After murmurs of speculation, word came last week that SXSW 2020 had officially been cancelled. Coronavirus put the brakes on the 27th edition of the Austin-based fest, which was set to include a competition lineup that was 70 percent women-directed or co-directed. Our hearts go out to all of the filmmaking teams, publicists, and businesses affected by the cancellation — and of course, everyone dealing with the virus itself.
SXSW isn’t going on as planned, but we’re hopeful that the films that were slated to screen are programmed at future fests and find homes via distribution. In an effort to help raise their profile, we’ve decided to highlight some of the titles made by women that we were most looking forward to seeing at SXSW. This list is far from exhaustive, and only includes features, while the fest’s program featured TV series, shorts, and VR experiences as well.
Our highlights include a doc about a refugee from Cambodia who built a donut empire in LA, a look inside the 9to5 movement, and a portrait of children learning to live with the loss of a loved one.
“Pink Skies Ahead” – Written and Directed by Kelly Oxford
What it’s about: Life unravels for a wild young woman after dropping out of college, moving in with her parents, and being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
Why we’re excited: An early Twitter success, Kelly Oxford’s jokes have been going viral for over a decade. The author of two books, 2013’s “Everything is Perfect When You’re a Liar” and 2017’s “When You Find Out the World is Against You,” Oxford is stepping behind the camera for the first time with “Pink Skies Ahead,” a feature inspired by her own experiences with anxiety. “Pink Skies Ahead” is based on “No Real Danger,” a story from her second book.
“I wrote the story as catharsis for my continual struggle to accept my anxiety issues,” Oxford told SXSW. “While book touring, the majority of my readers were telling me this essay hit them hard and made them feel less alone. I wanted to write a film that would help people the way the story had for so many.” As widespread and incapacitating as anxiety disorders can be, they are all too often minimized and mocked. Oxford’s first-hand account will help illuminate the powerful impact anxiety can have — and given how consistently hilarious she is, the coming-of-age story can also be counted on to bring some major laughs.
“Really Love” – Directed by Angel Kristi Williams; Written by Angel Kristi Williams and Felicia Pride
“Really Love”
What it’s about: Set in a gentrifying Washington, DC, a rising Black painter tries to break into a competitive art world, while balancing a whirlwind romance he never expected.
Why we’re excited: Filmmaker Angel Kristi Williams put a lot of herself in “Really Love,” her feature directorial debut. “I am Isaiah, an artist who puts his art and his passion for his work before everything else in his life, often to his own dismay,” she’s said. “And I am also Stevie, the ambitious, independent, intelligent Black woman who is a hopeless romantic, in search of a storybook love.” It seems “Really Love” will be a specific, intensely personal exploration of Black romance, something that too often goes ignored in film. Plus, it’s refreshing to see a love story anchored by a Black male artist instead of the white Manic Pixie Dream Girl creative who usually appears in these narratives.
“Violet” – Written and Directed by Justine Bateman
What it’s about: A film development executive realizes that “guiding voice” inside her head has been lying to her about everything.
Why we’re excited: As an actress in Hollywood with nearly 40 years of on-set experience under her belt, Justine Bateman has no doubt seen and heard it all. The “Family Ties” alumna is making her feature directorial debut with “Violet,” the story of a film exec who begins to see the world through a new perspective — a shift that Bateman, who also wrote the script, experienced first-hand.
“This is the film I wish I had watched 30 years ago. I would have become my true self a lot faster,” the multi-hyphenate told SXSW. “Instead of watching the main character experience everything, the film is designed for the viewer to experience it themselves. The audio and visual components are assembled as a visceral coat that the viewer can put on to walk through the film. If even five people come out of the theater realizing that that critical inner voice is lying to them about everything, I will have accomplished the complete purpose of the film. Realizing that voice is lying frees you to make instinct-based decisions instead of fear-based decisions, and that allows you to be who you really are.”
The film’s message — and immersive means of conveying it — sounds powerful, and we’re interested to see how a female exec is portrayed in a post-Weinstein world.
“The Donut King” (Documentary) – Directed by Alice Gu; Written by Alice Gu and Carol Martori
“The Donut King”
What it’s about: The rise, fall, and rise again of a Cambodian refugee who escaped genocide and overcame poverty to build a life for himself and hundreds of other immigrant families by baking America’s favorite pastry and building an unlikely empire of donut shops.
Why we’re excited: Alice Gu promises to tell a fascinating, inspiring story that few — even donut aficionados — are familiar with. Described by the director as a “quintessential American Dream,” the doc recalls how Ted Ngoy a became a millionaire by baking his adopted country’s favorite pastry, and went on to sponsor hundreds of families and taught them to bake donuts in LA.
After discovering more about Ngoy’s life, Gu “instantly connected with his story” and thought of her parents’ own journey to the U.S. from China. “I also realized that my parents probably suffered a lot of trauma that they never really discussed with my brother and I, instead, just wanting us to focus on thriving as young kids in the U.S.” she told us.
