Plenty of women-helmed, female-fronted flicks are premiering alongside the superhero and sci-fi blockbusters this month. Kicking the month off on May 1 is the Netflix debut of C. Fitz’s “Jewel’s Catch One,” which comes from Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY collective. The documentary explores the legacy of Jewel Thais-Williams, who provided safe spaces for LGBTQ, Black, and AIDS-impacted communities for decades in LA. Other documentaries focused on iconic figures — in the politics, arts, and fashion spheres, respectively — are Betsy West and Julie Cohen’s “RBG” (May 4), Sara Driver’s “Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat” (May 11), and “The Gospel According to André” from Kate Novack (May 25).
Screenwriter Diablo Cody returns to the scene with her newest collaboration with Charlize Theron and director Jason Reitman. The “Young Adult” trio brings us “Tully” May 4, which stars Theron as a beleaguered mother who is gifted a night nanny.
Two high-profile actresses are appearing in films that they co-wrote: Melissa McCarthy will bring laughs with college-set comedy “Life of the Party” (May 11), and Natalie Dormer of “Game of Thrones” fame will drop thriller “In Darkness” (May 25).
One of our most anticipated releases of the month is May 25’s “Mary Shelley,” directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour. Al-Mansour made history as the first female director from Saudi Arabia, and returns with this, her second narrative feature, a biopic of the famed Gothic author and the events that inspired her to write “Frankenstein.” Elle Fanning stars.
Sundance success story “The Tale” airs May 26 on HBO. Bitingly relevant in this #MeToo age, Jennifer Fox’s “film memoir” sees Laura Dern playing a woman investigating the sexual abuse she experienced as an adolescent. Meanwhile, two May 11 premieres — Coralie Fargeat’s “Revenge,” a brutal tale of one woman’s vengeance against the men who have wronged her, and “Breaking In,” starring Gabrielle Union as a mother who will stop at nothing to rescue her kids — serve as cautionary tales to those who would dismiss the capabilities and determination of women. Hell hath no fury.
Here are all of the women-centric, women-directed, and women-written films debuting in May. All descriptions are from press materials unless otherwise noted.
May 1
“Jewel’s Catch One” (Documentary) — Directed by C. Fitz; Written by C. Fitz and Pat Branch (Available on Netflix)
“Jewel’s Catch One” explores the legacy of America’s oldest Black-owned disco club, as well as the life of businesswoman and activist, Jewel Thais-Williams. Jewel provided safe spaces for LGBTQ, Black, and AIDS-impacted communities in Los Angeles for four decades. Exclusive interviews from Sharon Stone, Thelma Houston, Evelyn “Champagne” King, Sandra Bernhard, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and others illuminate the triumph, the tragedy, the truth, and the tenacity of a specific time of great import to queer and Black communities in Los Angeles.
May 4
“Tully” — Written by Diablo Cody
Marlo (Charlize Theron), a mother of three including a newborn, is gifted a night nanny by her brother (Mark Duplass). Hesitant to the extravagance at first, Marlo comes to form a unique bond with the thoughtful, surprising, and sometimes challenging young nanny named Tully (Mackenzie Davis).
“RBG” (Documentary) — Directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen
At the age of 84, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has developed a breathtaking legal legacy while becoming an unexpected pop culture icon. But without a definitive Ginsburg biography, the unique personal journey of this diminutive, quiet warrior’s rise to the nation’s highest court has been largely unknown, even to some of her biggest fans — until now.
“Angels Wear White” — Written and Directed by Vivian Qu (Opens in NY; Opens in LA May 18)
In a small seaside town, two schoolgirls are assaulted by a middle-aged man in a motel. Mia (Vicky Chen), a teenager who was working at reception that night, is the only witness. For fear of losing her job, she says nothing. Meanwhile, 12-year-old Wen (Meijun Zhou), one of the victims, finds that her troubles have only just begun. Trapped in a world that offers them no safety, Mia and Wen will have to find their own way out.
