With timely docs and features about online harassment, investigative journalism in the age of Donald Trump, and surrogates in its program, the 2018 edition of the Tribeca Film Festival promises to shine a spotlight on controversial issues that will get its audiences talking. This year’s competition lineup is well over 40 percent women-directed. We’ve collected some of the titles we are most interested in from female filmmakers screening at the fest.
Bear in mind that this list is not exhaustive — there are plenty more films directed and co-directed by women at the fest, which runs from April 18–29. We’ll begin rolling out interviews with women directors showing films at Tribeca today. Our coverage is focused on features, but there are of course many worthwhile shorts to check out, including “Wendy’s Shabbat,” a short doc from Rachel Myers about Jewish seniors who celebrate Friday nights at Wendy’s fast food restaurant.
Here is Women and Hollywood’s preview for Tribeca 2018. Plot synopses courtesy of the fest.
“Time for Ilhan” (Documentary) — Directed by Norah Shapiro
What it’s about: In November 2016, Ilhan Omar made history as the first Somali Muslim woman to be elected for state office in America. “Time for Ilhan” offers an inspiring look at her campaign and the changing face of American politics.
Why we’re interested: A record number of women are running for elected office this year, many of them in response to the toxic wasteland that is the current White House. “Time for Ilhan” not only traces a woman’s burgeoning political career, it focuses on a candidate who represents many communities the Trump administration has attacked: women, people of color, immigrants, and Muslims. Not only is Norah Shapiro’s doc a David and Goliath story, it’s a celebration of how anyone and everyone can galvanize the resistance.
“Netizens” (Documentary) — Written and Directed by Cynthia Lowen
What it’s about: In the midst of the #MeToo movement, three very different women whose lives were torn apart by online harassment devote themselves to fighting back against the internet’s Wild West of unpoliced misogyny, cyberstalking, and nonconsensual pornography. With Carrie Goldberg, Anita Sarkeesian, Tina Reine, Soraya Chemaly, Jamia Wilson, Mary Anne Franks.
Why we’re interested: The internet can be a scary place — especially for women who speak their minds. Just ask Lindy West, Roxane Gay, Jessica Valenti, Scaachi Koul, or any other high profile feminist with a social media presence. Obviously, it’s high time that the harassment and threats women are subjected to online receive high-profile attention (not just think pieces). That appears to be Cynthia Lowen’s mission in “Netizens.” The doc is about three very specific experiences, but the stories of subjects Anita Sarkeesian, Carrie Goldberg, and Tina Reine will likely resonate with anyone who has ever been on Twitter.
“Egg” — Directed by Marianna Palka; Written by Risa Mickenberg
What it’s about: In provocateur Marianna Palka’s sharp and unflinching satire, two couples and a surrogate lay bare the complications, contradictions, heartbreak, and absurdities implicit in how we think about motherhood. With Christina Hendricks, Anna Camp, Alysia Reiner, David Alan Basche, Gbenga Akinnagbe.
Why we’re interested: Marianna Palka’s last film, “Bitch,” centered on an underappreciated mother with a philandering husband who experiences a psychotic break and assumes the psyche of a rabid dog. Of course we’re excited to see what she’s doing next, especially because it sounds like another nuanced exploration of motherhood. Plus, surrogacy is a topic that hasn’t received all that much attention on the big screen, and it seems rife with potential.
“The Feeling of Being Watched” (Documentary) — Written and Directed by Assia Boundaoui
What it’s about: Journalist Assia Bendaoui sets out to investigate long-brewing rumors that her quiet, predominantly Arab-American neighborhood was being monitored by the FBI — and in the process, she exposes a surveillance program on a scale no one could have imagined.