Besides offering an intimate look into a fascinating life as well as LA history, Gu hopes that “The Donut King” can “help challenge any preconceived notions of what a refugee is, or looks like, and that the film helps put a human face on refugees and their potential, if given the chance.” It’s unfortunate that some folks need to be reminded of that human face, but given the divisive climate we live in, “The Donut King” sounds like it has the potential to change minds and hearts.
“An Elephant in the Room” (Documentary) – Directed by Katrine Philp
What it’s about: At Good Grief in New Jersey, groups of children meet to understand the passing of a parent or a sibling through play. Death may come suddenly or slowly, violently or peacefully, but it leaves a pain that the child has never felt before.
Why we’re excited: Despite being one of the few universal life experiences, death is rarely talked about. Grieving remains, for the most part, a private experience. Good Grief was founded to help a particularly vulnerable demographic — bereaved children who have lost a parent or sibling — deal with their inner pain by offering programs that help them share and express their grief. “An Elephant in the Room” offers access into Good Grief, where children attend play and group sessions addressing how to cope and live with grief.
“One of the worst things after my dad died was the silence of people not knowing what to say, avoiding me, maybe struck with fear of how to talk about death and grief,” director Katrine Philp told us. “I hope this film will make us all braver when we encounter people who have lost and I think the children in the film can help us with that. They are so amazing, brave, and sincere and I think we, as adults, can learn a lot from them.”
We’re hopeful that “An Elephant in the Room” will help open up an important and long-overdue dialogue about how kids experiencing the pain, suffering, and confusion of losing a loved one are offered few outlets or opportunity to make sense of their situation or share it, which can lead to further trauma.
“Finding Yingying” (Documentary) – Directed by Jiayan “Jenny” Shi
“Finding Yingying”
What it’s about: After a young Chinese student is kidnapped on a university campus, her family travels to the US for the first time, first hoping to unravel the mystery of her disappearance, and then to seek justice, find closure, and reclaim their daughter.
Why we’re excited: There’s a lot at play in newcomer Jiayan “Jenny” Shi’s feature doc: the way we talk about missing women, the way we talk — or don’t — about missing women of color, immigration, and the tendency to strip victimized women of their full identities. Although “Finding Yingying” is the story of Yingying Zhang’s abduction and her family’s quest to get her back, it is also the story of Yingying herself. She wasn’t just a person who went missing in a foreign land, nor was she solely a woman who suffered violence. Yingying was also a teacher, a scientist, a girlfriend, a daughter, and a friend. “Finding Yingying” makes sure her life isn’t defined solely by her abduction. In other words, the doc presents her as a whole person, not just a symbol.
“Red Heaven” (Documentary) – Directed by Lauren DeFilippo and Katherine Gorringe
“Red Heaven”: SXSW
What it’s about: Six people live for a year on “Mars” in a NASA experiment studying what happens to humans when they are isolated from Earth.
Why we’re excited: David Bowie asked if there’s life on Mars. With “Red Heaven,” documentarians Lauren DeFilippo and Katherine Gorringe ask what life is like when it’s cut off from Earth. The film follows six people in a NASA experiment studying how humans behave in isolation from their home planet. “Red Heaven” shows us what it’s like to be pushed to the absolute limit and emphasizes just how precious Earth truly is. Humans need this planet. Mars is all well and good, but Earth is our home — we should treat it as such.
“Best Summer Ever” – Directed by Lauren Smitelli and Michael Parks Randa; Written by Lauren Smitelli, Terra Mackintosh, Michael Parks Randa, Will Halby, and Andrew Pilkington
“Best Summer Ever”
What it’s about: A fresh and exhilarating take on the beloved teen musical genre featuring eight original songs and a fully integrated cast and crew of people with and without disabilities.
Why we’re excited: While we’re heartened to see a recent wave of actors with disabilities on-screen — “A Quiet Place’s” Millicent Simmonds, “American Horror Story’s” Jamie Brewer, and “Peanut Butter Falcon’s” Zack Gottsagen among them — films and TV series portraying characters with disabilities are unfortunately uncommon. Plus, Hollywood has a long history of not only shutting out actors with disabilities, but hiring actors without disabilities to play characters who do. “Best Summer Ever” features a cast and crew of people with and without disabilities and promises an inclusive musical with characters who actually reflect the real world.
“9to5: The Story of A Movement” (Documentary) – Directed by Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar
“9to5: The Story of A Movement”
What it’s about: In the 1970s, America’s secretaries took to the streets, fed up with on-the-job abuse. They created a movement called 9to5, which later inspired Jane Fonda to make a movie and Dolly Parton to write a song. This is the untold story of their fight.
