WBW Brief: January 10, 2017

2017 is off to the races. Lots to report. Here are four stories that should be on your radar along with two opportunities–one for playwrights and one for stage directors.

Good News: Three women filmmakers–Jordana Mollick (Producer, left), Anna Rose Holmer (Director, center) and Nanfu Wang (Director, right)–were awarded $25,000 grants each at 2017 Film Independent Filmmaker Grant and Spirit Award Nominees Brunch. Read about it on The Wrap.

Art as Transformation: Two Montana women artists are using art to grapple with post-election America.  Rachel Long, a visual artist, and Sarah Butts, a theater director, invited fellow Montanans to express their points of view through painting and interviews. Learn more of their incredible projects that capture both sides of the political divide. Read it in the Billings Gazette.

ICYMI: American Theatre’s Role Call series spotlights people you should know in theater. It is a keeper. In the latest edition, four of those profiled are women. Shout out to Adrienne Dawes, Stephanie Farina, Khanisha Foster, and Jennifer Kidwell (Leon Dobkowski and Quintin Peterson are also featured). Read more here.

Women in Film: The Boston Calling Music Festival launches a film component in 2017, celebrating women in film and curated by Academy Award-winning actress Natalie Portman. Read more about it at Vanyaland.

Opportunity: Submissions for The Lark‘s Playwrights’ Week are open until January 12th. For full details, visit here.

Opportunity: National Directors Fellowship for early/emerging stage directors. Deadline–January 13th at 6pm (Eastern Time). For details, visit the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center website.