Features, Films, Women Directors

Weekly Update for October 21: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You

Taraji P. Henson in “Hidden Figures”: 20th Century Fox
“It Had to Be You”

Films About Women Opening This Week

It Had to Be You — Written and Directed by Sasha Gordon

Sonia (Cristin Milioti) is a quirky, neurotic jingle writer who has always dreamt of a big and exciting life. Surprised by a sudden proposal and subsequent ultimatum from her easy-going boyfriend, Chris (Dan Soder), Sonia has three days to decide whether she’ll join the ranks of her married friends or take a leap and pursue her fantasies. Blinded by anxiety, and pulled towards a fantastical idea of becoming the kind of woman she always idealized in films and literature, Sonia decides she isn’t ready to get married. Instead she goes on a solo trip to Rome to finally shed her inhibitions. However, reality quickly catches up to her as her journey proves a lot bumpier than the idyllic “Eat Pray Love” she’d envisioned. (Press materials)

The Handmaiden

“The Handmaiden”

“The Handmaiden” is a ravishing crime drama inspired by the novel “Fingersmith” by Sarah Waters. Having transposed the story to 1930s-era colonial Korea and Japan, the film presents a gripping and sensual tale of a young Japanese Lady (Min-hee Kim) living on a secluded estate, and a Korean woman, Sookee (Tae-ri Kim), who is hired as Lady Hideko’s new handmaiden. But Sookee is also secretly involved in a conman’s (Ha Jung-woo) plot to defraud Lady Hideko of her large inheritance. (Press materials)

Ouija: Origin of Evil

It was never just a game. Inviting audiences again into the lore of the spirit board, “Ouija: Origin of Evil” tells a terrifying new tale as the follow-up to 2014’s sleeper hit that opened at number one. In 1967 Los Angeles, a widowed mother and her two daughters add a new stunt to bolster their séance scam business and unwittingly invite authentic evil into their home. When the youngest daughter is overtaken by the merciless spirit, this small family confronts unthinkable fears to save her and send her possessor back to the other side. (Press materials)

I’m Not Ashamed — Written by Bodie Thoene, Robin Hanley, Kari Redmond, and Philipa Booyens

“I’ve always been drawn to hands. I think it’s because it’s the way we touch people,” Columbine High School student Rachel Joy Scott (Masey McLain) wrote in her journal. “If one person could go out of their way to show compassion, it could start a chain reaction.” Growing up, Rachel knew the joy of Christianity, but she wasn’t always ready to receive it. At times her faith was on fire … and at other times it was at odds with her everyday life. Having reached a breaking point, Rachel found inspiration from her “big brother” — a former homeless teen who shared her faith. (Press materials)

Recovery (Opens October 27) (Available on VOD October 28)

The night before their high school graduation, Jessie (Kirby Bliss Blanton) and her friends are guided by a “Find My iPhone” app to recover her lost device from a house whose demented tenants are hellbent on making her a flesh and blood member of the family. (Press materials)

Films About Women Currently Playing

“Certain Women”

Certain Women — Written and Directed by Kelly Reichardt
Christine
Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise (Documentary) — Co-Directed by Rita Coburn Whack (Opens in NY, LA, and San Francisco)
Aquarius
Miss Hokusai
Little Sister (Also Available on VOD)
First Girl I Loved (Also Available on VOD)
Jacqueline Argentine
The Girl on the Train — Written by Erin Cressida Wilson
Under the Shadow (Also Available on VOD)
American Honey — Written and Directed by Andrea Arnold
Denial
Queen of Katwe — Directed by Mira Nair
The Dressmaker — Written and Directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse
Girl Asleep — Directed by Rosemary Myers
Sand Storm — Written and Directed by Elite Zexer
Bridget Jones’s Baby — Directed by Sharon Maguire; Co-Written by Helen Fielding and Emma Thompson
Is That a Gun in Your Pocket?
As I Open My Eyes — Directed by Leyla Bouzid; Written by Leyla Bouzid and Marie-Sophie Chambon
Cameraperson (Documentary) — Directed by Kirsten Johnson
Author: The JT LeRoy Story (Documentary)
White Girl — Written and Directed by Elizabeth Wood
Mia Madre — Co-Written by Valia Santella
Ixcanul
Florence Foster Jenkins
My King (Mon Roi) — Co-Written and Directed by Maïwenn
Equity — Directed by Meera Menon; Written by Amy Fox
Bad Moms
Ghostbusters — Co-Written by Katie Dippold
Our Little Sister
Finding Dory

