What better time than fall to head to the theater to avoid the last of the summer heat, or escape the chill in the air by curling up at home with popcorn and a movie? Fortunately, the month of October will the see the release of powerful documentaries, engaging horror flicks, and eye-catching films with groundbreaking narratives, including the highly-anticipated “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women.” Out October 13, the film looks at the real-life relationships that inspired the iconic comic book figure Wonder Woman.
October is an especially big month for documentaries. Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi’s “Chavela,” opening in NY October 4, is a moving look at the life of the eponymous singer and artist, featuring previously unseen interview footage. Premiering October 6, “Faces Places” showcases the unusual friendship between its co-directors, iconic filmmaker Agnès Varda and French artist J.R. And TIFF hit “Jane” traces the early work of trailblazing anthropologist and primatologist Jane Goodall. It opens October 20.
Several women-centric horror films will also bow in time for Halloween. October 6’s “Better Watch Out” tells the story of a young babysitter who protects her young charges from a home invader. “Happy Death Day” debuts October 13 and follows a young woman as the day of her murder is repeated over and over again. “Tragedy Girls” hits theaters October 20. The quirky slasher film focuses on a pair of teens whose antics on their online crime show send their small town into a panic.
“The Party” — a film about social horrors — opens in the UK October 13. From writer-director Sally Potter (“Ginger & Rosa”), the dark ensemble comedy is about a small gathering that goes spectacularly off the rails thanks to some revealed secrets, booze, cocaine, and a gun.
October 27 will see the release of two very different period pieces about women’s self-discovery. Petra Volpe’s “The Divine Order” explores the fight for women’s suffrage in 1971 Switzerland, while Margaret Betts’ “Novitiate” is about a young nun in the ’50s and ’60s struggling to reconcile her deep devotion to God with the reforms of the Vatican II and her own sexuality.
Here are all of the women-centric, women-directed, and women-written films debuting in October. All descriptions are from press materials unless otherwise noted.
October 4
“Chavela” (Documentary) — Directed by Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi (Opens in NY; Opens in LA October 6)
Through its lyrical structure, “Chavela” will take viewers on an evocative, thought-provoking journey through the iconoclastic life of game-changing artist Chavela Vargas. Centered around never before-seen interview footage of Chavela shot 20 years before her death in 2012, and guided by the stories in Chavela’s songs, and the myths and tales others have told about her — as well as those she spread about herself — the film weaves an arresting portrait of a woman who dared to dress, speak, sing, and dream her unique life into being.
October 6
“The Florida Project”
Set on a stretch of highway just outside the imagined utopia of Disney World, “The Florida Project” follows six-year-old Moonee (Brooklynn Prince) and her rebellious mother, Halley (Bria Vinaite), over the course of a single summer. The two live week to week at “The Magic Castle,” a budget motel managed by Bobby (Willem Dafoe), whose stern exterior hides a deep reservoir of kindness and compassion. Despite her harsh surroundings, the precocious and ebullient Moonee has no trouble making each day a celebration of life, her endless afternoons overflowing with mischief and grand adventure as she and her ragtag playmates fearlessly explore the utterly unique world into which they’ve been thrown.
“Faces Places” (Documentary) — Co-Directed by Agnès Varda
89-year old Agnes Varda, one of the leading figures of the French New Wave, and acclaimed 33 year-old French photographer and muralist JR teamed up to co-direct this enchanting documentary/road movie. Kindred spirits, Varda and JR share a lifelong passion for images and how they are created, displayed and shared. Together they travel around the villages of France in JR’s photo truck meeting locals, learning their stories and producing epic-size portraits of them. The photos are prominently displayed on houses, barns, storefronts and trains revealing the humanity in their subjects, and themselves. Faces Places documents these heart-warming encounters as well as the unlikely, tender friendship they formed along the way.
