From the Daily Femme

While women make up a majority of moviegoers, it’s no secret that they are far from being equally represented within the film industry in terms of the roles available to them but also opportunities to direct, produce and be recognized for their work. In her blog Women and Hollywood, Melissa Silverstein addresses these issues head on offering a feminist perspective on film and the Hollywood industry which is sorely needed in today’s media. Melissa is also the co-founder of the Athena Film Festival at Barnard College in NYC, which this year will be held February 10-13. The festival celebrates the often overlooked leadership of women in film by screening approximately 20 films and holding conversations with actors, directors, producers and writers. When she is not busy with all of the above, Melissa can be found interviewing the likes of Rachel Weisz and Lena Durham on websites including The Huffington Post. In this interview, she speaks about her work on behalf of women in film and shares her views on the state of the film industry and whether there is more gender awareness in film criticism today, in the blogosphere as well as mainstream media.

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