By Shayna Maci Warner and Tatiana McInnis
This August, women run the gamut in film: offering laughs, working through breakups, and even fending off killer lions. There are a wealth of VOD and streaming options, and a few theatrical releases that span almost every genre.
Start the month with a look inside the super-secret, super-messy world of college crush parties with “CRSHD” (August 4), from writer-director Emily Cohn. Comedian and actress Chelsea Peretti is sure to continue the laughs, and the self-effacing cringe, in Andrea Dorfman’s “Spinster” (August 7), as she navigates a midlife crisis after a breakup. Breakups are also the order of the day for the all-female creative team and cast of “To the New Girl” (August 11), an anthology film which follows 10 women as they pointedly confront their exes’ new partners at an LA open mic night. Gillian Jacobs is going through her own turmoil as a novelist who takes a break from her disappointing career and revisits her alma mater in Kris Rey’s “I Used to Go Here” (August 7).
The month is punctuated by a diverse group of political documentaries, including an exploration of women running for local offices in the U.S. Midwest in “Represent” (August 14). Female journalists also cover the 2020 election season with “On the Trail: Inside the 2020 Primaries” (August 6), and “A Thousand Cuts” (August 7) investigates the role of news media and the precariousness of journalism during Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency in the Philippines. Meanwhile, Barbara Kopple takes us behind the scenes of Operation Eagle Claw — the secret rescue mission Jimmy Carter approved during the Iran hostage crisis — in “Desert One” (August 21).
For horror lovers, August is a wealth of psychological tricksters, time-traveling historical terror, and obsessive descents into madness. In “DieRy” (August 25), a successful model has her diary stolen by an obsessive fan, who threatens to kill anyone they perceive as a danger to her. In the highly anticipated “Antebellum” (August 21), Janelle Monáe’s Veronica Henley is chosen to “save us from our past,” and is transported back in time to a plantation in the Antebellum South.
Finally, the month wraps up with a slate of high-energy action: the “X-Men” franchise continues with “The New Mutants” (August 28), and Megan Fox leads a squad of soldiers on a daring mission, encountering a pack of lions along the way, in the adventurous “Rogue” (August 28).
Here are the women-centric, women-directed, and women-written films debuting this August. All descriptions are from press materials unless otherwise noted.
August 4
“CRSHD” – Written and Directed by Emily Cohn (Available on VOD)
“CRSHD”
This inventive, female-driven sex comedy follows college freshman Izzy Alden (Isabelle Barbier) and her two best friends, Anuka (Deeksha Ketkar) and Fiona (Sadie Scott), as they embark on a journey to get Izzy to a “crush party” so she can lose her virginity before the end of the semester. “CRSHD” tells a hilarious, unique story about navigating the messy ups and downs of life and love in the age of social media.
“House of Hummingbird” – Written and Directed by Bora Kim (Available on VOD)
Set against the backdrop of a rapidly expanding Seoul in 1994, lonely 14-year-old Eun-hee (Ji-hu Park) moves through life like a hummingbird searching for a taste of sweetness wherever she may find it. Deprived of attention from her family, she roams the neighborhood with her best friend, attempts romantic relationships with both girls and boys alike, and is sent to the hospital with an unclear diagnosis. When Young-ji (Sae-byeok Kim), a new teacher, arrives, she becomes the first adult Eun-hee feels really understands her.
“Ride Your Wave” – Written by Reiko Yoshida (Available on VOD)
Hinako (Rina Kawaei) is a surf-loving college student who has just moved to a small seaside town. When a sudden fire breaks out at her apartment building, she is rescued by Minato (Ryôta Katayose), a handsome firefighter, and the two soon fall in love. Just as they become inseparable, Minato loses his life in an accident at sea. Hinako is so distraught that she can no longer even look at the ocean, but one day she sings a song that reminds her of their time together, and Minato appears in the water. From then on, she can summon him in any watery surface as soon as she sings their song, but can the two really remain together forever? And what is the real reason for Minato’s sudden reappearance?
“The Resistance Fighter” – Written by Sylwia Wilkos and Wladyslaw Pasikowski (Available on VOD)
“The Resistance Fighter” tells the incredible true story of the “Polish James Bond,” the legendary courier from Warsaw, a spy whose lonely mission could decide the fate of Poland and World War II.