Films Directed by Women Opening This Week

The Whole Truth — Directed by Courtney Hunt (Also Available on VOD)

“The Whole Truth”

Defense attorney Richard Ramsay (Keanu Reeves) takes on a personal case when he swears to his widowed friend, Loretta Lassiter (Renée Zellweger), that he will keep her son, Mike (Gabriel Basso), out of prison. Charged with murdering his father, Mike initially confesses to the crime. But as the trial proceeds, chilling evidence about the kind of man that Boone Lassiter (Jim Belushi) really was comes to light. While Ramsay uses the evidence to get his client acquitted, his new colleague Janelle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) tries to dig deeper — and begins to realize that the whole truth is something she alone can uncover. (Press materials)

The Uncondemned (Documentary) — Written and Co-Directed by Michele Mitchell (Opens in NY) (OpensOctober 28 in LA)

“The Uncondemned” is a riveting documentary about an underdog group of lawyers and activists who defied the odds to do what had never been done: prosecute rape as an international war crime. In 1997, the young men and women at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda found themselves inexplicably in charge of the first case of genocide in history. Crimes of war and against humanity had not been prosecuted since 1946, and surviving witnesses feared for their lives. And then, based on a last minute revelation, the prosecuting team amended the charge to include rape. Three heroic women would overcome their fears and shame to speak for all those who could not. “The Uncondemned” captures the untold, remarkable story that changed the course of international judicial history. (Press materials)

Find screening info here.

The David Dance — Directed by Aprill Winney

Away from the microphone, David (Don Scimé) is soft spoken, shy, and unsure of himself. However, as his on-air alias, Danger Dave — host of the local radio show “Gay Talk” in Buffalo, New York — he’s poised, witty, and every listener’s best friend. His sister, Kate (Antoinette LaVecchia), is a thrice-divorced banker with a yen for classical music and cats. Though successful, the siblings suffer from a secret, yet vast sense of inadequacy. Kate decides to adopt an orphan in Brazil and asks David to be a father figure. Meanwhile, David grapples with his self-doubts while gawkily romancing his co-worker. Past and present intertwine in this bittersweet winter’s tale of a man learning to love and accept himself. (Press materials)

Find screening info here.

Portrait of a Garden (Documentary) — Written and Directed by Rosie Stapel (Opens October 26 in NY) (Also Available on VOD)

In a picturesque garden on a grand country estate, two longtime friends, an 85-year-old pruning master and a gardener, tend to the espaliers. Surrounded by vegetable patches, citrus trees, the orchard, and lush grapevines, they talk about food, the weather, their craft (which is quickly disappearing), and the changing world around them. For 15 years, they’ve been working on the pear arbor. But will it finally come together this year? And what about the harvest, will it be ready for the end-of-season banquet? Capturing one year in the life of this historic garden, “Portrait of a Garden” is a beautiful, transcendent viewing experience. (Press materials)

Films Directed by Women Currently Playing

“Newtown”

Newtown (Documentary) — Directed by Kim A. Snyder
Among the Believers (Documentary) — Co-Directed by Hemal Trivdei
The Last Film Festival — Co-Written and Directed by Linda Yellen
Generation Startup (Documentary) — Directed by Cheryl Miller Houser and Cynthia Wade