“The Desert Bride” — Written and Directed by Cecilia Atán and Valeria Pivato (Opens in NY; Opens in LA May 11)
54-year-old Teresa (Paulina García) has worked for decades as a live-in maid with a family in Buenos Aires. When the family sells the house, she is forced to take a job in the distant town of San Juan. Although feeling uncomfortable with traveling, she embarks on a journey through the desert. During her first stop, in the land of the miraculous “Saint Correa,” she loses her bag with all her belongings. This unexpected incident leads her to cross paths with El Gringo (Claudio Rissi), a traveling salesman and the only person who can help Teresa find her bag. What seemed like the end of her world will ultimately prove her salvation.
“Everything Else” — Written and Directed by Natalia Almada (Opens in NY)
“Everything Else” explores the interior life of Doña Flor (Adriana Barraza), a 63-year-old bureaucrat living in Mexico City, as she awakens from her bureaucratic malaise, and yearns to become visible again. Inspired by Hannah Arendt’s idea that bureaucratic dehumanization is a brutal form of violence, the story ultimately becomes a mesmerizing contemplation on solitude.
“The Guardians” — Co-Written by Marie-Julie Maille and Frédérique Moreau
1915. The men are at the front, and the women must take on the role of guardians of the farms. A mother, Hortense (Nathalie Baye), a tireless worker, hires Francine (Iris Bry), a young orphan from welfare services to support her, because her own daughter is reluctant to obey. Mutual respect and admiration flourish between Hortense and Francine. But to save the unity of her family, Hortense will have to sacrifice this girl, and pay the price.
“Alex & The List” — Co-Written by Kristen D’Alessio (Also Available on VOD)
Alex (Patrick Fugit), a lovable, unassuming dog trainer is in love with a great woman — Katherine (Jennifer Morrison) — smart, talented, and from a good family. Katherine adores Alex’s quirky sense of humor, honesty, and capacity to listen. Having decided to pop the question, Alex is blindsided when Katherine produces a detailed list of well-thought-out “improvements” she feels will tweak Alex on their way to becoming the ideal couple. Alex instinctively rejects the suggestion that he needs to change anything. But with the threat of a new competitor, Alex decides to “do the list.” Guided by a coterie of friends, Alex’s journey has him reconsider and question his beliefs, values, and world.
“Altered Perception” — Directed by Kate Rees Davies
A drug that alters perceptions during trauma and stress is being advertised as a cure for socio-political tensions. Several couples volunteer for human trials but end up with more than they bargained for.
May 11
“Breaking In”
Gabrielle Union stars as a woman who will stop at nothing to rescue her two children being held hostage in a house designed with impenetrable security. No trap, no trick, and especially no man inside can match a mother with a mission when she is determined on breaking in.
“Life of the Party” — Co-Written by Melissa McCarthy
When her husband suddenly dumps her, longtime dedicated housewife Deanna (Melissa McCarthy) turns regret into re-set by going back to college — landing in the same class and school as her daughter, who’s not entirely sold on the idea. Plunging headlong into the campus experience, the increasingly outspoken Deanna — now Dee Rock — embraces freedom, fun, and frat boys on her own terms, finding her true self in a senior year no one ever expected.
“The Seagull”
An aging actress named Irina Arkadina (Annette Bening) pays summer visits to her brother Pjotr Nikolayevich Sorin (Brian Dennehy) and her son Konstantin (Billy Howle) on a country estate. On one occasion, she brings Boris Trigorin (Corey Stoll), a successful novelist, with her. Nina (Saoirse Ronan), a free and innocent girl on a neighboring estate, falls in love with Trigorin. Trigorin lightly consumes and rejects Nina, just as the actress all her life has consumed and rejected her son, who loves Nina. The victims are destroyed while the sophisticates continue on their way.
“The Escape” (Opens in NY and LA) (Also Available on VOD)
A woman sets out to reclaim her life in this stirring, emotionally rich look at what it means to start over. Tara (Gemma Arterton), a housewife and mother in suburban London, is living a life that is no longer hers: it belongs to her loving but overworked and self-absorbed husband (Dominic Cooper), her young son and daughter, and the numbing routine of housework and childcare. In desperate need of a change, Tara one day makes a bold decision. Armed with a one-way ticket to Paris, she leaves everything behind to rediscover herself in a new city — but walking out on your life isn’t so simple.