August 6
“On the Trail: Inside the 2020 Primaries” (Documentary) – Directed by Katie Hinman and Toby Oppenheimer (Available on HBO Max)
“On The Trail”: Warner Media
This cinema verité feature reveals the lives and personal grit of veteran journalists and intrepid first-timers, Dana Bash, Kaitlan Collins, Jessica Dean, Daniella Diaz, Annie Grayer, Kyung Lah, MJ Lee, Abby Phillip, Arlette Saenz, and Jasmine Wright, against the backdrop of the volatile 2020 race. Beginning just days prior to the Iowa caucuses, viewers see the journalists pack up and leave their families to fan out across the country, to report on the president and his would-be rivals, as the candidates launch — and end — campaigns, and contend for voters. The film is punctuated with intimate interviews with these journalists, detailing the lives they put on pause back home. They bring their training and life perspectives to the job, while demonstrating what it takes to be a top political reporter in the arena.
“The Vow from Hiroshima” (Documentary) – Directed by Susan Strickler (Available on OVID.tv)
Marking the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, “The Vow From Hiroshima” is an intimate portrait of Setsuko Thurlow, a passionate 85-year-old survivor of the atomic bomb. Her moving story is told through the lens of her growing friendship with a second-generation survivor, Mitchie Takeuchi.
“La Llorona” (Available on Shudder)
Indignant retired general Enrique finally faces trial for the genocidal massacre of thousands of Mayans decades ago. As a horde of angry protesters threatens to invade their opulent home, the women of the house including his haughty wife, conflicted daughter, and precocious granddaughter, weigh their responsibility to shield the erratic, senile Enrique against the devastating truths being publicly revealed and the increasing sense that a wrathful supernatural force is targeting them for his crimes. Meanwhile, much of the family’s domestic staff flees, leaving only loyal housekeeper Valeriana until a mysterious young Indigenous maid arrives.
August 7
“Spinster” – Directed by Andrea Dorfman; Written by Jennifer Deyell (Available on VOD)
“Spinster”
Gaby (Chelsea Peretti), unceremoniously dumped on her 39th birthday, is petrified she’ll be alone forever. Inching closer and closer toward the big 40, she embarks on a dating frenzy only to discover that her problem isn’t that she doesn’t have a love life — it’s that she doesn’t have a life.
“I Used to Go Here” – Written and Directed by Kris Rey (Also Available on VOD)
“I Used to Go Here”
Following the lackluster launch of her debut novel, 35-year-old writer Kate Conklin (Gillian Jacobs) receives a welcome invitation from her former professor and old crush (Jemaine Clement) to speak at her alma mater. With her book tour cancelled, and her ego deflated, Kate hopes that returning to her old college as a published author will give her the morale boost she sorely needs. Instead, she falls into a comical regression: from misadventures with eccentric 20-year olds, to feelings of jealousy toward her former professor’s new favorite student.
“A Thousand Cuts” (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Ramona S. Diaz (Also Available via Virtual Cinemas)
“A Thousand Cuts”: PBS
In 2016, outsider candidate Rodrigo Duterte upset the political establishment in the Philippines by winning the presidency and promising vengeance and violence. Within hours of taking office, bodies piled up in the streets. Rappler, the country’s top online news site, investigated the murders, and revealed a government-sanctioned drug war targeting poor addicts instead of lucrative dealers. In an attempt to suppress independent reporting, Duterte unleashed a powerful disinformation campaign that spread like wildfire throughout social media. “A Thousand Cuts” follows key players from two sides of an increasingly dangerous war between the press and government. Representing the journalists is fearless Rappler founder and CEO Maria Ressa, who, despite arrests and harassment, continues to publish articles holding a lawless regime accountable. On the other side, influencers such as pop-star-turned-government-secretary Mocha Uson start incendiary social media movements and General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa spearheads a public execution campaign against addicts. As each side digs in, we become witness to an epic and ongoing fight for the integrity of human life and truth itself — a conflict that extends beyond the Philippines into our own divisive backyard.
“River City Drumbeat” (Documentary) – Directed by Anne Flatté and Marlon Johnson (Available via Virtual Cinemas)
“River City Drumbeat” is a powerful story of music, love, and legacies set in the American South. Edward “Nardie” White devoted his life to leading the African-American drum corps he co-founded with Zambia Nkrumah in Louisville, Kentucky, three decades ago. Together they inspired youth from their West Louisville neighborhood to thrive by connecting them with the art and cultural traditions of their African ancestors. Now Albert Shumake, whose destiny was shaped by the drumline, must take up the mantle for the next generation. Meanwhile, student drummers Imani, Jailen, and Emily navigate adolescence and life changes. “River City Drumbeat” follows this creative community of mentors, parents, and youth making their way in a world where systemic forces raise obstacles to fulfilling their dreams.