“Barracuda” — Co-Directed by Julia Halperin
Merle (Allison Tolman) finds her life beginning to splinter when Sinaloa (Sophie Reid), the musician half-sister she never knew existed, appears on her doorstep in Texas. Initially distrustful of this enigmatic woman, a bond quickly forms between the two. As Merle allows her half-sister into her life, Sinaloa reveals a quiet fury through her music, and her fierce attachment begins to place Merle’s career aspirations, her relationship to her mother, and even her impending marriage in jeopardy. Merle fights to keep her world together while Sinaloa’s increasingly intense and erratic behavior threatens to erupt into something darker.
“Una”
“Una” follows a young woman’s journey to reclaim her past. Fifteen years earlier, Una (Rooney Mara) ran away with an older man, Ray (Ben Mendelsohn), a crime for which he was arrested and imprisoned. When she comes across a photo of him in a trade magazine, Una tracks him down and turns up at his workplace. Her abrupt arrival threatens to destroy Ray’s new life and derail her stability. Unspoken secrets and buried memories surface as Una and Ray sift through the wreckage of their past.
“The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson” (Documentary) (Also Available on Netflix)
This documentary uses never-before-seen footage and rediscovered interviews in a search for the truth behind the mysterious 1992 death of black transgender activist and Stonewall veteran Marsha P. Johnson.
“Take My Nose… Please!” (Documentary) — Directed by Joan Kron (Opens in NY; Opens in LA October 13)
More than 15 million cosmetic procedures were performed in the US in 2014. And 90 percent of them on were done on women. Yet, for those who elect to tinker with Mother Nature, especially for high-profile women, plastic surgery is still a very dark secret. Funny women, though, are the exception. From Phyllis Diller and Joan Rivers to Roseanne Barr and Kathy Griffin, comedians have been unashamed to talk about their perceived flaws, and the steps taken to remedy them. “Take My Nose… Please!” follows two comedians as they deliberate about going under the knife. Emily Askin, an up-and coming improv performer, has always wanted her nose refined. Jackie Hoffman, a seasoned headliner on Broadway and on TV, considers herself ugly and regrets not having the nose job offered in her teens. And maybe she’d like a face-lift, as well. As we follow their surprisingly emotional stories, we meet others who have taken the leap — or held out.
“Trafficked”
In this story inspired by real characters, three girls from America, Nigeria, and India are trafficked through an elaborate global network and enslaved in a Texas brothel, and must together attempt a daring escape to reclaim their freedom.
“Earth: One Amazing Day” (Documentary) — Co-Written by Geling Yan
“Earth: One Amazing Day” is an astonishing journey revealing the awesome power of the natural world. Over the course of one single day, we track the sun from the highest mountains to the remotest islands to exotic jungles. Breakthroughs in filmmaking technology bring you up close with a cast of unforgettable characters. Told with humor, intimacy, and a jaw-dropping sense of cinematic splendor, “Earth: One Amazing Day” highlights how every day is filled with more wonders than you can possibly imagine — until now.
“Dina” (Documentary)
Dina, an outspoken and eccentric 49-year-old in suburban Philadelphia, invites her fiancé Scott, a Walmart door greeter, to move in with her. Having grown up neurologically diverse in a world blind to the value of their experience, the two are head-over-heels for one another, but shacking up poses a new challenge.
“So B. It”
A young girl named Heidi (Talitha Bateman), who lives with her mentally disabled mother (Jessie Collins), travels across the country to find out about her and her mother’s past.
“My Little Pony: The Movie” — Co-Written by Meghan McCarthy and Rita Hsiao
When a dark force threatens Ponyville and the Mane 6, they go on a journey to save their home and meet new friends and dangerous challenges along the way.
“Bad Grandmas”
Four grandmothers accidentally kill a con man. When his partner shows up, things go south quickly.
“Better Watch Out” (Also Available on VOD)
On a quiet suburban street, a babysitter (Olivia DeJonge) must defend a 12-year-old boy from intruders, only to discover it’s far from a normal home invasion.
October 13
“Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” — Written and Directed by Angela Robinson
“Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” is the story of psychologist William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans), the polyamorous relationship between his wife (Rebecca Hall) and his mistress (Bella Heathcote), the creation of his beloved comic book character Wonder Woman, and the controversy the comic generated.