Why we’re excited: Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar just took home an Oscar for “American Factory,” their fascinating look into what happened when a Chinese billionaire re-opened a shuttered factory in Dayton, Ohio — including some of the American employees’ efforts to unionize despite immense pressure not to. “9to5: The Story of A Movement” also focuses on workplace conditions and workers rights, and specifically the struggle to improve them. The doc revisits how secretaries walked out of their offices and rallied on the streets in the 1970s, bringing awareness to issues such as sexual harassment and equal pay for equal work — barriers that working women still face today.
“The Dilemma of Desire” (Documentary) – Directed by Maria Finitzo
What it’s about: “The Dilemma of Desire” explores the clash between the external power of gender politics and the equally powerful imperative of female sexual desire. How different would the world look if women’s libidos were taken as seriously as men’s?
Why we’re excited: With the sad state of sex ed in the United States — and you know, the fact that we live in a Puritanical patriarchy — the truth is that the concept of women’s pleasure and desire is completely foreign to a lot of people, many of whom are women themselves. Sex positivity is more of a force than ever in the cultural conversation, yet the traditional, reductive myth about sexuality still endures: men like sex, women don’t. When it comes to sex, women are the objects, not the subjects. Maria Finitzo’s new doc calls bullshit on the old order — which was never based on any kind of truth — and calls for a revolution. Gender equality must extend to every part of life, including the bedroom.
“Relic” – Directed by Natalie Erika James; Written by Natalie Erika James and Christian White
“Relic”
What it’s about: When Edna, the elderly and widowed matriarch of the family, goes missing, her daughter Kay and granddaughter Sam travel to their remote family home to find her. Soon after her return, they start to discover a sinister presence haunting the house and taking control of Edna.
Why we’re excited: Like all good horror films, Natalie Erika James’ feature directorial debut combines everyday fears with the supernatural. The grandmother at the heart of “Relic’s” story may be possessed by an evil force, or she could be succumbing to dementia and the other indignities of old age — or maybe it’s both. Then there’s the daughter and granddaughter’s struggle: is something sinister alienating them from their matriarch, or do they just not have what it takes to care for someone who is physically and mentally declining? And honestly, which would be worse? We want to see if “Relic” provides answers to these thought-provoking questions or, even better, asks more.
“Golden Arm” – Directed by Maureen Bharoocha; Written by Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Milly
“Golden Arm”
What it’s about: “Golden Arm” is a female buddy comedy about a wimpy baker who gets roped into the world of ladies arm wrestling by her truck driving best friend.
Why we’re excited: As avowed fans of “GLOW” and “Whip It,” we can’t wait to see another tale about a specific sports subculture told from a woman’s perspective. Like the worlds of wrestling and roller derby, arm wrestling is a sphere of exaggerated performance, physical strength, athletic skill, and memorable characters. It’s high time it was depicted in pop culture. Plus, it’s a pleasure to see veteran character actresses Mary Holland, Betsy Sodaro, and Dot-Marie Jones take center stage.
“La Mami” (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Laura Herrero Garvín
What it’s about: Night after night, La Mami, in charge of the women’s restroom at the mythical Cabaret Barba Azul offers care to the women who work there dancing.
Why we’re excited: “La Mami” has been picking up buzz since its premiere at IDFA Festival last November — and rightfully so. The doc’s central, titular figure is a restroom attendant/cleaner, someone who is usually ignored in real life and beyond. Not to mention the film’s focus is on female camaraderie and how that is frequently what gets women through their shitty work day. (We don’t think it’s a stretch to say that most working women have a female colleague they turn to for emotional support.) By focusing on women, and the specific dynamics between women, that usually go unnoticed, Laura Herrero Garvín’s latest emphasizes the importance of telling a wide range of stories. The Mamis of the world deserve to be heard, as do the women they assist and befriend.
“Holler” – Written and Directed by Nicole Riegel
“Holler”: Level Forward
What it’s about: In a forgotten pocket of Southern Ohio where American manufacturing and opportunity are drying up, a determined young woman finds a ticket out when she is accepted to college. Alongside her older brother, Ruth Avery joins a dangerous scrap metal crew in order to pay her way.
Why we’re excited: Writer-director Nicole Riegel’s semi-autobiographical feature focuses on a familiar situation for anyone who has grown up in a working-class environment. The protagonist wants a better life for herself — which she believes she can achieve through college — but also feels deeply connected to her community. As Riegel has said, “Holler” is inspired by “how difficult it was to transcend where I came from as a young woman, both practically and emotionally.” Like Ruth, Riegel felt caught between her hometown and her dreams when she was growing up. “This film was an opportunity to really show what it looks and feels like for a young girl to navigate a system that is rigged against her,” the filmmaker explained. “I needed to make this film so that the struggle of girls like me could be told in the most fair and authentic way possible.” “Holler” isn’t only Ruth and Riegel’s story, it’s the story of millions of real-life young women coming of age today.
