ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

Female Film Critics 24/375

Commentaries

Commentaries 

Seasonal Watch: Basketball Movies – Jennifer Merin reports

Jennifer Merin , ,

For millions of Americans and for the international multitude who follow the sport, life at this time of year is all about basketball. Whether you’re a basketball fanatic or not, a diehard fan dedicated to an NBA team or not, or you’re crushing on a particular pro player or not, it’s hard not to follow the sport and its players at this time of year, when live playoff games are streaming and social media is screaming BASKETBALL. Thrilling videos let you watch, rewatch and marvel at the stunning choreography of great plays. But basketball life is chronicled off the courts, too, with inspiring cinematic stories about the game, its outstanding personnel and its social and cultural impact.

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Commentaries 

AWFJ/UNCSA Mentorship Program for Emerging Film Critics – Julia Swift reports

Julia Swift , , , , ,

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) and the Alliance of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ) have partnered to launch the AWFJ/UNCSA Critic Mentorship Program, a new initiative designed to bridge the gap between academic study and the professional world of film criticism. For this inaugural year, two exceptional UNCSA students have been selected as AWFJ Mentorship Fellows. Walker Conger and Abby Perkins have been chosen for their strong writing abilities and potential to contribute meaningfully to film journalism, these mentees will have the opportunity to publish reviews and features, gaining real-world experience in editorial processes and public discourse.

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Commentaries 

DROP DEAD CITY: NYC in Film During the 1970s – Essay by Yael Friedman (Guest post)

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The wonderful recent documentary Drop Dead City by Michael Rohatyn and Peter Yost about the 1975 fiscal crisis is a fittingly dramatic retelling of this pivotal moment in the city’s history. It is, of course, titled after the famous Daily News headline from when President Gerald R. Ford allegedly told the city to “drop dead,” after Mayor Abe Beame and Governor Hugh Carey arrived in Washington, hats in hand, asking for federal aid. The film shows the disdain for New York held by politicians and folks elsewhere, and the righteous indignation of New Yorkers after seeing the headline. Ultimately, President Ford’s conviction to let New York City fail did not prevail, his coarse morality tale about the role of government and the spendthrift Sodom was disrupted. With aid from Washington and a new austerity plan created by the newly formed Municipal Assistance Corporation (MAC), New York pulled back from the brink–––even if to emerge a lesser city in many ways.

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Commentaries 

OSCARS UPDATE: Expanding the International Market – Jennifer Green reports

Jennifer Green , , , ,

Non-English-language feature films received a record number of nominations to the Oscars this year. The nominations show the Academy is “Becoming a Citizen of the World,” The Hollywood Reporter proclaimed on Jan. 22, citing the #OscarsSoWhite backlash from a decade ago that prompted the Academy to diversity its membership, including now a full 25% of voting members from abroad. But there’s another way to look at this. This year’s international diversification might also reveal that the Academy is cognizant of two simultaneous trends that are likely to shape its future.

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Commentaries Guest Posts 

BROWNSVILLE BRED: Crafting Authentic Music – Elaine Del Valle comments

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Independent filmmakers rarely have the resources to buy the music their stories deserve. Yet music often carries the emotional weight of our films — especially when the work is autobiographical, culturally specific, or rooted in family memory. As the writer and director of Brownsville Bred — an auteur, coming-of-age, music-driven story based on my own childhood in Brownsville, Brooklyn — I learned early that music wouldn’t be an accessory. It would be the heartbeat.

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Commentaries 

AWFJ’s High School Mentorship Program – Cortland Jacoby reports

Cortland Jacoby , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

As 2025 winds down, we want to report on the film critic mentorship program AWFJ piloted in partnership with my former high school teacher, Drew Marvin, at Woodson High School in Northern Virginia. Students aged 15 through 18 in grades nine through 12 participated in Mr. Marvin’s after school film club which convened every other week or so.

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Commentaries 

Horror Movies and Kids: A Scary Combination — Betsy Bozdech, with Brandy McDonnell, Jennifer Merin, Nell Minow and Liz Whittemore

Betsy Bozdech , , , , , , ,

In 2019, a survey conducted for the streaming service Tubi revealed that the average age at which people see their first horror movie is 10 years old. While that doesn’t necessarily mean that all kids are in the same boat, we’ve all noticed members of the PG crowd at decidedly R-rated movies. What’s the level of fear they experience during these movies, and how do onscreen blood and gore influence their social expectations? Our members weigh in.

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Books Commentaries 

Alexandra Heller-Nicholas’ 1000 WOMEN IN HORROR: 1895-2018 (Exclusive Excerpt)

Alexandra Heller-Nicholas , ,

For myself and so many of my women friends – those when I was a kid, and those today – horror spoke to us on what was often a primal level about living in a world where physical threat is a constantly present reality, where danger quite possibly is hiding just around the corner. In this context, pretending the world is all sunshine and rainbows just doesn’t cut it. Any woman who has walked home alone in the dark at night and even once looked behind her or quickened her step has first-hand experience of the fears and anxieties that horror often speaks to, whether they personally enjoy horror movies or not.

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Commentaries Lists 

Females Take Action in 2024 Prequels – Michelle McCue reports

Michelle McCue , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Women have played significant roles in science fiction and horror films since the inception of the genres, and over the years, the female characters have become increasingly complex and empowering. In recent decades, there has been a growing trend towards strong female protagonists in sci-fi and horror films. These characters challenge traditional gender roles and demonstrate intelligence in horrific situations. They are often portrayed as capable leaders, skilled fighters, or brilliant scientists. Some notable examples of strong female protagonists in sci-fi and horror include Ellen Ripley from the Alien franchise, Sarah Connor from the Terminator franchise, Laurie Stroud from the Halloween series and Alice from Resident Evil. 2024 has been a year filled with highly anticipated prequels that included many strong performances from women in the lead roles.

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Commentaries 

Horror Movies and Kids: A Scary Combination — Betsy Bozdech, with Brandy McDonnell, Jennifer Merin, Nell Minow and Liz Whittemore

Betsy Bozdech , , , , , , ,

In 2019, a survey conducted for the streaming service Tubi revealed that the average age at which people see their first horror movie is 10 years old. While that doesn’t necessarily mean that all kids are in the same boat, we’ve all noticed members of the PG crowd at decidedly R-rated movies. What’s the level of fear they experience during these movies, and how do onscreen blood and gore influence their social expectations? Our members weigh in

Read more