“The Secret Garden” (Available on VOD)
“The Secret Garden”
“The Secret Garden” is a new take on the beloved classic novel of the same name written by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Set in England during a new time period in 1947, the film follows a young orphan girl who, after being sent to live with her uncle, discovers a magical garden on the grounds of his estate. Dixie Egerickx, Julie Walters, and Colin Firth star.
“Work It” – Directed by Laura Terruso; Written by Alison Peck (Available on Netflix)
When Quinn Ackerman’s (Sabrina Carpenter) admission to the college of her dreams depends on her performance at a dance competition, she forms a ragtag group of dancers to take on the best squad in school — now she just needs to learn how to dance.
August 11
“To the New Girl” – Directed by Aurora J. Culver and Ambika Leigh; Written by Samantha Macher (Available on VOD)
“To the New Girl” is a bold anthology feature film made by an all-female creative team and cast. Based on the popular play of the same name, the film follows 10 women scorned as they directly address their exes’ new wives and lovers at an open mic night in Los Angeles. Created by a dynamic group of emerging filmmakers at a time when audiences are demanding films made both by and for women, the project taps into a social and political climate that’s left women poised to take back their voices and be heard.
“Unraveling Athena: The Champions of Women’s Tennis” (Documentary) (Available on VOD)
“Unraveling Athena”
Chronicling the lives of some of the world’s most extraordinary athletes, “Unraveling Athena: The Champions of Women’s Tennis” explores the interweaving lives and narrative of female tennis royalty. Featuring extensive interviews with Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Evonne Goolagong, Pam Shriver, Martina Hingis, Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario, Monica Seles, Kim Clijsters, and more, this is an inspirational story of perseverance, trials, and tribulations, and remarkable achievements. The movie provides insight into the mind of the professional athlete and the ultimate exploration of what it takes to make a champion.
“Dollhouse: The Eradication of Female Subjectivity from American Popular Culture” – Written and Directed by Nicole Brending (Available on VOD)
“Dollhouse: The Eradication of Female Subjectivity from American Popular Culture” charts the rise and fall of fictional child pop star Junie Spoons (Nicole Brending) as her life story — and the ensuing disasters — unfold, as told by those who knew her.
August 13
“An Easy Girl” – Directed by Rebecca Zlotowski; Written by Rebecca Zlotowski and Teddy Lussi-Modeste (Available on Netflix)
“An Easy Girl”
Naima (Mina Farid) is 16 and lives in Cannes. She has given herself the summer to choose what she wants to do with her life. Then her cousin Sofia (Zahia Dehar), with her alluring lifestyle, arrives to spend the holidays with her. Together, they will share an unforgettable summer.
August 14
“Before the Fire” – Directed by Charlie Buhler; Written by Jenna Lyng Adams (Available via Virtual Cinemas and VOD)
“Before the Fire”
As a global pandemic engulfs Los Angeles, rising TV star Ava Boone (Jenna Lyng Adams) is forced to flee the mounting chaos and return to her rural hometown. As she struggles to acclimate to a way of life she left behind long ago, her homecoming attracts a dangerous figure from her past — threatening both her and the family that serves as her only sanctuary.
“Represent” (Documentary) – Directed by Hillary Bachelder (Available via Virtual Cinemas)
“Represent”
“Represent” follows three women in the American Midwest confronting entrenched political systems in their campaigns for elected office and fighting to reshape local politics on their own terms. Myya Jones, a Black 22-year-old Michigan State graduate and lifelong native of Detroit runs for mayor of Detroit and then, following her defeat, mounts another campaign to become state representative. Bryn Bird, a white woman and Democrat in the rural Ohio community of Granville sets her sights on the upcoming township trustee election and comes up against her town’s conservative “old boys network.” Julie Cho, a Korean immigrant and conservative Republican runs for state representative in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, and faces long odds against a popular Democratic incumbent.
“The Bay of Silence” – Directed by Paula van der Oest; Written by Caroline Goodall (Available via Virtual Cinemas and VOD)
When Will (Claes Bang) discovers his wife, Rosalind (Olga Kurylenko), and their three children have suddenly disappeared, he sets off on a frantic search across Europe. He finally locates them in a remote village in northern France, but relief turns to horror when Will discovers his baby son has mysteriously died. Will sets out to discover the truth about his wife’s disappearance and the death of his son, finding himself at odds with Rosalind’s former stepfather, Milton (Brian Cox), who wants to “protect” her for his own private reasons.