Why we’re interested: In case the clusterfuck at Facebook didn’t tip you off, privacy isn’t exactly a given in the United States. Citizens’ personal information and day to day lives are of much interest to both the private and public sectors. And, as Assia Boundaoui’s doc “The Feeling of Being Watched” reminds us, marginalized communities are much more likely to be targeted. It’s been over 16 years since 9/11 but fear of terrorists, especially Muslim or Arab-American terrorists, has not really subsided. By investigating the counterterrorism surveillance of her Chicago neighborhood, Boundaoui explores prejudice, fear, and our country’s willingness to sacrifice privacy for a sense of safety.
“Roll Red Roll” (Documentary) — Directed by Nancy Schwartzman
What it’s about: At a 2012 pre-season high-school football party in Steubenville, Ohio, a young woman was raped. The aftermath exposed an entire culture of complicity — and “Roll Red Roll” maps out the roles that peer pressure, denial, sports machismo, and social media each played in the tragedy.
Why we’re interested: “Roll Red Roll” puts Steubenville, Ohio and rape culture back into the national spotlight. Nancy Schwartzman’s doc promises to start and continue much-needed conversations about consent and complicity. “I want people to feel connected, and to have a deeper understanding of how rape happens and what is our collective responsibility to prevent it,” the director told us. “I want people to think about their own lives and experiences, as younger people or as adults. If they’ve been in similar situations and not done anything, or looked away, and ultimately, how we are all responsible for each other.”
“The Fourth Estate” (Documentary) — Directed by Liz Garbus
What it’s about: For the journalists at The New York Times, the election of Donald Trump presented a once in a generation challenge in how the press would cover a president who has declared the majority of the nation’s major news outlets “the enemy of the people.” Oscar-nominated filmmaker Liz Garbus witnessed the inner workings of journalism and investigative reporting from the front lines during this administration’s first history-making year.
Why we’re interested: As the doc’s description notes, Trump has made it his mission to discredit any and all journalism that doesn’t kiss his ass. This would be a major concern even if he was a good or progressive politician (or a politician at all). The New York Times — alongside many other news sources — has resisted from cow-towing to Trump, but that doesn’t mean the publication hasn’t faced challenges since November 2016. In “The Fourth Estate” veteran documentarian Liz Garbus (“The Farm: Angola, USA,” “What Happened, Miss Simone?”) tracks how the Times manages to cover an unprecedented leader without normalizing his corrupt, hateful, and frankly unpresidential practices.
“Little Woods” — Written and Directed by Nia DaCosta
What it’s about: In this dramatic thriller set in the fracking boomtown of Little Woods, North Dakota, two estranged sisters are driven to extremes when their mother dies, leaving them with one week to pay back her mortgage. With Tessa Thompson, Lily James, Luke Kirby, James Badge Dale, Lance Reddick.
Why we’re interested: Nia DaCosta’s feature directorial debut reminds us of one of our favorite films, another woman-helmed pic centered on class and female protagonists struggling to survive: Debra Granik’s “Winter’s Bone.” The 2010 Oscar nominee is about a teen tracking down her father to save her family home. With a lead such as Tessa Thompson and its timely depiction of what it takes for working people to get by in America, “Little Woods” just might be the next must-see, zeitgeist-y film.
“The Party’s Just Beginning” — Written and Directed by Karen Gillan
What it’s about: Liusaidh is a sharp-witted, foul-mouthed, heavy-drinking 20-something who is still reeling from a recent loss. This surreal coming-of-age tale is a love letter to director Karen Gillan’s hometown in the Scottish Highlands. With Karen Gillan, Lee Pace, Matthew Beard, Paul Higgins, Siobhan Redmond, Jamie Quinn, Rachel Jackson.
Why we’re interested: “The Party’s Just Beginning” is giving us definite “Fleabag” vibes, and it’s always great to see an actress stepping behind the camera. Best known for her roles in “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” and “Doctor Who,” Gillan has already released a couple of award-winning shorts as a director. The multi-hyphenate found inspiration for her new film — which she also wrote — from an unlikely source. “I read a statistic that the suicide rates in the Highlands of Scotland are significantly higher among young men than anywhere else in Scotland,” she told us in a soon-to-be published interview. “The Party’s Just Beginning” is “an exploration as to why that might be the case.” That sounds like an exploration worth joining.
“Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland” (Documentary) — Co-Directed by Kate Davis
What it’s about: Sandra Bland was a bright, energetic activist whose life was cut short when a traffic stop resulted in a mysterious jail cell death just three days later. “Say Her Name” follows the two-year battle to uncover the truth.
Why we’re interested: While “Say Her Name” focuses on the specific story of Sandra Bland, its themes and the issues it explores extend far beyond the film. “I hope that ‘Say Her Name’ helps people understand that it is terrifyingly easy for someone to become a victim of police abuse,” co-director Kate Davis told Women and Hollywood in an upcoming interview, “that very quickly one’s life can be in jeopardy when encountering the police, especially minorities.” In a moment when conversations surrounding police brutality can be severely polarized — you’re either with the cops or against them — this doc places a human face on the topic. Sandra Bland is a symbol of our broken system, but she was also a real person who fell victim to it.
“Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie” (Documentary) — Written and Directed by Andrea Nevins
What it’s about: Since her debut nearly 60 years ago, Barbie has been at turns a fashion idol and a cultural lightning rod. “Tiny Shoulders” steps behind the scenes as the icon undergoes her greatest reinvention yet. With Kim Culmone, Michelle Chidoni, Gloria Steinem, Roxane Gay, Peggy Orenstein.
Why we’re interested: The impact of Barbie’s influence cannot be overstated. The plastic doll has shaped generations of children for better or for worse — and many would argue worse, given her impossibly tiny proportions. But recent years have seen a major shift in the iconic toy, with new efforts to be more inclusive of different bodies and races. Director Andrea Nevins told us the doc uses Barbie as a lens to explore the last 60 years of feminism. She wants audiences who see the film to reflect on “how extremely complicated it is to be a woman — that although strides have been made, we still have a long way to go. We are still objectified. We still don’t have parity. What is feminine is still considered less than,” she explained. Often oversimplified as being either harmless or evil, Barbie’s complicated legacy will receive a more nuanced exploration in “Tiny Shoulders.”
“Charm City” (Documentary) — Co-Written and Directed by Marilyn Ness
What it’s about: “Charm City” takes viewers beyond the television headlines and over the front lines of violence in Baltimore; in doing so, it reveals the grit and compassion of the city’s citizens, police, and government officials trying to reclaim their future.
Why we’re interested: Baltimore is well known for its violence and crime, but, as Marilyn Ness’ documentary emphasizes, the city is much more than that. “I always wondered about the many thousands of people living and working in cities rife with crime who were regular everyday people, like you and me, who also hated witnessing the worst people had to offer,” Ness said in a soon-to-be-published interview. “With that in mind, we set out to understand what was happening in the day to day when the news cameras were long gone and regular life needed to be lived.” “Charm City” not only showcases the aspects of Baltimore the media tends to ignore, it focuses on how everyday people are doing what they can to improve their home’s reputation and the city itself.
“Blowin’ Up” (Documentary) — Written and Directed by Stephanie Wang-Breal
What it’s about: In a courtroom in Queens, women facing prostitution charges may earn a chance at redemption thanks to an experimental program established by a team of rebel heroines working to change the system.
Why we’re interested: “Blowin’ Up” is all about challenging assumptions. The subjects of the doc — the women providing legal help to sex workers — are challenging the law, which frames sex work as criminal. The film’s topics challenged director Stephanie Wang-Breal’s perception of sex work. “Once inside the space, I became fascinated with the labels — sex work, prostitution, and human trafficking — and grew interested in unraveling what these labels meant for the women inside this space,” she told us. And “Blowin’ Up” challenges us, the viewers, to reconsider our own preconceived notions about morality, crime, and punishment. The documentary, which replaces judgment with compassion, appears to be an important, rare take on sex work and its place in the legal system.