“The Party” — Written and Directed by Sally Potter (Opens in the UK)
“The Party” — a comedy wrapped around a tragedy — unfolds in real time in a house in London in the present day. Janet (Kristin Scott Thomas) is hosting an intimate gathering of friends to celebrate her promotion to Shadow Minister of Health in the party of opposition. Her husband, Bill (Timothy Spall), seems preoccupied. As their friends arrive, some of whom have their own dramatic news to share, the soirée gradually unravels. An announcement by Bill provokes a series of revelations that rapidly escalate into all-out confrontation. As people’s illusions about themselves and each other go up in smoke, along with the canapes, “The Party” becomes a night that began with champagne but ends with blood on the floor.
“M.F.A.” — Directed by Natalia Leite; Written by Leah McKendrick (Also Available on VOD)
An art student (Francesca Eastwood) struggling with creativity is violently raped by a fellow classmate. After attempting the traditional routes to cope with her trauma, she impulsively confronts her attacker — a decision that has deadly repercussions. Her world is turned upside down as a chilling reality is uncovered: she is one of many silenced sexual assault survivors on campus. A vigilante is born — and retribution is the inspiration she’s been waiting for.
“Happy Death Day”
A college student (Jessica Rothe) relives the day of her murder with both its unexceptional details and terrifying end until she discovers her killer’s identity.
“The Departure” (Documentary) — Co-Written and Directed by Lana Wilson (Opens in in NY; Opens in LA October 20)
A 44-year-old Tokyo native, Ittetsu Nemoto loves riding his motorcycle and dancing all night in clubs. But he’s also a Rinzai Zen priest, who lives with his wife, mother, and baby son at a temple in the remote countryside of Gifu prefecture, Japan. There, over the last 10 years, he has become famous for his work in combating suicide. But this work has come increasingly at the cost of his own family and health, as he refuses to draw lines between the people he counsels and himself. Nemoto eventually comes to crossroads when his growing self-destructive tendencies lead him to confront the same question his patients ask him: what makes life worth living?
“Kingdom of Us” (Documentary) — Directed by Lucy Cohen (Available on Netflix)
How does a family deal with memories of a traumatic event? “Kingdom of Us” is a delicate, powerfully effective exploration of grief, identity, and family bonds. For over three years, Lucy Cohen filmed a mother and her seven children — whose father’s suicide left them financially ruined. Incorporating family archive footage and capturing the surrounding West Midlands landscape, “Kingdom of Us” records the siblings’ emotional recovery, piecing together their broken past and contemplating fears and aspirations for their future.
“The Secret Scripture”
Roseanne McNulty (Vanessa Redgrave), an elderly Irishwoman living in a mental institution, recounts her past to a psychiatrist (Eric Bana). Rooney Mara plays a young McNulty in flashbacks that detail her love triangle with a fighter pilot (Jack Reynor) and a priest (Theo James).
“Swing Away” — Co-Written by Julia Wall (Also Available on VOD)
Following a meltdown that leads to a suspension, professional golfer Zoe Papadopoulos (Shannon Elizabeth) travels to her grandparents’ village in Greece to escape the harsh spotlight of the international sports world. Between baking bread and eating baklava, she meets and mentors a 10-year-old girl who is determined — against all odds — to become the next golf sensation. Along the way, Zoe rediscovers her Greek heritage, her love of the game, and the hidden strength within herself as she inspires the townspeople in an epic showdown against a greedy American developer.
“Wasted! The Story of Food Waste” (Documentary) — Directed by Anna Chai and Nari Kye (Also Available on VOD)
“Wasted! The Story of Food Waste” aims to change the way people buy, cook, recycle, and eat food. Through the the eyes of people like Anthony Bourdain, Dan Barber, Mario Batali, Massimo Bottura, and Danny Bowien, audiences will see how the world’s most influential chefs make the most of every kind of food, transforming what most people consider scraps into incredible dishes that create a more secure food system. “Wasted!” exposes the criminality of food waste and how it’s directly contributing to climate change and shows how each of us can make small changes — all of them delicious — to solve one of the greatest problems of the 21st century.
