Due to the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent restrictions, Women and Hollywood is shifting its focus to online content. We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.
(Please keep in mind that these dates are subject to change.)
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN COMING TO STREAMING/VOD
Sea Fever – Written and Directed by Neasa Hardiman
Siobhán (Hermione Corfield) is a marine biology student who prefers spending her days alone in a lab. She has to endure a week on a ragged fishing trawler, where she’s miserably at odds with the close-knit crew. But out in the deep Atlantic, an unfathomable life form ensnares the boat. When members of the crew succumb to a strange infection, Siobhán must overcome her alienation and anxiety to win the crew’s trust, before everyone is lost.
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Neasa Hardiman.
“Sea Fever” is now available for rent or purchase on VOD platforms including Apple TV and Amazon.
Stray Dolls – Directed by Sonejuhi Sinha; Written by Sonejuhi Sinha and Charlotte Rabate
“Stray Dolls”
“Stray Dolls” tells the story of Riz (Geetanjali Thapa), a former gang member starting over in America as a maid in a motel owned by Uno (Cynthia Nixon), who runs the joint with her drug-dealing son. It’s not long before the motel’s other employees and guests pull her back into a life she preferred to leave behind.
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Sonejuhi Sinha.
“Stray Dolls” is now available for rent or purchase on VOD platforms including Apple TV and Amazon.
Fleabag Live (Taped Theater Production) – Directed by Vicky Jones; Written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge
“Fleabag Live” is a rip-roaring look at some sort of woman living her sort of life. Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) may seem oversexed, emotionally unfiltered, and self-obsessed, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. With family and friendships under strain and a guinea pig café struggling to keep afloat, Fleabag suddenly finds herself with nothing to lose.
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Vicky Jones.
“Fleabag Live” is now available for rent on Amazon Prime Video and Soho Theatre On Demand.
Tape – Written and Directed by Deborah Kampmeier
Based on true events and set in New York City, “Tape” is the story of two aspiring actresses (Isabelle Fuhrman and Annarosa Mudd) who cross paths with the darker side of the entertainment industry. “Tape” addresses burning societal curiosities, taking the audience into the room where questionable behavior goes unseen, finally answering the question, “How could this kind of thing happen?” The film is a visceral moment-by-moment unveiling of the way ambitious and everyday women are systematically coerced and taken advantage of.
“Tape” is now available for rent via its website.
The Rhythm Section – Directed by Reed Morano
“The Rhythm Section”: Paramount
Stephanie Patrick (Blake Lively) is an ordinary woman on a path of self-destruction after her family is tragically killed in a plane crash. When Stephanie discovers that the crash was not an accident, she enters a dark, complex world to seek revenge on those responsible and find her own redemption.
“The Rhythm Section” will be available on VOD platforms including Apple TV and Amazon on April 14.
Misbehaviour – Directed by Philippa Lowthorpe; Written by Rebecca Frayn and Gaby Chiappe
“Misbehaviour”
Starring Keira Knightley and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, “Misbehaviour” is a dramedy about the 1970 Miss World beauty pageant, which was disrupted by the Women’s Liberation Movement, and made history when it crowned the first black Miss World, Jennifer Hosten.
“Misbehaviour” will be available on VOD platforms in the UK on April 15.
Blush – Written and Directed by Debra Eisenstadt
Cathy (Wendi McLendon-Covey) struggles to maintain control and significance amidst fears that her husband’s having an affair and her 13-year-old daughter is becoming estranged. She retreats to her sister’s home where she cat-sits, compulsively cleans, and spies on a neighboring family. One by one these bizarre neighbors — Mom, Dad, and teenage son — lure Cathy into their lives and trigger her rebellion. When Cathy becomes the object of the teenage son’s obsession, he threatens to unravel everything, from her precarious marriage to her daughter’s innocence to her own wavering sanity.
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Debra Eisenstadt.
“Blush” is now available for rent or purchase on VOD platforms including Apple TV and Amazon.
