brandy mcdonnell – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

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

October 14, 2021October 14, 2021 Betsy Bozdech age appropriate, betsy bozdech, brandy mcdonnell, halloween, jennifer merin, liz whittemore, nell minow, scary movies

Research shows that, on average, kids see horror movies as young as 7 years old. And we’ve all noticed members of the PG crowd at decidedly R-rated movies — in fact, when my daughter was in the second grade, she had multiple classmates who’d seen “It.” It’s not realistic to expect that we can shield kids from scary or gory content forever. And, in fact, it can be counterproductive to prevent children from seeing any kind of conflict, loss, or trauma on screen. Far better to use these moments, when they come, as opportunities to help them through hard stuff in a safe place.

Spotlight

SPOTLIGHT September 2021: Jane Campion, feminist filmmaker, Dame Companion and Lumiere Honoree

September 1, 2021September 1, 2021 Jennifer Merin brandy mcdonnell, EDA Awards, jane campion, jennifer merin, lumiere award, oscars, spotlight, the piano, the power of the dog

Jane Campion has furthered the cause of women in film by holding steady to her own extraordinary aesthetic, unique career choices and creation of dazzling visual poetry. Throughout her career, her feminist approach to filmmaking has been expressed in her distinctive vision and directorial style, and in her consistent creation of strong, complex and fully fleshed out female characters who rank among the finest, most compelling in film history.

Lists

Women’s History Month Watch List: REAL REEL WOMEN

February 27, 2021March 12, 2023 Jennifer Merin alexandra heller-nicholas, betsy bozdech, brandy mcdonnell, carol cling, Cate Marquis, jennifer merin, kimberley jones, Laura Emerick, leslie combemale, linda cook, liz braun, loren king, lynn venhaus, Marilyn Ferdinand., movie watch lists, nell minow, real reel women, real women portrayed in fiction films, sandie angulo chen, sarah knight adamson, susan wloszczyna, women's history month

Throughout cinema history, films by and about women have enthralled audiences, accrued awards and honors worldwide and scored at the box office while influencing out social social mores and enriching our cultural conversation. Although some Hollywood honchos and haters assert that female-centric movies are less likely to be commercial successes, our list proves them wrong. Movies that tell women’s stories have legs. Released to celebrate Women’s History Month, AWFJ’s REAL REEL WOMEN List is an annotated roster of 50 fascinating real women whose remarkable true stories have been told in narrative features since the earliest days of moviemaking.

Commentaries

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

October 27, 2019October 27, 2019 Betsy Bozdech 0 Comments betsy pozdech, brandy mcdonnell, halloween, jennifer merin, liz whittemore, nell minow, scary movies

Research shows that, on average, kids see horror movies as young as 7 years old. And we’ve all noticed members of the PG crowd at decidedly R-rated movies — in fact, when my daughter was in the second grade, she had multiple classmates who’d seen “It.” And that’s a problem. While research indicates that media violence doesn’t directly make kids who are exposed to it more aggressive, some studies do suggest that, combined with other risk factors — including things like substance abuse and conflict at home — media violence can contribute to violent behavior.

Festivals

AWFJ’s Take on TIFF19 – An Index to AWFJ Members’ Coverage

September 15, 2019September 22, 2019 Jennifer Merin 0 Comments alexandra heller-nicholas, brandy mcdonnell, julide tanriverdi, lauren bradshaw, loren king, sarah knight adamson, TIFF19, toronti international film festival

With the Alliance of Women Film Journalists’ special focus on women’s representation in the industry and at highlighted industry events, we’re keen on presenting AWFJ members’ coverage of TIFF19. Seventeen AWFJ members were credentialed by TIFF this year. And, kudos to Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Loren King, Sarah Knight Adamson, Julide Tanriverdi, Brandy McDonnell and Lauren Bradshaw for their TIFF-related contributions to AWFJ.org. Read their brilliant commentaries…

Festivals

Memphis Film Prize 2019 Wrap – Sarah Knight Adamson reports

August 9, 2019September 1, 2019 Sarah Knight Adamson 0 Comments a night out, abby meyers, brandy mcdonnell, film festivals, gregory kallenberg, john wildman, latresia D bobo, lynn venhaus, memphis film prize, sarah knight adamson, Short films

The Memphis Film Prize is a uniquely creative showcase for emerging talent. Filmmakers from across the country submit short films — five to fifteen minutes long — for a cash prize of $10,000. The main requirement is that the films be shot in Shelby County, Tenn. Ten films selected for the competition are screened for audiences and judges in August, and a winner is chosen. The goal of the festival is to compensate creativity, allowing filmmakers to keep their creative work moving forward. I was one of three AWFJ members on the 2019 jury.

Commentaries

For Agnes Varda: A Memorial Tribute and Celebration

March 30, 2019June 27, 2019 Loren King 0 Comments agnes varda, betsy bozdech, brandy mcdonnell, cleo from 5 to 7, faces places, jennifer merin, loren king, Marilyn Ferdinand., Movie of the Week

RIP Agnes Varda. You have left the mortal realm of moviemakers, but your films, curiosity, love of life and feminism are still guiding lights for audiences who believe that movies matter. The Alliance of Women Film Critics honors your memory with this collective tribute of articles and reviews by members of the Alliance of Women Film Journalists.

Commentaries

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

October 20, 2018October 20, 2018 Betsy Bozdech 0 Comments brandy mcdonnell, cabletv, childrens movies, halloween, horror movies, jennifer merin, liz whittemore, nell minow

It’s not realistic to expect that we can shield kids from scary or gory content forever. And, in fact, it can be counterproductive to prevent children from seeing any kind of conflict, loss, or trauma on screen. Far better to use these moments, when they come, as opportunities to help them through hard stuff in a safe place. Continue reading…

EDA Awards News