“Gnome Alone” — Co-Directed by Shelly Shenoy; Co-Written by Zina Zaflow
A teenage girl (Becky G.) moves to a new town and discovers her new house is under attack by underground beasts. After making the discovery, she finds that she and the house gnomes are the only ones who can offer protection to the town.
October 19
“Secret Superstar”
Insu (Zaira Wasim), a young Muslim girl, aspires to become a singer but faces restrictions from her conservative father. She happens to cross paths with a musician, which unfolds into an exciting journey.
October 20
“Tragedy Girls”
“Tragedy Girls” is a twist on the slasher genre following two death-obsessed teenage girls (Alexandra Shipp and Brianna Hildebrand) who use their online show about real-life tragedies to send their small Midwestern town into a frenzy and cement their legacy as modern horror legends.
“Jane” (Documentary)
Using a trove of unseen footage, “Jane” tells the story of Jane Goodall’s early explorations, focusing on her groundbreaking field work, her relationship with cameraman and husband Hugo van Lawick, and the chimpanzees that she studied.
“Never Here” — Written and Directed by Camille Thoman
Disturbing events lead an artist (Mireille Enos) who photographs strangers to suspect that someone out there is watching her. Boundaries blur between real and imaginary, crime and art, the watcher and the watched.
“The Strange Ones” — Co-Directed by Lauren Wolkstein
Mysterious events surround two travelers (Alex Pettyfer and James Freedson-Jackson) as they make their way across a remote American landscape. On the surface all seems normal, but what appears to be a simple vacation soon gives way to a dark and complex web of secrets.
“A Silent Voice” — Directed by Naoko Yamada; Written by Reiko Yoshida
“A Silent Voice” follows the poignant and moving story of Shoya Ishida (Miyu Irino), a school bully, and Shoko Nishimiya (Saori Hayami), a young girl with a hearing disability. Their story begins in sixth grade when Shoko transfers to Shoya’s elementary school and quickly finds herself bullied and isolated due to her hearing disability. Years later, the tables turn, and Shoya finds himself the victim. “A Silent Voice” depicts the struggles and challenges of adolescence alongside coming-of-age outside the norm.
“One of Us” (Documentary) — Directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (Also Available on Netflix)
“One of Us” is a deep and moving look at the lives of three individuals who have chosen to leave the hugely insular world of Hasidic Judaism. Etty, a mother of seven, decides to leave a violent marriage and divorce her husband; Ari, a teenager on the verge of manhood, is struggling with addiction and the effects of childhood abuse; and Luzer is an actor who, despite having found success in the secular world, still wrestles with his decision eight years earlier to leave the Hasidic community. Produced over three years, “One of Us” offers unique and intimate access to the lives of all three as they deal not only with questions of their beliefs but also with the consequences of leaving the only community they have ever known.
October 26
“The Carmilla Movie” — Co-Written by Jordan Hall (One Night Only in Canada)
Based on the “Carmilla” web series, “The Carmilla Movie” follows Laura (Elise Bauman) and Carmilla (Natasha Negovanlis) five years after they vanquished the apocalypse and Carmilla became a bonafide mortal human. They have settled into a cozy apartment in downtown Toronto; Laura continues to hone her journalism skills while Carmilla adjusts to a non-vampire lifestyle. Their domestic bliss is suddenly ruptured when Carmilla begins to show signs of “re-vamping” — from a fondness for bloody treats to accidental biting — while Laura has started having bizarre, ghostly dreams. The couple must now enlist their old friends from Silas University to uncover the unknown supernatural threat and save humanity — including Carmilla’s.