The Lost Husband – Written and Directed by Vicky Wight
After the sudden death of her husband, Libby (Leslie Bibb) is forced to move in with her hypercritical mother. Out of the blue, her estranged Aunt Jean (Nora Dunn) offers an escape: a job and a place to live on her farm in the Texas Hill Country. Before she can talk herself out of it, Libby is packing the minivan, grabbing the kids, and hitting the road. Life on Aunt Jean’s goat farm is more wonderful and more mysterious than Libby could have imagined. Beyond the animals and the strenuous work, there is quiet — deep, country quiet. But there is also a shaggy, gruff farm manager with a tragic home life, a feed-store clerk who claims she can contact her husband “on the other side,” and the eccentric aunt she never really knew but who turns out to be exactly who she needs.
“The Lost Husband” is now available for rent or purchase on VOD platforms including Apple TV and Amazon. Find more viewing info here.
Adult Baby (Visual Album) – Directed by Eva Michon; Written by Eva Michon and Kazu Makino
In Kazu’s first solo album, “Adult Baby,” a distinct sample is used on the sixth track, “Name and Age”: the unmistakable cry of Godzilla. This was the spark of inspiration for filmmaker Eva Michon, who wrote a fictitious folklore-esque tale which would become the blueprint for the accompanying visual album film. Inspired by historical events and symbolism of the island of Elba, Michon treats each song from “Adult Baby” as a chapter of the larger narrative. A story about the legend of ancient Kazu, the sea-dwelling giant banished to the sea who emerges one day to become human and fall in love.
“Adult Baby” is now streaming on Vimeo.
Perfumed Dreaming (Short Documentary) – Directed by Kathleen Hepburn
Filmed by and with the help of director Kathleen Hepburn’s family, this intimate short follows Kathleen’s sister, perfume artist Megan Hepburn, who uses scent to conjure emotional memories of maternal love as she anticipates the birth of her first child and grieves the loss of their mother. The story plays with the intersection of scent, memory, grief, and creation, and the way we imprint on our children from the moment they’re born.
“Perfumed Dreaming” is now streaming on Facebook.
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON STREAMING/VOD
“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”: Focus Features
The Other Lamb – Directed by Malgorzata Szumowska; Written by Catherine S. McMullen (VOD)
Never Rarely Sometimes Always – Written and Directed by Eliza Hittman (VOD)
Little Women – Written and Directed by Greta Gerwig (VOD)
Invisible Life – Written by Inés Bortagaray, Karim Aïnouz, and Murilo Hauser (Amazon Prime)
Lazy Susan – Written by Carrie Aizley, Darlene Hunt, and Sean Hayes (VOD)
Like a Boss (VOD)
There’s Something in the Water (Documentary) – Directed by Ellen Page and Ian Daniel (Netflix)
Portrait of a Lady on Fire – Written and Directed by Céline Sciamma (Hulu)
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (VOD)
The Perfect Candidate – Directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour; Written by Haifaa Al-Mansour and Brad Niemann (UK) (VOD)
Military Wives – Written by Rachel Tunnard and Rosanne Flynn (UK) (VOD)
Banana Split – Written by Hannah Marks and Joey Power (VOD)
Home (Documentary) – Directed by Jen Randall (UK) (VOD)
Blow The Man Down – Written and Directed by Danielle Krudy and Bridget Savage Cole (Amazon Prime)
Emma. – Directed by Autumn de Wilde; Written by Eleanor Catton (VOD)
Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) – Directed by Cathy Yan; Written by Christina Hodson (VOD)
Clemency – Written and Directed by Chinonye Chukwu (VOD)
The Invisible Man (VOD)
The Hunt (VOD)
Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears – Written by Deborah Cox (Acorn TV)
Asako I & II – Written by Sachiko Tanaka and Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (VOD)
The Grudge (VOD)
Lost Girls – Directed by Liz Garbus (Netflix)
Justine – Written and Directed by Stephanie Turner (Netflix)
Ride Like a Girl – Directed by Rachel Griffiths; Written by Elise McCredie and Andrew Knight (VOD)
Go Back to China – Written and Directed by Emily Ting (VOD)
Swallow (VOD)
Premature – Written by Zora Howard and Rashaad Ernesto Green (VOD)
Buffaloed – Directed by Tanya Wexler (VOD)
A Simple Wedding – Directed by Sara Zandieh; Written by Sara Zandieh and Stephanie Wu (VOD)
Bombshell (VOD)
Frozen II – Directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck; Written by Jennifer Lee (Disney+, VOD)
Judy (VOD)
FILMS MADE BY WOMEN COMING TO STREAMING/VOD
The Roads Not Taken – Written and Directed by Sally Potter
“The Roads Not Taken”
Sally Potter is one of the world’s most interesting filmmakers. She’s made films with shoestring budgets, and some bigger movies as well. Some are great, some not so much — but they are always intriguing. “The Roads Not Taken” is a movie about memory. Leo (Javier Bardem) is suffering from some undefined dementia. He’s become incapable of taking care of himself. His daughter, Molly (Elle Fanning), comes to take him to two different doctors appointments. No longer living in the present, Leo keeps revisiting his past and the decisions he’s made. The pic, which premiered at the Berlinale, is an exploration of love, loss, and how we come to terms with our choices. (Melissa Silverstein)
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Sally Potter.
