Films About Women Opening This Weekend
Free Angela and All Political Prisoners – Directed by Shola Lynch (doc)
Review from the Toronto Film Festival: Sunday, a bit of history was explored here in Toronto. The festival premiered Shola Lynch’s documentary Free Angela and All Political Prisoners in one of its gala slots. For a festival that premieres big Hollywood movies and epic films nightly (especially the first weekend) seeing a documentary about a black woman activist in one of the high profile slots is amazing. The red carpet hosted African American celebrities including Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith and both their kids. Jada Pinkett Smith is one of the investors in this film. She is doing this because she believes this is a woman whose story her daughter and other girls should know.
People who lived through the Civil Rights movement know the story. It is legendary. Those of us who are a bit younger know her infamous name but really don’t know the story. The added bonus is that the film is terrific, engaging and suspenseful and feels very contemporary. To get that to happen about a 40 year old topic just makes it even more compelling. Read more…
The Brass Teapot – Written and Directed by Ramaa Mosley
John and Alice live in small town America — 20s, married, very much in love, and broke. Once voted “most likely to succeed,” Alice struggles to make ends meet while her friends enjoy the good life. Her husband John, neurotic and riddled with phobias, just wants to get the bills paid. But an accident leads them to a roadside antique shop where Alice is spontaneously drawn to a mysterious brass teapot. It isn’t long before they realize that this is no ordinary teapot and that perhaps they have found the answer to all of their financial woes…THE BRASS TEAPOT is a magical dark comedy that reminds us to be careful what we wish for. (From the Press Materials)
6 Souls
After the death of her husband, Dr. Cara Harding’s (Julianne Moore) faith in God has been shaken, but not her belief in science. In an attempt to open her up to accepting unexplainable psychiatric theories, her father introduces her to Adam, a patient with multiple personalities who takes on some of the physical characteristics of his other personalities. But, Cara quickly discovers that Adam’s other personalities are murder victims and the more she finds out about him and his past, the closer she and her loved ones are to becoming victims themselves. (From the Press Materials)
Films About Women Currently Playing
The Host
Violeta Went to Heaven
Mental
The Revolutionary Optimists – Directed by Nicole Newnham and Maren Grainger-Monsen
Blancanieves
Admission – Written by Karen Croner
Eden – Co-Written and Directed by Megan Griffiths
Hunky Dory
Ginger and Rosa – Written and Directed by Sally Potter
If I Were You – Written and Directed by Joan Carr-Wiggin
The Call
Spring Breakers
Girl Rising
Beyond the Hills
Beautiful Creatures
Lore – Directed by Cate Shortland
Side Effects
Films Directed by Women Opening This Weekend
No Place on Earth – Directed by Janet Tobias (doc)
This is not your typical Holocaust movie. It has no Nazis and it has no camps. What it does have is 38 Ukranian Jews who lived in caves for 18 months in order to survive. It is a story of fortitude, it is the story of survival. It also is a story of how hope can survive such dire circumstances.
Lotus Eaters – Directed and Co-Written by Alexandra McGuinness
Story follows a group of young Londoners as they struggle to find meaning in their lives while masking their discontent with sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll. (From Indiewire)
Films Directed by Women Currently Playing
My Brother the Devil – Written and Directed by Sally El Hosaini
Everybody Has a Plan – Directed by Ana Piterbarg, Written by Ana Cohan and Ana Piterbarg
Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey – Directed by Ramona S. Diaz
A Place At The Table – Directed by Kristi Jacobsen and Lori Silverbush (doc)
Hava Naglia: The Movie – Directed by Roberta Grossman (doc)
West of Memphis – Directed by Amy Berg
Films Written by Women Opening This Weekend
Down the Shore – Written by Sandra Jennings
Set on the Jersey shore, the lives of three childhood friends (Famke Janssen, James Gandolfini and John Magaro) begin to unravel when a secret from their past is revealed. (From IMDB)
Films Written by Women Currently Playing
Olympus Has Fallen – Co-Written by Katrin Benedikt
Emperor – Co-Written by Vera Blasi
Safe Haven – Co-Written by Dana Stevens
Films By and About Women on DVD/On Demand
Knuckleball – Directed by Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg
Meet The Fokkens – Co-Directed by Gabrielle Provaas
Venus and Serena – Directed by Maiken Baird and Michelle Major (VOD)
