • By Kerensa Cadenas
  • |
  • June 7, 2013 1:48 PM
  • |
  • 0 Comments

Trailer Watch: Netflix's Orange is the New Black - Created by Jenji Kohan

Netflix is continuing to add to their growing original programming with Orange is the New Black created by Jenji Kohan (Weeds) and based on Piper Kerman's memoir. It's their first female led show.
  • By Kerensa Cadenas
  • |
  • June 7, 2013 12:30 PM
  • |
  • 0 Comments

Trailer Watch: Blackfish - Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite

The official trailer for Gabriela Cowperthwaite's Sundance hit, Blackfish, was recently released. Intense is the only way to describe it.  It feels a lot like The Cove about dolphins in Japan.
  • By Kerensa Cadenas
  • |
  • June 7, 2013 10:00 AM
  • |
  • 0 Comments

Email Updates