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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Women and Hollywood

Francois Ozon Believes That Many Women Fantasize About Being Prostitutes

You gotta love the news that comes out of Cannes. In between burglaries (they should check and see if the Bling Ring posse is still in town) you get some wonderful juicy tidbits from artists which cause you to wonder what the fuck are these people thinking.
  • By Melissa Silverstein
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  • May 21, 2013 1:30 PM
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  • 19 Comments

2013 Cannes News - Part 2

More lady news coming out of Cannes.
  • By Melissa Silverstein
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  • May 17, 2013 5:30 PM
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  • 0 Comments

2013 Cannes News- Part 1

Some news coming out of Cannes
  • By Melissa Silverstein
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  • May 16, 2013 12:00 PM
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  • 0 Comments

France vs. US - What Do Movie Stars Looks Like?

As the Cannes Film Festival kicks off here is an infographic from French TV (and in French) that breaks down the difference between the US and French film industries.
  • By Melissa Silverstein
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  • May 15, 2013 11:45 AM
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  • 8 Comments

Cannes Adds 2 More Women Directed Films to Un Certain Regard, None to Competition

Today the Cannes Film Festival announced additions to their Competition and Un Certain Regard line ups.
  • By Melissa Silverstein
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  • April 26, 2013 12:42 PM
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  • 0 Comments

Cannes Announces Jury Members

Cannes just announced the members of this year's Steven Spielberg led jury for the festival and to say it is a high profile bunch would be an understatement. Joining the jury is Oscar winning actress Nicole Kidman, Japanese director and former Cannes competitor and winner Naomi Kawase, Indian actress Vidya Balan and British director and another former Cannes competitor Lynne Ramsay. It's heartening to see Ramsay included in the Cannes jury especially so soon after Jane Got a Gun.
  • By Kerensa Cadenas
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  • April 25, 2013 11:15 AM
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  • 3 Comments

Cannes Announces Critic Week and Directors Fortnight Line Ups

The Cannes Film Festival continues to roll out more of the lineup.
  • By Melissa Silverstein
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  • April 24, 2013 12:00 PM
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  • 0 Comments

Whose Responsibility Is It To Move The Dial for Women Directors?

So now that the Cannes lineup is in the rear view mirror it's time for a moment of reflection.  I want to thank Mr. Thierry Fremaux the head of the Cannes Film Festival, for inspiring this moment.  He talked to Screen Daily following the announcement of the lineup and made some interesting points worth further consideration
  • By Melissa Silverstein
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  • April 22, 2013 11:30 AM
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  • 11 Comments

Cannes Unveils 2013 Line Up With One Female Director in Main Competition

  • By Melissa Silverstein
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  • April 18, 2013 12:39 PM
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  • 11 Comments

Jane Campion to Receive Carrosse d'Or

At next month's Cannes Film Festival, Jane Campion will receive the Carrosse d'Or.
  • By Kerensa Cadenas
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  • April 10, 2013 10:14 AM
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  • 0 Comments

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