The free screening of Whip It! took place yesterday in New York. Only a very small amount of photos have been added so far, but we’ll of course be adding more as they become available. Enjoy!

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004: “Whip It!” New York Screening – October 1, 2009

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – She grew up a child star in a famous Hollywood family, and Drew Barrymore has gone from acclaimed actress to movie producer and now director of her first feature film, “Whip It.”

The film, about a Texas teenager played by Ellen Page who forsakes her mother’s wish for beauty queen notoriety and joins the rough-and-tumble world of female roller derby, premiered this month to good reviews at the Toronto International Film festival and opens on Friday at U.S. theaters.

At its heart, “Whip It” tells of a young woman’s coming of age and of finding comfort in her own, tough skin. Barrymore spoke to Reuters about directing her first movie.

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Photos of Drew at the West Hollywood Whip It! press conference that took place two days ago have been uploaded to the gallery and she looks so pretty. Enjoy!

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007: “Whip It!” West Hollywood Press Conference – September 29, 2009

The A.V. Club: You’ve been producing movies for years. What about Shauna Cross’ novel Derby Girl made you pick this for your first directing vehicle?

Drew Barrymore: Because it had the blueprint of things that I wanted to talk about: family themes and how we may have different agendas than what our parents see for us in our future, and how we navigate fighting to become who we want to become and hopefully gain honesty and yet acceptance with them along the way. And the obstacles that families go through when kids are growing up. I also love to explore what defines who you are, and friendship, and how you love to rock out with your best friend and cruise and drive and listen to the Ramones and play air guitar, and yet at the same time, they will come and slap you when you’re acting out of line. I love the themes that I put on the poster: “Be your own hero” and “Find your tribe.” Those are two things that are really important in my life. I loved the world of roller derby because I thought it was such an empowering metaphor, that you get out there and do it. It’s such a rocker, athletic, capable, cool exhibitionist sport; it’s about this great sort of camaraderie. And these girls are friends. Even though they are competitive on the track, they’re good to each other, and friends off the track.

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Drew attended the Los Angeles premiere of Whip It! yesterday and over 30 high quality photos from this have been added to the gallery. Enjoy!

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034: Premiere Of Fox Searchlight’s Whip It! – September 29, 2009

Yesterday, Drew attended the Whip it! LA press event and photos of this are now available in our gallery. Enjoy!

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019: Whip It! La Derby Press Event – September 28, 2009

In an interview with LA Times, Drew talks about her directorial debut for Whip It!, how close the movie’s story is to her and she also talks about her career in general. The interview also features a new photoshoot outtake that has been uploaded to the gallery. Enjoy!

Drew Barrymore, the onetime “E.T.” moppet, wild child and scion of Hollywood, has over the last 15 years made herself the poster child for post-feminism girl power. Through a series of shiny comedies (“Charlie’s Angels,” “Never Been Kissed,” “He’s Just Not That Into You”) in which she starred — and increasingly produced with her business partner and best friend Nancy Juvonen — the 34-year-old Barrymore has preached a bouncy, politics-free, up-with-girls, follow-your-dreams mantra. Undoubtedly, it helped that she happened to be adorable too, with that giddy smile that never quite papers over the shadow of heartbreak.

Now comes Drew Barrymore: The Directorial Debut. Stepping behind the lens for the $15-million “Whip It,” Barrymore saw her film unspool at the Toronto International Film Festival to largely sparkling reviews. It is the tale of a small-town Texas indie-misfit girl (Ellen Page) who yearns to make it as a roller-derby star — regardless of the misgivings of her overbearing mother, a beauty pageant devotee. Lively and bright, “Whip It” plays almost like a tour of the inside of Barrymore’s head.

“If you think about it, it’s very close to me,” Barrymore says. “It seems pretty obvious in a way. I have a tumultuous relationship with my mother, so obviously that story had a deep emotional interest to me — about women who are empowered and can be athletic and capable and kick ass out on the track and be their own heroes, and I think finding your tribe is everything. I certainly found it with my company. Every aspect of this story including first love and rite of passage, and being able to rock out in the car with your best friend, these are all themes that are crucial to my life. I was able to tell my story,” she says of the Fox Searchlight film releasing Friday.

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A new TV Spot for Whip It! which features loads of new Drew footage from the movie has been released and can be watched below. Enjoy!