Industry

Not long ago, documentary films used to struggle to find market share. Only a small handful of brand-name auteurs, like Michael Moore and Errol Morris, would receive consistent wide-scale international release, and big box office breakthroughs, like the $127 million worldwide haul of 2005’s March of the Penguins, were few and far between.

Honoring Women’s History Month, the HPFA hosts its 2022 International Women Directors’ Symposium What’s Left to Do? Moderated by award-winning journalist and HFPA member KJ Matthews, this virtual panel connects three brilliant female directors – Teniola Olatoni Ojigbede from Nigeria, Katja von Garnier from Germany, and Sol Berruezo Pichon-Rivière from Argentina – to speak about the current trends, the controversy of being a woman in the modern movie industry, to discuss perspectives of the film industry and elaborate on what’s left to do. Join us at 9:00 am PT/12 pm ET on March 22, 2022: the HFPA International Women Directors’ Symposium will be streamed on our YouTube channel and www.

Pola Negri was a larger-than-life actress who constantly made headlines about her personal life, which overshadowed the real talent she displayed in her movies. The ultimate self-promoter, Negri was photographed walking her pet cheetah on the streets of Los Angeles, sporting red toenails, fur boots, and turban.

The first full-length feature film (four reels) made in India was 1913’s Raja Harischandra directed by filmmaker Dadasaheb Phalke. Phalke advertised in the local papers for actresses, but the only response he got was from prostitutes as acting was considered a disreputable occupation for women.

Who is Elena Ferrante? This has been one of the most asked questions in the “trivial pursuit” in literary circles and among her/his/their millions of readers in Italy and worldwide. Ferrante, the author of  “My Brilliant Friend” -- the quartet of novels based in Naples telling the story of a “girl friendship”  between the 1950s and the 2000s -- has become one the most famous pseudonyms ever in the history of publishing.

For the first time in film history, women have dominated the three most famous and the most important international film festivals in the world – Berlin, Cannes, and Venice – by earning their top awards. It’s impossible to predict whether this is the beginning of a new trend (although that is not likely), or a series of coincidences.

A panel of trailblazing Australian women in film took center stage for International Women’s Day in a panel held at the Brentwood home of Ambassador Jane Duke, Australian Consul-General to Los Angeles. The predominantly female audience gathered on the residence’s front lawn, and director Unjoo Moon (I Am Woman) led a dynamic panel including actresses Rose Byrne (Physical, Bridesmaids), Danielle Macdonald (The Tourist, Unbelievable), Charmaine Bingwa (The Good Fight), and Oscar-nominated cinematographer, Ari Wegner (The Power of the Dog).

Originally published March 17, 2022: ·  If you want to be in the know, avoid abbreviating the holiday to St. Patty’s Day.