“The Roads Not Taken” is now virtually screening via Bleecker Street.
The American Nurse (Documentary) (Streaming Re-Release) – Directed by Carolyn Jones
“The American Nurse”
“The American Nurse” is a heart-warming film that explores some of the biggest issues facing America — aging, war, poverty, prisons — through the work and lives of nurses. It is an examination of real people that will change how we think about nurses and how we wrestle with the challenges of healing America. “The American Nurse” is an important contribution to America’s ongoing conversation about what it means to care.
“The American Nurse” is now streaming on Kino Lorber.
Bias (Documentary) – Directed by Robin Hauser
The toxic effects of bias make headlines every day: sexual harassment, racial profiling, the pay gap. As humans, we are biased. Yet few of us are willing to admit it. We confidently make snap judgments, but we are shockingly unaware of the impact our assumptions have on those around us. Documentary feature “Bias” follows filmmaker Robin Hauser on a journey to uncover her hidden biases and explore how unconscious bias defines relationships, workplaces, our justice system, and technology. “Bias” contemplates the most pressing question: Can we de-bias our brains?
“Bias” will be available on VOD platforms including Apple TV and Amazon on April 14.
Trolls World Tour – Written by Maya Forbes, Elizabeth Tippet, Wallace Wolodarsky, Jonathan Aibel, and Glenn Berger
Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) discover that they are but one of six different Troll tribes scattered over six different lands devoted to six different kinds of music: Funk, Country, Techno, Classical, Pop, and Rock. Their world is about to get a lot bigger and a whole lot louder. A member of hard-rock royalty, Queen Barb (Rachel Bloom), aided by her father, King Thrash (Ozzy Osbourne), wants to destroy all other kinds of music to let rock reign supreme. With the fate of the world at stake, Poppy and Branch, along with their friends, set out to visit all the other lands to unify the Trolls in harmony against Barb, who’s looking to upstage them all.
“Trolls World Tour” is now available for rent on VOD platforms including Apple TV and Amazon. Find more viewing info here.
Fantasy Island – Written by Jillian Jacobs, Jeff Wadlow, and Christopher Roach
In Blumhouse’s new spin on “Fantasy Island,” the enigmatic Mr. Roarke (Michael Peña) makes the secret dreams of his lucky guests come true at a luxurious but remote tropical resort. But when the fantasies turn into nightmares, the guests have to solve the island’s mystery in order to escape with their lives.
“Fantasy Island” will be available on VOD platforms including Apple TV and Amazon on April 14.
