Weekly Update for September 16: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You

Films About Women Opening This Week

Bridget Jones’s Baby — Directed by Sharon Maguire; Co-Written by Helen Fielding and Emma Thompson

After breaking up with Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), Bridget Jones’s (Renée Zellweger) “happily ever after” hasn’t quite gone according to plan. Fortysomething and single again, she decides to focus on her job as a top news producer and surround herself with old friends and new. Bridget’s love life takes a turn when she meets a dashing American named Jack (Patrick Dempsey), a suitor who is everything Mr. Darcy is not. In an unlikely twist, she finds herself pregnant, but with one hitch…she can only be 50 percent sure of the identity of her baby’s father. (Press materials)

Southwest of Salem: The Story of the San Antonio Four (Documentary) — Directed by Deborah S. Esquenazi (Opens in NY, Texas, and Nebraska; Opens in LA September 26)

“Southwest of Salem” is an incredibly moving documentary about a miscarriage of justice and how people can get railroaded by the system — particularly when they are poor, women of color, and gay. Four Latina lesbians were accused of satanic child molestation. There was no real evidence. The children were coached by a jilted ex and the justice system did not see the value of these women, so they were wrongfully convicted. They are now out of jail but continue to fight for their exoneration. The film is a lesson to all of us about how easily the system can get things very wrong. (Melissa Silverstein)

Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Deborah S. Esquenazi.

Find screening info here.

Miss Stevens — Co-Written and Directed by Julia Hart

Stuck at a crossroads in her personal life, it falls on Miss Stevens (Lily Rabe) to chaperone three of her students — Billy (Timothée Chalamet), Margot (Lili Reinhart), and Sam (Anthony Quintal) — on a weekend trip to a drama competition. Exploring the fine line between being a grown up and being a kid, “Miss Stevens” is about students becoming teachers and teachers realizing that the messiness of youth never really goes away. (Press materials)

Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Julia Hart.

Wild Oats — Co-Written by Claudia Myers

After her husband’s passing, Eva (Shirley MacLaine) faces life on her own for the very first time. With her doting daughter Crystal (Demi Moore) reminding her of her age every day, Eva can’t help but feel her best days have come and gone. When she receives a life insurance check erroneously made out for five million dollars instead of the expected $50,000, Eva and her best friend Maddie (Jessica Lange) decide to live life to the fullest and head for the adventure of a lifetime in Spain. But when the insurance company realizes their mistake, will they be able to recover the money before Eva and Maddie spend it all? (Press materials)

Moments of Clarity — Co-Written by Kristin Wallace (Also Available on VOD)

While escaping their homes to fix a broken camera, a repressed agoraphobic’s daughter (Kristin Wallace) and a hardened pastor’s daughter (Lyndsy Fonseca) form an unlikely friendship. The pair end up en route to an annual church youth group jamboree and encounter a host of characters who slowly change their perspectives about life along the way. (Press materials)

Tanna

“Tanna” is set in the South Pacific where Wawa (Marie Wawa), a young girl from one of the last traditional tribes, falls in love with her chief’s grandson Dain (Mungau Dain). When an intertribal war escalates, Wawa is unknowingly betrothed as part of a peace deal. Wawa and Dain run away, but are pursued by enemy warriors intent on killing them. They must choose between their hearts and the future of the tribe, while the villagers must wrestle with preserving their traditional culture and adapting it to the increasing outside demands for individual freedom. (Press materials)

Is That a Gun in Your Pocket? (Opens in NY and Phoenix; Opens in LA and Washington, DC September 23)

After some boys in a small Texas town bring a gun to school and accidentally shoot it off, Jenna (Andrea Anders) decides to take a stand and ignite a movement to get rid of all the guns in town. With the help of her female friends, they convince all the women to withhold sex from their husbands until they agree to give up their guns. As tensions — and libidos — rise, the men and women of Rockford must decide what’s really important: keeping the peace or getting a piece. (Press materials)

Find screening info here.

a beautiful now — Written and Directed by Daniela Amavia (Opens in LA)

A group of five friends reunite for one night to save Romy (Abigail Spencer), the woman at the center of their former circle. As the night progresses, they struggle with their past relationships and finally-revealed truths as Romy, who has barricaded herself in the bathroom, tries to put the pieces of her life back together. This thrilling journey into the mind of a woman teetering on the edge of letting go ultimately asks: “If your life flashed before your eyes, would you like what you see?” (Press materials)

Films About Women Currently Playing

As I Open My Eyes — Directed by Leyla Bouzid; Written by Leyla Bouzid and Marie-Sophie Chambon (Opens in NY; Opens in LA September 30)
Cameraperson (Documentary) — Directed by Kirsten Johnson (Opens in NY; Opens in LA September 23)
Author: The JT LeRoy Story (Documentary)
The People Garden — Directed by Nadia Litz (Also Available on VOD)
White Girl — Written and Directed by Elizabeth Wood
Morgan
Naam Hai Akira
Fatima
Remember the Goal
Mia Madre — Co-Written by Valia Santella
A Tale of Love and Darkness — Written and Directed by Natalie Portman
Ixcanul
Florence Foster Jenkins
My King (Mon Roi) — Co-Written and Directed by Maïwenn (Opens in LA)
Equity — Directed by Meera Menon; Written by Amy Fox
Bad Moms
Miss Sharon Jones! (Documentary) — Directed by Barbara Kopple
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie — Directed by Mandie Fletcher; Written by Jennifer Saunders
Summertime — Directed by Catherine Corsini; Written by Catherine Corsini and Laurette Polmanss
Lights Out
Nerve — Written by Jessica Sharzer
Ghostbusters — Co-Written by Katie Dippold
Our Little Sister
The Innocents — Directed by Anne Fontaine; Co-Written by Anne Fontaine, Sabrina B. Karine, and Alice Vial
Finding Dory
Maggie’s Plan — Written and Directed by Rebecca Miller