“The One and Only Ivan” – Directed by Thea Sharrock (Available on Disney+)
“The One and Only Ivan”
An adaptation of the award-winning book about one very special gorilla, “The One and Only Ivan” is an unforgettable tale about the beauty of friendship, the power of visualization, and the significance of the place one calls home. Ivan (Sam Rockwell) is a 400-pound silverback gorilla who shares a communal habitat in a suburban shopping mall with Stella the elephant (Angelina Jolie), Bob the dog (Danny DeVito), and various other animals. He has few memories of the jungle where he was captured, but when a baby elephant named Ruby (Brooklynn Prince) arrives, it touches something deep within him. Ruby is recently separated from her family in the wild, which causes him to question his life, where he comes from, and where he ultimately wants to be.
“Boys State” (Documentary) – Directed by Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss (Available on Apple TV+)
“Boys State”
“Boys State” is a wildly entertaining and continually revealing immersion into a week-long annual program in which a thousand Texas high school seniors gather for an elaborate mock exercise: building their own state government. The filmmakers closely track the escalating tensions that arise within a particularly riveting gubernatorial race, training their cameras on unforgettable teenagers like Ben, a Reagan-loving arch-conservative who brims with confidence despite personal setbacks, and Steven, a progressive-minded child of Mexican immigrants who stands by his convictions amidst the sea of red. In the process, they have created a complex portrait of contemporary American masculinity, as well as a microcosm of our often dispiriting national political divisions that nevertheless manages to plant seeds of hope.
“Starting at Zero: Reimagining Education in America” (Documentary) – Directed by Willa Kammerer
“Starting at Zero” explores the power of investing in high-quality early childhood education so that all children and families have the opportunity to attain the American Dream. The film brings together the voices of policymakers, educators, academics, business leaders, pediatricians, parents, and children. “Starting at Zero” culminates with a call to governors across America for collective action: to set our nation on the path to future success through significant investments in high-quality early childhood education, both to support today’s workforce, and to build the workforce of tomorrow.
“Rebels on Pointe” (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Bobbi Jo Hart (Available on OVID.tv)
Exploring universal themes of identity, dreams, and family, “Rebels on Pointe” is the first-ever documentary film celebrating the world famous Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. The notorious all-male, drag ballet company was founded over 40 years ago in New York City on the heels of the Stonewall riots, and has a passionate cult following around the world. The film juxtaposes intimate behind-the-scenes access, rich archives, and history, engaging character driven stories, and dance performances shot in North America, Europe, and Japan. “Rebels on Pointe” is a creative blend of gender-bending artistic expression, diversity, passion, and purpose.
August 18
“Open 24 Hours” (Available on VOD)
A paranoid delusional woman, Mary White (Vanessa Grasse), has just been released from a mental hospital for setting her serial killer boyfriend on fire. Mary suffers from severe paranoia and hallucinations. Her boyfriend, James Lincoln Fields, is a brutal serial killer known as The Rain Ripper. He enjoyed murdering people and making Mary watch. After being released from the hospital, Mary’s vulnerable demeanor aids her in obtaining employment at an all-night gas station. However, left alone to her own devices, her paranoia and hallucinations return with furious consequences. Things take a gruesome turn when customers and friends suddenly start turning up dead and mutilated all around her.
August 21
“Antebellum”
“Antebellum”
Successful author Veronica Henley (Janelle Monáe) finds herself trapped in a horrifying reality and must uncover the mind-bending mystery before it’s too late.
“Chemical Hearts” – Written by Krystal Sutherland and Richard Tanne (Available on Amazon Prime)
Seventeen-year-old Henry Page (Austin Abrams) has never been in love. He fancies himself a romantic, but the kind of once-in-a-lifetime love he’s been hoping for just hasn’t happened yet. Then, on the first day of senior year, he meets transfer student Grace Town (Lili Reinhart) and it seems all that is about to change. When Grace and Henry are chosen to co-edit the school paper, he is immediately drawn to the mysterious newcomer. As he learns the heartbreaking secret that has changed her life, he finds himself falling in love with her — or at least the person he thinks she is.
“Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present” (Documentary) (Available on OVID.tv)
Seductive, fearless, and outrageous, Marina Abramovic has been redefining what art is for nearly 40 years. Using her own body as a vehicle, pushing herself beyond her physical and mental limits — and at times risking her life in the process — she creates performances that challenge, shock, and move us.
“Marina Abramovic in Brazil: The Space in Between” (Documentary) – Written by Marina Abramovic, Fabiana Werneck Barcinski, Jasmin Pinho, and Marco Del Fiol (Available on OVID.tv)
Marina Abramović travels through Brazil in search of personal healing and artistic inspiration, experiencing sacred rituals and revealing her creative process. The route consists of poignant encounters with healers and sages from the Brazilian countryside, exploring the limits between art and spirituality. A mixture between road movie and spiritual thriller, this documentary brings an unprecedented approach to the intimate creative process of one of the most important artists of our time.