FILMS MADE BY WOMEN CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON STREAMING/VOD
“Crip Camp”: Sundance Institute/Steve Honigsbaum
It Started as a Joke (Documentary) – Directed by Julie Smith Clem and Ken Druckerman (VOD)
IP Man 4: The Finale – Written by Lai-Yin Leung, Tai-lee Chan, Hiroshi Fukazawa, and Edmond Wong (VOD)
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Documentary) – Directed by Nicole Newnham and James Lebrecht (Netflix)
Cunningham (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Alla Kovgan (VOD)
The Banker – Written by Niceole Levy, George Nolfi, David Lewis Smith, Stan Younger, and Brad Caleb Kane (Apple TV+)
1917 – Written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns and Sam Mendes (VOD)
Lost Transmissions – Written and Directed by Katharine O’Brien (VOD)
Just One More Kiss – Written and Directed by Faleena Hopkins (VOD)
TV PREMIERES
The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (TV Movie) – Directed by Christine Swanson; Written by Camille Tucker and Sylvia L. Jones (Premieres April 11 on Lifetime)
“The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel”: Lifetime
The authorized musical of incomparable gospel singers, The Clark Sisters, recounts the story of the highest selling female gospel group in history and their trailblazing mother, Mattie Moss Clark (Aunjanue Ellis). Credited with bringing gospel music to the mainstream, the five Clark sisters (Christina Bell as “Twinkie,” Kierra Sheard as “Karen,” Sheléa Frazier as “Dorinda,” Raven Goodwin as “Denise,” Angela Birchett as “Jacky”) overcame humble beginnings in Detroit, enduring abuse, loss, rejection, betrayal, and sibling rivalries to achieve international fame as icons of the gospel music industry.
Run – Created by Vicky Jones (Premieres April 12 on HBO)
“Run”
Ruby (Merritt Wever) is a woman living a boring suburban life who receives an out-of-the-blue text from her one-time college sweetheart (Domhnall Gleeson) that promises to shake up her life for the better.
Biography: Dolly (Documentary Special) (Premieres April 12 on A&E)
Explores the genius songwriter behind the rhinestones and the private individual who reveals almost everything in the lyrics of her songs. Featuring exclusive interviews with Dolly Parton herself, her musicians, co-writers, and producers, the documentary explores why Dolly is considered one of the greatest and most important songwriters of modern times. Also captures Dolly’s celebration at the Grand Ole Opry, Nashville’s home of country, on the 50th anniversary of her very first performance there.
Mrs. America (Miniseries) – Created by Dahvi Waller (Premieres April 15 on FX on Hulu)
“Mrs. America”
“Mrs. America” tells the story of the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, and the unexpected backlash led by a conservative woman named Phyllis Schlafly (Cate Blanchett), aka “the sweetheart of the silent majority.” Through the eyes of the women of the era — both Schlafly and second-wave feminists Gloria Steinem (Rose Byrne), Betty Friedan (Tracey Ullman), Shirley Chisholm (Uzo Aduba), Bella Abzug (Margo Martindale), and Jill Ruckelshaus (Elizabeth Banks) — the series explores how one of the toughest battlegrounds in the culture wars of the ’70s helped give rise to the Moral Majority and forever shifted the political landscape.
THE GIRLS CLUB IS OFFERING THE FIRST MONTH FREE
Founded by Women and Hollywood publisher and founder Melissa Silverstein, the Girls Club is a community for women creatives, culture-changers, and storytellers to connect, create, network, advocate, support, and redefine entertainment.
These are trying times. We realize that COVID-19 is affecting the health, safety, and livelihood of many folks in the industry, and want to offer a space for folks to come together amidst all of the uncertainty. With that goal in mind, the Girls Club is offering the first month free to those who sign up.
If you identify as a woman and would like an invitation to this community, please email girlsclubnetwork@gmail.com and let us know a bit about who you are and what you do.
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Submit Now: 2020 IFP Week Project Forum
Apply Now: Barbican Cinema’s Inaugural Emerging Film Curators Lab
Television Academy Announces 2020 Honorees: “Unbelievable,” “Queen Sugar,” & More
These Projects Have Been Affected by Coronavirus. Here’s How You Can Help. (Volume III)
SXSW Lineup Moves to Amazon Prime Video
Ripple Effects: VOD and Web Series Picks
Note: All descriptions are from press materials, unless otherwise noted.
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