October 27
“Novitiate” — Written and Directed by Margaret Betts
Spanning over a decade from the early 1950s through to the mid-60s, “Novitiate” is about a young girl’s first initiation with love, in this case with God. Raised by a non-religious, single mother in rural Tennessee, a scholarship to Catholic school soon finds Cathleen (Margaret Qualley) drawn into the mystery and romanticism of a life devoted to the worship and servitude of God. With the dawn of the Vatican II era, radical changes in the Church are threatening the course of nuns’ lives. As she progresses from the postulant to the novitiate stage of training, she finds her faith repeatedly confronted and challenged by the harsh, often inhumane realities of being a servant of God. Cathleen finds herself struggling with issues of faith, sexuality, and recent changes in life of the Church.
“The Divine Order” — Written and Directed by Petra Volpe (Opens in NY)
Switzerland, 1971: Nora (Marie Leuenberger) is a young housewife and mother who lives with her husband and their two sons in a peaceful little village. Here, in the Swiss countryside, little or nothing is felt of the huge social upheavals that the movement of May 1968 has caused. Nora’s life, too, has been unaffected; she is a retiring, quiet person, well liked by everyone — until she begins to campaign publicly and pugnaciously for women’s right to vote, an issue that will be put before the male voters on February 7, 1971.
“All I See Is You”
Gina (Blake Lively) and husband, James (Jason Clarke), have an almost perfect marriage. After being blinded as a child in a nearly fatal car crash that claimed her parent’s lives, Gina depends on James to be her eyes — a dependence that appears to solidify their passionate relationship. Despite her disability, the two enjoy a colorful existence in Bangkok, Thailand where James works in insurance and Gina explores life in a foreign country. But when Gina is given the opportunity to have a corneal transplant and regains her vision, their life and relationship are upended. Gina now sees the world with a new sense of wonder and independence which James finds threatening. It is only when Gina suddenly begins to lose her sight again that she finally realizes the disturbing reality of their marriage and their lives.
“Félicité” — Co-Written by Delphine Zingg
Félicité (Véro Tshanda Beya Mputu) is a proud, free-willed woman working as a singer in a bar in Kinshasa. Her life is thrown into turmoil when her 14-year-old son falls victim to an accident. To save him, she sets out on a breakneck race through the streets of electric Kinshasa — a world of music and dreams where she’ll cross paths with Tabu (Papi Mpaka)…
“Maya Dardel” — Co-Written and Co-Directed by Magdalena Zyzak (Opens in NY and LA)
A famous writer (Lena Olin) claims on NPR that she intends to end her life and male writers may compete to become executor of her estate. Men drive up the mountain and are challenged intellectually and erotically, until one discovers Maya’s end game.
“Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami” (Documentary) — Directed by Sophie Fiennes (Opens in the UK)
In Jamaican patois, “Bloodlight” is the red light that illuminates when an artist is recording and “Bami” means bread, the substance of daily life. “Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami” weaves together the layers of Grace Jones’ public and private life, as she moves effortlessly between different facets: she is gypsy, artist, and partying hedonist, warm and funny but also a fierce and tenacious businesswoman. This is a Grace we have not seen before, someone who reminds us of what it is to dare to be truly alive.
“Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold” (Documentary) (Available on Netflix)
Griffin Dunne (“I Love Dick”) explores the extraordinary life of his aunt, Joan Didion, one of the most influential American writers alive today.
“Let There Be Light” — Co-Written by Sam Sorbo
For all his far-reaching fame, Sol Harkins (Kevin Sorbo), the world’s most famous atheist, is a lonely soul and a lousy part-time dad. After a near death experience challenges his simplest assumptions about this world, Sol finds his purpose and reimagines his life, in a film that will make you laugh and cry and want to stand up and cheer.
October 28
“Amityville: The Awakening” (Also Available on VOD)
“Amityville: The Awakening” is a revival of the popular franchise and a modern twist on the classic horror film. Belle (Bella Thorne) and her family move into a new house, but when strange phenomena begin to occur in the house, Belle begins to suspect her mother (Jennifer Jason Leigh) isn’t telling her everything and soon realizes they just moved into the infamous Amityville house.
