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.

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Blog Roll

Sundance Interview with Lynn Shelton – Director of Touchy Feely

Interviews

I had never met Lynn Shelton before last month but I already felt like I knew her. She has a way of telling us stories about other people that are really about all of us. Her new film Touchy Feely is about about a brother a sister, one who touches for a living and one who makes a point of not getting too close to anyone. The film is about conections and about intimacy and stars the incomparable Rosemarie DeWitt as a massseuse who developes an aversion to touching with a terrific performance by Josh Pais as her brother who begins healing through his touch.

By Melissa Silverstein
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February 5, 2013 2:00 PM
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The Help Rises to Number One at the Box Office in Week Two

The story with Hollywood movies is that films open big in their first weekend and then drop off precipitously in their second weekend as a film opening takes the box office crown. That is not the case with The Help. It is the second film this year -- the first being True Grit in January -- to rise to first place in its second week of release. (Box office experts also noted that The Blind Side, which this film is being compared to in terms of audience, budget and potential awards, also rose to number 1 after its initial release.) The film has also bested the recent August releases of Julie & Julia and Eat, Pray Love -- films with big stars (Meryl Streep, Amy Adams and Julia Roberts) also based on widely read books.

By Melissa Silverstein
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August 22, 2011 2:00 AM
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The Controversy Over The Help

The Help has stirred up many emotions since it opened on Wednesday. But that hasn't prevented the film from becoming a hit. It grossed over $35 million since it opened and already made back its budget of $25 million. While I'm sure that Participant and Dreamworks would rather not have the controversy, they are sure happy with these opening numbers.

By Melissa Silverstein
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August 15, 2011 4:01 AM
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18 Comments

Cross Post: Going to See The Help at The White House by Carol Jenkins

If not for an invitation from Michelle Obama (you know, her people emailed my people) I might have missed seeing The Help. But a request for my presence in the White House screening room was too enticing–not to mention singular– to turn down.

By Melissa Silverstein
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August 12, 2011 1:40 AM
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2 Comments

Why The Help Matters

After a long summer of superhero dudes and exploding machines, women are finally getting a one for our team. Actually, a second one. Remember Bridesmaids from May? Doesn't that seem sooo long ago? I don't want to complain too much (well, I do) but there have been multiple (I don't care to count) films targeted and starring at guys that open wide. And we get two.

By Melissa Silverstein
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August 10, 2011 2:00 AM
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4 Comments

Allison Janney Talks About The Help

Can't pass up a chance to share a conversation with Allison Janney

By Melissa Silverstein
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August 5, 2011 12:43 PM
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3 Comments