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To see the pairing of Glenn Close and Marcia Gay Harden on Damages. This is one thing that will make the cold more bearable.
(photo EW)

Make sure to check out this panel Amazing Women in Film moderated by Thelma Adams. Panelists include: Maggie Renzi, Rita Taggart and Barbara Kopple.

Here are the details:

Women in the film industry continue to carve a strong and meaningful path in a world that used to be traditionally dominated by men. With more women sitting in the Director's Chair and holding top positions as executives, producers and administrators, has the balance finally shifted to a point of equality? Join us as a diverse group of powerful women discuss their work and the state of the film industry, from the woman's perspective.

I for one do not think the balance of power has shifted but am interested in hearing what these women have to say. Anyone want to blog about it?

Buy tickets

A bunch of really great movies have come out on DVD in the last couple of weeks and I've been remiss in not giving you an update.

Sex and the City- got some numbers from the UK DVD release from last week and the film sold 920,000 units making it the BIGGEST seller of the year. Waiting for US numbers.

Finn's Girl- The folks at Wolfe video are the pre-eminent distributors of gay & lesbian films. I've seen two of their very different recent releases - Finn's Girl and Itty Bitty titty Committee and am happy to report liked them both. Here's my review of Itty Bitty titty Committee. I'm sure you haven't heard of Finn's Girl, I hadn't before it was sent to me. It's a film that I can pretty much say would never get made here in the US. It's about a female abortion provider in Canada who is struggling to keep her head above the water after the death of her partner from breast cancer. She is also struggling to raise their daughter on the brink of adolescence. I thought the film was a bit slow at times, but it was so brave and political. It dealt with the realities that abortion providers face (i.e. violence). Watch the trailer here: You can also purchase the film here, or get it on netflix.

Baby Mama- It sucks that we have to wait until the end of this month for the new season of 30 Rock to see some more Tina Fey (unless she shows up at SNL again), so this film can help tide you over.

14 Women- Documentary by Mary Lambert about the women serving in the Senate (there are 16 now)

The She Found Me- It took Helen Hunt 10 years to make her directorial debut with Then She Found Me, but boy was it worth the wait. A beautiful and moving film, it tells the story of April Epner a 39-year-old schoolteacher who longs to have have her own child, but time is running out. Read my full review

Water Lilies- check out my interview with director Celine Sciamma

The 31st annual Mill Valley Film Festival kicks off tomorrow night with Dakota Fanning and The Secret Life of Bees.

Other women and women's films on the agenda include:
Sally Hawkins in Mike Leigh's Happy-Go-Lucky
A tribute to Swedish actress Harriet Andersson who starred in Ingmar Bergman films
Wendy and Lucy starring Michelle Williams directed by Kelly Reichardt
Lemon Tree- "Two women face off in a conflict over a lemon grove bordering the West Bank and Israel."
Taking Root- the doc about the Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Winner Wangari Mathai
A salute to Alfre Woodard and a screening of her new film American Violet, where she plays a mom fighting racism in Texas.

More info: Mill Valley Film Fest

Katie Couric continues to kick butt. She may believe she is a feminist, but her answers disagree. Think about these answers when you go and vote. Can't wait for Thursday's debate.

"I'm a feminist who, uh, believes in equal rights and I believe that women certainly today have every opportunity that a man has to succeed, and to try to do it all, anyway.



Couric: If a 15-year-old is raped by her father, do you believe it should be illegal for her to get an abortion, and why?

Palin: I am pro-life. And I'm unapologetic in my position that I am pro-life. And I understand there are good people on both sides of the abortion debate. In fact, good people in my own family have differing views on abortion, and when it should be allowed. Do I respect people's opinions on this. Now, I would counsel to choose life. I would also like to see a culture of life in this country. But I would also like to take it one step further. Not just saying I am pro-life and I want fewer and fewer abortions in this country, but I want them, those women who find themselves in circumstances that are absolutely less than ideal, for them to be supported, and adoptions made easier.

Couric: But ideally, you think it should be illegal for a girl who was raped or the victim of incest to get an abortion?

Palin: I'm saying that, personally, I would counsel the person to choose life, despite horrific, horrific circumstances that this person would find themselves in. And, um, if you're asking, though, kind of foundationally here, should anyone end up in jail for having an … abortion, absolutely not. That's nothing I would ever support.

Couric: Some people have credited the morning-after pill for decreasing the number of abortions. How do you feel about the morning-after pill?

Palin: Well, I am all for contraception. And I am all for preventative measures that are legal and save, and should be taken, but Katie, again, I am one to believe that life starts at the moment of conception. And I would like to see …

Couric: And so you don't believe in the morning-after pill?

Palin: ... I would like to see fewer and fewer abortions in this world. And again, I haven't spoken with anyone who disagrees with my position on that.

Couric: I'm sorry, I just want to ask you again. Do you not support or do you condone or condemn the morning-after pill.

Palin: Personally, and this isn't McCain-Palin policy …

Couric: No, that's OK, I'm just asking you.

Palin: But personally, I would not choose to participate in that kind of contraception.

It's great that she believe in contraception. Do you think she passed that on to her pregnant daughter?

The LA Times put together its first Oscar predictions of 2008 and out of the seven people asked for their opinion exactly NONE were women.

Give me a fu--ing break. How can a newspaper in 2008 get away with this crap?

Like I need more things to piss me off. Post some comments on the site and let them know how unacceptable this is.

The Envelope's first Oscars predictions of the 2008 derby

Fortune Magazine's annual list. A couple in the entertainment field

8- Oprah- queen of the world
12- Anne Sweeney- Disney
18- Judy McGrath- Viacom

Full list