Films Directed by Women Opening This Week

None

Films Directed by Women Currently Playing

Ithaca — Directed by Meg Ryan (Also Available on VOD)
Our Kind of Traitor — Directed by Susanna White

Films Written by Women Opening This Week

Mr. Church — Written by Susan McMartin

A dying mother (Natascha McElhone) finds that she is unable to continue caring for her young daughter Charlotte on her own, and so retains the services of one Henry Joseph Church (Eddie Murphy) to look after the girl. Mr. Church is an expert chef and immediately takes a shine to his precocious new ward. What began as a temporary arrangement blooms into a lifelong friendship between the talented chef and the maturing young woman (Britt Robertson). However, as time passes, Charlotte’s curiosity about her mysterious friend will push the limits of their bond. (Tribeca Film Festival)

Finding Altamira — Co-Written by Olivia Hetreed (Also Available on VOD)

In 1879, Spanish archaeologist Marcelino (Antonio Banderas) and his daughter Maria (Allegra Allen) discover seemingly impossible paintings of galloping bison adorning the walls of a hidden cave. The cave of Altamira brings the world together in amazement, drawing people of all types to see the paintings in person. But Marcelino soon realizes that the art on the walls must be 10,000 years old, earlier than anyone believed possible. The theory threatens to tear Maria and Marcelino’s family apart, while the outside world’s astonishment soon turns to fury and fear. (Press materials)

Films Written by Women Currently Playing

London Road — Written by Alecky Blythe
Come What May — Co-Written by Laure Irrmann
Nine Lives — Co-Written by Gwyn Lurie
The Infiltrator — Written by Ellen Brown Furman
The BFG — Written by Melissa Mathison

TV Premieres This Week

Fleabag — Created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Series Premieres September 16 on Amazon)

“Fleabag” is a hilarious and poignant window into the mind of a dry-witted, sexual, angry, grief-riddled woman, as she hurls herself into modern living in London. Award-winning playwright Phoebe Waller-Bridge writes and stars as Fleabag, an unfiltered woman trying to heal, while rejecting anyone who tries to help her and keeping up her bravado all along. (Press materials)

High Maintenance — Co-Created by Katja Blichfeld (Series Premieres September 16 on HBO)

“High Maintenance” follows a Brooklyn pot dealer as he delivers to clients with neuroses as diverse as the city. Ben Sinclair stars as “The Guy,” an everyman pot dealer who makes cameo appearances in the lives of various New Yorker City residents, providing them with weed and getting a glimpse at their daily routines and how they light things up. (Press materials)

Sister Cities (TV Movie) — Written by Colette Freedman (Premieres September 17 on Lifetime)

“Sister Cities” tells the story of four estranged sisters (Troian Bellisario, Stana Katic, Michelle Trachtenberg, and Jess Weixler) who reunite to mourn following their mother’s (Jacki Weaver) alleged suicide and find a mystery waiting for them. When the sisters discover that Mom’s body is still in the tub, they confront Austin (Weixler), the one daughter who stayed home. As suspicions grow, hard truths are revealed and their relationships with each other are thrown into turmoil. (Press materials)

The Good Place (Series Premieres September 19 on NBC)

“The Good Place” follows Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell), an ordinary woman who enters the afterlife and, thanks to some kind of error, is sent to the Good Place instead of the Bad Place, which is definitely where she belongs. While hiding in plain sight from Michael (Ted Danson), the wise architect of the Good Place (who doesn’t know he’s made a mistake), Eleanor’s determined to shed her old way of living and discover the awesome (or, at least, the pretty good) person within. Helping Eleanor navigate her new surroundings are Chidi (William Jackson Harper), her kind, open-hearted “soul mate” who sees the good in people but finds himself facing quite a dilemma; her seemingly perfect new neighbors, Tahani (Jameela Jamil) and Jianyu (Manny Jacinto); and Janet (D’Arcy Carden), the go-to source for any and all information in the Good Place. (Press materials)

Speechless (Series Premieres September 21 on ABC)

Maya DiMeo (Minnie Driver) is a mom on a mission who will do anything for her husband Jimmy (John Ross Bowie), kids Ray and Dylan (Mason Cook and Kyla Kennedy), and JJ (Micah Fowler), her eldest son with cerebral palsy. As Maya fights injustices both real and imagined, the family works to make a new home for themselves, and searches for just the right person to give JJ his “voice.” (Press materials)

Pitch — Co-Executive Produced by Helen Bartlett and Jess Rosenthal (Series Premieres September 22 on FOX)

Ginny Baker (Kylie Bunbury), a tough and gifted athlete, is vaulted into instant fame when she’s called up by the San Diego Padres to make her Major League debut. Like any rookie, Ginny must prove herself to her teammates. Foremost among them is Mike Lawson (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), the team’s star catcher. Those watching Ginny’s back include center fielder Blip Sanders (Mo McRae), an old friend from the minor leagues, and his wife Evelyn (Meagan Holder). Although groomed for this moment by her demanding father (Michael Beach), the end of Ginny’s improbable journey is the beginning of an almost impossible one: representing her gender as she embarks on a successful baseball career under the glare of the white-hot media spotlight. (Press materials)

VOD/DVD Releasing This Week

Buttercup Bill — Written and Directed by Remy Bennett and Émilie Richard-Froozan (VOD, Available Now)
Embrace (Documentary) — Directed by Taryn Brumfitt (VOD, September 19)