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

Sparkle on Nightline

Video

Producer Debra Martin Chase and star Jordin Sparks talked to Deborah Roberts about Whitney Houston's last film Sparkle which is opening on Friday. Martin Chase and Houston were producing partners and friends for over a decade and Sparkle was supposed to be Houston's comeback role. Sadly, the movie will be her final role.

By Melissa Silverstein
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August 14, 2012 10:30 AM
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Video

Film hits screens on August 17th.

By Melissa Silverstein
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August 5, 2012 9:26 AM
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Video

Watching this made me sad about Whitney Houston all over again. Opens August 10.

By Melissa Silverstein
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April 3, 2012 9:37 AM
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For those of you who don't know, I am the artistic director and co-founder of the awesome (if I do say so myself) Athena Film Festival. We will launch year two on February 9. We will be announcing the awardees and the films over the next two months.

The fact that we are going into year two is news in itself. In this difficult economic times raising money and support for a film festival about women's leadership is challenging. I am so proud to be working with a great community of people at Barnard College -- especially my co-founder Kitty Kolbert and the college's President Debora Spar -- who believe in this effort.

By Melissa Silverstein
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November 18, 2011 2:27 PM
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Woman Power Fuels Disney Channel's Lemonade Mouth

This Friday, Disney Channel will launch a new feel good TV movie, Lemonade Mouth about a tween band that comes together and motivates kids to stand up for themselves. The press material says: "As they learn about music and about life, the group must surmount obstacles including their own lack of confidence, a rivalry with the popular band Mudslide Crush and a school administration that just doesn't understand them."

By Melissa Silverstein
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April 12, 2011 4:43 AM
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Debra Martin Chase to Produce Sparkle Remake at Sony

Producer Debra Martin Chase has teamed up with The Game showrunners and creators Mara Brock Akil and her husband Salim Akil to produce a remake of the 1976 film Sparkle which originally starred Irene Cara. The film is loosely based on the story of the Supremes and there are three plum roles for African American actresses in this remake. Kind of feels like it could be a lot like Dreamgirls which was a big hit. Maybe there are even roles for both Jennifer Hudson and Beyonce in this film too.

By Melissa Silverstein
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March 24, 2011 2:02 AM
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4 Comments