“Desert One” (Documentary) – Directed by Barbara Kopple
“Desert One”
When radical Islamists take 52 American diplomats and citizens hostage inside Iran, President Jimmy Carter secretly green-lights the training for a rescue mission. America’s Special Forces soldiers also find themselves in uncharted territory, planning a top-secret rescue of unprecedented scale and complexity. Driven by deep empathy toward the kidnapped Americans, the heart-pounding and unforeseen events the rescue team participated in will forever unite them. “Desert One” also presents Iranian perspectives on this important moment in their history. A female Iranian crew filmed overlooked accounts inside that country, one from a man who had been an 11-year-old boy riding a bus through the desert on the night of the mission. As tensions once again rise between the governments of Iran and the U.S., old wounds remain painfully current for many who poignantly detail their recollections in “Desert One.”
August 25
“DieRy” – Directed by Jennifer Gelfer (Available on VOD)
Instagram model Marie Clark (Claudia Maree Mailer) is using her influencer status to pay for her master’s degree in comparative religion, while moving on from an abusive past. It seems Marie’s life is finally on the right track, until her diary is stolen by an obsessive fan who begins sending her love letters informing Marie that they are going to kill anyone who is a danger to her. As friends start feeling like suspects, and bodies begin piling up, Marie must confront the demons of her past in order to unmask the killer and reclaim her life.
August 26
“Lingua Franca” – Written and Directed by Isabel Sandoval (Also Available on Netflix)
“Lingua Franca”
After securing a job as a live-in caregiver for Olga (Lynn Cohen), an elderly Russian woman in Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach neighborhood, undocumented Filipina trans woman Olivia’s (Isabel Sandoval) main priority is to secure a green card to stay in America. But when she unexpectedly becomes romantically involved with Olga’s adult grandson Alex (Eamon Farren), issues around identity, civil rights, and immigration threaten Olivia’s very existence.
August 28
“The New Mutants”
“The New Mutants”
In “The New Mutants,” five young mutants, just discovering their abilities while held in a secret facility against their will, fight to escape their past sins and save themselves. The “X-Men” spinoff introduces Danielle (Blue Hunt), a young woman who wakes up from a tragedy to be told that she survived it because she’s “a very uncommon girl.” And she’s not alone — not anymore. Danielle is just one of the young mutants being held for psychiatric monitoring at an isolated hospital.
“Fátima” – Written by Barbara Nicolosi, Valerio D’Annunzio, and Marco Pontecorvo
“Fátima”
“Fátima” tells the story of a 10-year-old shepherd, Lúcia dos Santos (Stephanie Gil), and her two young cousins, Francisco (Jorge Lamelas) and Jacinta (Alejandra Howard), who reported having received apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fátima, Portugal, circa 1917. Their revelations inspire believers but anger officials of both the Catholic Church and the secular government, who try to force them to recant their story. As word of their prophecy spreads, tens of thousands of religious pilgrims flock to the site to witness what became known as the Miracle of the Sun.
“Rogue” – Directed by M.J. Bassett; Written by M.J. Bassett and Isabel Bassett (Available on VOD)
“Rogue”
Megan Fox tackles a thrilling new role as a battle-hardened mercenary in this explosive action saga. As team leader O’Hara, she leads a lively squad of soldiers on a daring mission: rescue hostages from their captors in remote Africa. But as the mission goes awry and the team is stranded, O’Hara’s squad must face a bloody, brutal encounter with a gang of rebels — and the horde of ravenous, enraged lions they encounter.
“Driven to Abstraction” (Documentary) – Directed by Daria Price (Available on VOD)
“Driven to Abstraction” unravels a mutating tale of self-delusion, greed, and fraud — the $80 million forgery scandal that rocked the art world and brought down Knoedler, New York City’s oldest and most venerable gallery. Was the gallery’s esteemed director the victim of a con artist who showed up with an endless treasure trove of previously unseen abstract expressionist masterpieces? Or did she eventually suspect they were fakes, yet continue to sell them for many millions of dollars for 15 years? Whatever the truth, two women from very different worlds were, wittingly or not, caught up in the greatest hoax of Modern American Art.
“The Extraordinary Ordinary” – Written and Directed by Natalie Rodriguez (Available on VOD)
Three young adults learn how to cope with their mental health when old wounds resurface. Maddison Bullock, Alex Montalban, John Posey, and Ana Marte star.