“Revenge” — Written and Directed by Coralie Fargeat (Also Available on VOD)
Jen (Matilda Lutz) is enjoying a romantic getaway with her wealthy boyfriend which is suddenly disrupted when his sleazy friends arrive for an unannounced hunting trip. Tension mounts in the house until the situation abruptly — and viciously — intensifies, culminating in a shocking act that leaves Jen left for dead. Unfortunately for her assailants, Jen survives and reemerges with a relentless, wrathful intent: revenge.
“Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat” (Documentary) — Directed by Sara Driver
“Boom for Real” explores the pre-fame years of the celebrated American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, and how New York City, its people, and tectonically shifting arts culture of the late 1970s and ’80s shaped his vision.
“Mountain” (Documentary) — Co-Written and Directed by Jennifer Peedom (Opens in NY; Opens in LA May 25)
“Mountain” is a dazzling exploration of our obsession with mountains. Only three centuries ago, climbing a mountain would have been considered close to lunacy. The idea scarcely existed that wild landscapes might hold any sort of attraction. Peaks were places of peril, not beauty. Why, then, are we now drawn to mountains in our millions? “Mountain” shows us the spellbinding force of high places — and their ongoing power to shape our lives and our dreams.
“Beast”
Moll (Jessie Buckley) is 27 and still living at home, stifled by the small island community around her and too beholden to her family to break away. When she meets Pascal (Johnny Flynn), a free-spirited stranger, a whole new world opens up to her and she begins to feel alive for the first time, falling madly in love. Finally breaking free from her family, Moll moves in with Pascal to start a new life. But when he is arrested as the key suspect in a series of brutal murders, she is left isolated and afraid. Choosing to stand with him against the suspicions of the community, Moll finds herself forced to make choices that will impact her life forever.
“The Assassin’s Code” — Co-Written by Valerie Grant (Also Available on VOD)
A rookie detective, the son of a dead disgraced cop, works to solve his first major case while under the watchful eye of a ghost-like assassin.
“Higher Power” — Co-Written by Julia Fair (Also Available on VOD)
When the universe decides what it wants, it’s powerless to resist. With his family’s life at stake, Joseph Steadman (Ron Eldard) finds himself the unwilling test subject of a maniacal scientist in a battle that could save the world, or destroy it.
“Lu Over the Wall” — Co-Written by Reiko Yoshida
Kai (Shôta Shimoda) is talented but adrift, spending his days sulking in a small fishing village after his family moves from Tokyo. His only joy is uploading songs he writes to the internet. When his classmates invite him to play keyboard in their band, their practice sessions bring an unexpected guest: Lu (Christine Marie Cabanos), a young mermaid whose fins turn to feet when she hears the beats, and whose singing causes humans to compulsively dance — whether they want to or not. As Kai spends more time with Lu, he finds he is able to tell her what he is really thinking, and a bond begins to form. But since ancient times, the people in the village have believed that mermaids bring disaster and soon there is trouble between Lu and the townspeople, putting the town in grave danger.
“The Kissing Booth” (Available on Netflix)
When Elle Evans (Joey King), a pretty late-bloomer who’s never-been-kissed, decides to run a kissing booth at her high school’s Spring Carnival, she unexpectedly finds herself locking lips with her secret crush — the ultimate bad boy, Noah Flynn (Jacob Elordi). Sparks fly, but there’s one little problem: Noah just happens to be the brother of her best friend, Lee, (Joel Courtney) and is absolutely off limits according to the rules of their friendship pact. Elle’s life is turned upside down when she realizes that she must ultimately make a choice: follow the rules or follow her heart.
May 15
“GRRRL: Beauty Is the Beast” (Documentary)
“GRRRL” is a documentary film that promotes sisterhood and female body positivity. The film features 10 women with extraordinary stories of overcoming mental and physical traumas brought on by female body standards common in today’s society. “GRRRL” explores not only the problems but also reveals the driving forces behind them.
“American Dream: Detroit” (Documentary) — Co-Directed by Christina Kline (May 15 Only)
“American Dream: Detroit” tells the story of Detroit’s greatest glory through its devastating downfall, and shines a bright light on the heroic commitments and community initiatives now being made to come back stronger than ever. This is the story of the American Dream.
May 18
“Book Club” — Co-Written by Erin Simms
Four lifelong friends (Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen) have their lives forever changed after reading “50 Shades of Grey” in their monthly book club.