Films Written by Women Opening This Week

El Jeremías — Written by Ana Sofia Clerici

Set in Sonora, Mexico, “El Jeremías” tells the story of Jeremías (Martin Castro), an eight-year-old who finds out he is gifted and initiates a journey of self discovery. When an opportunistic physiologist makes contact with Jeremías, a new world of experience opens up to him but costs him the family he loves. Jeremías must choose between this exciting, lonely new world and being home with his loving family. (Press materials)

Films Written by Women Currently Playing

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life — Co-Written by Kara Holden
Being 17 — Co-Written by Céline Sciamma
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children — Written by Jane Goldman
Masterminds — Co-Written by Emily Spivey
Mr. Church — Written by Susan McMartin
Nine Lives — Co-Written by Gwyn Lurie
The BFG — Written by Melissa Mathison

TV Premieres This Week

An American Girl Story — Melody 1963: Love Has to Win (TV Movie) — Directed by Tina Mabry; Written by Alison McDonald (Premieres October 21 on Amazon Prime)

Set in Detroit during the Civil Rights Movement, “An American Girl Story — Melody 1963: Love Has to Win” examines the joyful life and troubled times of Melody (Marsai Martin), an irrepressible 10-year-old African American girl whose vivid imagination and creativity reinforce her optimism. When shocking national events threaten her sense of security, Melody must find inner strength to restore her hope for a better world. (Press materials)

Weiner (Documentary) — Co-Directed by Elyse Steinberg (Premieres October 22 on Showtime)

An examination of disgraced New York Congressman Anthony Weiner’s mayoral campaign and the landscape of today’s political landscape. (Press materials)

Jean of the Joneses (TV Movie) — Written and Directed by Stella Meghie (Premieres October 23 on TV One)

What happens when a man dies in the doorway of your grandmother’s home? That’s just one part of Jean Jones’ (Taylour Paige) odd, quirky life that begins to unravel in hilarious and heartfelt ways in “Jean of the Joneses.” Already dealing with a failed relationship and a new beau, Ray (Mamoudou Athie), Jean comes to discover the identity of the man and has to reevaluate everything she thought she knew about her family and herself. “Jean of the Joneses” also stars Sherri Shepherd and Gloria Reuben. (Press materials)

Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Stella Meghie.

Man With a Plan — Co-Created by Jackie Filgo (Series Premieres October 24 on CBS) (Also Available on DVD)

Adam (Matt LeBlanc), a contractor, finds out that parenting is harder than he thought after his wife (Liza Snyder) goes back to work as a medical lab technician and he’s left at home to take care of the kids. (Press materials)

American Masters — Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You (Documentary) — Directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (Premieres October 25 on PBS)

With unprecedented access to Norman Lear, his work, and his massive personal archives, “American Masters — Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You” combines stories from his turbulent childhood and early career with his groundbreaking TV success (“All in the Family,” “The Jeffersons,” “Good Times,” “Maude”) and social activism. The documentary also features colorful stories from Lear’s family, friends, and collaborators, including John Amos, George Clooney, Alan Horn, Bill Moyers, Rob Reiner, Phil Rosenthal, and Russell Simmons, as well as cinéma vérité moments with Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Jon Stewart, Amy Poehler, and Lena Dunham.

VOD/DVD Releasing This Week

Late Bloomers — Directed by Julia Dyer; Written by Gretchen Dyer (VOD, Available Now)
The Last Film Festival — Co-Written and Directed by Linda Yellen (DVD/VOD, October 25)
Lights Out (DVD, October 25)
Mr. Church — Written by Susan McMartin (DVD, October 25)
Nerve — Written by Jessica Sharzer (DVD, October 25)