“How to Talk to Girls at Parties” — Co-Written by Philippa Goslett
Enn (Alex Sharp) is a shy suburban London teenager in 1977, sneaking out with his best friends to after-hours punk parties. One night they stumble upon a bizarre gathering of sexy teenagers who seem like they are from another planet. In fact, they are from another planet, visiting Earth to complete a mysterious rite of passage. That doesn’t stop Enn from falling madly in love with Zan (Elle Fanning), a beautiful and rebellious alien teenager who, despite her allegiance to her strange colony, is fascinated by Enn. Together they embark on a delirious adventure through the kinetic punk rock world of 1970s London, inadvertently setting off a series of events that will lead to the ultimate showdown of punks vs. aliens, and test the limits of how far each of them will go for true love.
“Cargo” — Written and Co-Directed by Yolanda Ramke (Available on Netflix)
Stranded in rural Australia in the aftermath of a violent pandemic, an infected father (Martin Freeman) desperately seeks a new home for his infant child, and a means to protect her from his own changing nature.
May 25
“Mary Shelley” — Directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour; Written by Emma Jensen and Haifaa Al-Mansour (Available on VOD June 1)
She will forever be remembered as the writer who gave the world Frankenstein. But the real life story of Mary Shelley — and the creation of her immortal monster — is nearly as fantastical as her fiction. Raised by a renowned philosopher father (Stephen Dillane) in 18th-century London, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (Elle Fanning) is a teenage dreamer determined to make her mark on the world when she meets the dashing and brilliant poet Percy Shelley (Douglas Booth). So begins a torrid, bohemian love affair marked by both passion and personal tragedy that will transform Mary and fuel the writing of her Gothic masterwork. (IFC Films)
“Summer 1993” — Directed by Carla Simón; Written by Carla Simón and Valentina Viso
After her mother’s death, six-year-old Frida (Laia Artigas) is sent to her uncle’s family to live with him in the countryside. But Frida finds it hard to forget her mother, and adapt to her new life.
“Ibiza” — Written by Lauryn Kahn (Available on Netflix)
When Harper’s (Gillian Jacobs) two best friends (Vanessa Bayer and Phoebe Robinson) tag along on her work trip to Barcelona, they ditch work, and fly to Ibiza for Harper, who against her better judgement falls for a hot DJ.
“In Darkness” — Co-Written by Natalie Dormer (Also Available on VOD)
Blind pianist Sofia (Natalie Dormer) overhears a struggle in the apartment above hers that leads to the death of her neighbor Veronique (Emily Ratajkowski). It is the start of a journey that pulls Sofia out of her depth and brings her into contact with Veronique’s father, Milos Radic (Jan Bijvoet), a Serbian businessman accused of being a war criminal. Sofia is drawn into a dangerous world of corruption, investigating police, hitmen, and the Russian mafia — a world with links to Sofia’s own hidden past and a path of revenge she has kept hidden until now.
“The Gospel According to André” (Documentary) — Directed by Kate Novack
From the segregated American South to the fashion capitals of the world, operatic fashion editor André Leon Talley’s life and career are on full display in a poignant portrait that includes appearances by Anna Wintour, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Bethann Hardison, Valentino, and Manolo Blahnik. “The Gospel According to André” draws fascinating, heretofore unexplored connections between the elegance of André’s beloved grandmother and the Black Church of his youth and his later iconic, barrier-breaking work at publications like Women’s Wear Daily, W, and Vogue.
“Who We Are Now”
An ex-con (Julianne Nicholson) tries to get back custody of her son with the help of an idealistic young public defender (Emma Roberts), and at the same time falls into a romantic fling with a traumatized former U.S. soldier.
“Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran” — Co-Written by Sanyukta Shaikh Chawla
“Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran” is based on the nuclear bomb test explosions conducted by the Indian Army at Pokhran in 1998, during the time of PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure. The film tells the audience about the failures and the hidden facts that no one paid attention to and brings out the unsung heroes of the experiment that put India on the map as global nuclear superpower.
May 26
“The Tale” — Written and Directed by Jennifer Fox (Premieres on HBO)
On a horse farm during the summer of 1973, 13-year-old Jennifer began a relationship with two coaches that would shape her identity for the rest of her life. Based on a true story, “The Tale” chronicles Jennifer’s (Laura Dern) adult journey to distinguish the reality she has constructed from the truth she must confront.