Women and Hollywood in the Press

Hollywood’s Culture of Sexual Harassment is Finally Making Headlines — LA Times

Picks of the Week from Women and Hollywood

In the Wake of Trump, Hollywood Must Confront Its Own Misogyny

On Women and Hollywood This Week

Taraji P. Henson on the Race and Gender Pay Gap: “Insult, Meet Injury”
Trailer Watch: Women Chefs Are “Hungry” for Equality in New Documentary
Gotham Award Nominations Announced: “Certain Women,” “Weiner,” and More
Comedy Pilots from Casey Wilson and Iliza Shlesinger in the Works
Eva Longoria’s Production Company Adapting “940 Saturdays” Book for ABC
Glenn Close to Star in Film Adaptation of Meg Wolitzer’s “The Wife”
Exclusive: Cristin Milioti’s Relationship Is a Seven Out of 10 in “It Had to Be You” Clip
Know No Boundaries: Crowdfunding Picks
Quote of the Day: Universal Head Donna Langley Talks Inclusion and Diversity
“The Killing” Creator Veena Sud and Netflix Nearing Deal on “Seven Seconds”
Issa Rae to Exec Produce “Minimum Wage” Anthology Series Written by Women
Allison Janney Scores Walk of Fame Star and Announces Return to Broadway
Jane Campion Becomes a Dame
Regina Corrado Is Adapting “Equity” for ABC
Maria Maggenti to Write Pilot for TV Land’s “Re Jane”
Apply Now to EWA’s Scriptwriter Residency Program
New Docs Turn the Camera on Women Directors
Cathryn Humphris to Write New FBI Procedural at Fox
Lone Scherfig’s “Their Finest” Gets Release Date
Rose McGowan Calls Out Hollywood for “Rewarding Sociopaths”
A White Man Is Directing Sony Pictures’ Live-Action “Mulan”
Trailer Watch: Kate Beckinsale is Unstoppable in “Underworld: Blood Wars”
Freeform Orders “Brown Girls” Comedy Pilot from Shilpi Roy and Nastaran Dibai
Nikki Finke Signs First-Look Deal with HBO
Trailer Watch: Noomi Rapace Is the Virus and the Cure in “Rupture”
Reese Witherspoon and Robin Wright Team Up for New Series About First Ladies
Margaret Nagle to Write “Bonfire of the Vanities” Series
Producer Jennifer Cochis Named New Director of LA Film Festival
Biopic About Trailblazing Mathematician Ada Lovelace Being Developed
Kelly Reichardt’s “Certain Women” Wins Best Film at London Film Fest
“Hidden Figures” Enters Oscars Race with New Christmas Release Date
Teaser Watch: Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman Uncover “Big Little Lies”
American Society of Cinematographers to Honor Nancy Schreiber of “Better Things”
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Olivia Neergaard-Holm — “David Lynch: The Art Life”
Shonda Rhimes, Rachel Bloom, and More Named as “Most Powerful Showrunners”
DOC NYC’s Feature Film Lineup Is 44 Percent Women-Directed
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Laura Israel — “Don’t Blink — Robert Frank”
Annette Bening to Be Honored at AFI Fest
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Nicolette Krebitz — “Wild”
Watch: Young Queen Elizabeth II Bears the Weight of “The Crown” in New Featurette
Lifetime Greenlights Dark Comedy Series Created by Tara Armstrong
LFF 2016 Women Directors: Meet Hala Alabdalla — “Farouk, Besieged Like Me”

Weekly Reads from Around the Internet

Oscar-Winning Actress Says She Was Offered 1/20 of Male Co-Star’s Pay by Julie Miller
“Gone Girl” gave us the Cool Girl. Tana French’s “The Trespasser” shows us her limitations by Constance Grady
Kelly Reichardt talks about “Certain Women” and why she’ll never work with oxen again by Alissa Wilkinson
Dear Marvel: Stop Sexualizing Female Teenage Characters Like Riri Williams. Love, Everyone by Teresa Jusino

Follow Women and Hollywood on Twitter @WomenaHollywood and Melissa Silverstein @melsil.

To contact Women and Hollywood, email melissa@womenandhollywood.com

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