Season’s greetings from Women and Hollywood. We’re getting ready to go on break, so this will be our last Weekly Update of the year. We’ll resume the feature on January 3. Happy holidays!
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING
Little Women – Written and Directed by Greta Gerwig (Opens December 25)
It’s not an easy feat to take a beloved book and reinvigorate it by putting it in the blender. That’s exactly what Greta Gerwig does with “Little Women.” Gerwig, in her sophomore solo directing effort, makes the experience of Jo March and her sisters relevant to the 21st century. The film feels so urgent, so timely, even though the characters are in period clothing. Saoirse Ronan continues to remind us that she is one of the best — if not the best — actress of her generation with her performance as the ambitious Jo. Gerwig elevates the character of Amy (Florence Pugh), giving her more agency. Laura Dern’s Marmee is not just doting: she also clearly knows the realities of being a woman in Civil War-era America and is hoping that her girls will be free to make different decisions from her own. Meanwhile, Meryl Streep as Aunt March gets to be the truth teller, as she is unmarried and rich — in other words, she gives zero fucks. Gerwig performs a truly radical act by taking a book we all know and making it sing in a new way on-screen. When people read Louisa May Alcott’s novel again, they will see it differently. (Melissa Silverstein)
Find screening info here.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
No one’s ever really gone. Rey’s (Daisy Ridley) journey continues, and the surviving Resistance faces the First Order once more in the final chapter of the Skywalker saga.
Find screening info here.
Clemency – Written and Directed by Chinonye Chukwu (Opens December 27)
“Clemency”: Sundance Institute
Alfre Woodard gives a career-defining performance as Bernadine Williams, a prison warden in the midst of a moral crisis. She has spent her life contributing to a system that incarcerates mostly young men of color, and also condemns them to death. Bernadine is at a crossroads. She is struggling, wondering what she is doing, what we, as a culture, are doing. “Clemency” is an urgent look at the toll the prison industrial complex takes on all the souls who are a part of it. (MS)
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Chinonye Chukwu.
Find screening info here.
Invisible Life – Written by Inés Bortagaray, Karim Aïnouz, and Murilo Hauser
“Invisible Life”
Set in a brilliantly recreated 1950s Rio de Janeiro, “Invisible Life” revolves around two inseparable sisters, 18 and 20 years old, living restricted lives with their conservative parents. However, each nourishes a passionate dream: Eurídice (Carol Duarte) of becoming a renowned pianist; Guida (Julia Stockler) of finding true love. In a shocking turn of events, they are separated and forced to live apart.
Chichinette: The Accidental Spy (Documentary) – Directed by Nicola Alice Hens (Opens in NY December 25)
“Chichinette”: Kino Lorber
The untold story of Marthe Cohn, a feisty young woman who joined the French Army during WWII after Hitler’s rise to power. After keeping silent for almost 60 years, Marthe now shares the extraordinary story of how she managed to beat the odds and fight the Nazis as a spy after her family fled to the south of France and a sister was sent to Auschwitz. She used her German accent and blonde hair to pose as a German nurse and slipped behind enemy lines to gather essential information about Nazi movements for Allied commanders.
Find screening info here.
She’s Missing – Written and Directed by Alexandra McGuinness (Also Available on VOD)
Heidi and Jane are best friends living in a small town in the desert. When Jane (Eiza González), a Rodeo Queen contestant and military wife, goes missing, Heidi (Lucy Fry), now alone in the world, must begin a search across the desert for her friend. She digs up secrets and encounters the violence of life on the road, crossing paths with a series of unusual men and women in her search for an honest connection in a dishonest world.
FILMS MADE BY WOMEN OPENING
1917 – Written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns and Sam Mendes (Opens in Limited Release December 25; Opens Wide January 10)
“1917”
At the height of the First World War, two young British soldiers, Schofield (George MacKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman), are given a seemingly impossible mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory, and deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers — Blake’s own brother among them.
Find screening info here.
The Europeans (Theatrical Re-Release) – Written by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
“The Europeans”
The fortune-hunting Baroness Eugenia Muenster (Lee Remick) arrives with her artistic and dashing brother Felix (Tim Woodward) for a transatlantic visit with their cousins, the Wentworths. Less calculating than his sister, the bohemian, happy-go-lucky Felix falls for Gertrude Wentworth (Lisa Eichhorn), who is already being courted — and bored — by the earnest Unitarian Minister suitor Mr. Brand (Norman Snow). Eugenia meanwhile sets her sights on the reserved and attractive Robert Acton (Robin Ellis), who is torn between his captivation with the Baroness and his distrust of her European worldliness.
Only Cloud Knows – Written by Ling Zhang
After the death of his wife, a man decides to retrace their steps from the past, looking to reconnect with old friends and make good on promises he made before her death.
IP Man 4: The Finale – Written by Lai-Yin Leung, Tai-lee Chan, Hiroshi Fukazawa, and Edmond Wong (Opens December 25)
The Kung Fu master travels to the U.S., where his student has upset the local martial arts community by opening a Wing Chun school.
The App – Directed by Elisa Fuksas (Available on Netflix December 26)
Loving girlfriend, family fortune, breakout movie role — he’s got it all. Until an app awakens a powerful new yearning. While in Rome to shoot his first movie, Niccolò becomes obsessed and sent into a self-destructive spiral.
Belong to Us – Written by Amber Rapp (Opens December 27)
An injured dog finds its way into the hearts of a family after escaping an underground dog-fighting ring.
TV PREMIERES
The Witcher – Created by Lauren Schmidt (Premieres December 20 on Netflix)
“The Witcher”
Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts.
A Home for the Holidays with Idina Menzel (Variety Special) (Premieres December 22 on CBS)
The 21st annual “A Home for the Holidays with Idina Menzel” will see the Tony Award winner perform songs from her new album, “Christmas: A Season of Love,” and introduce uplifting stories about adoption from foster care. Award-winning artists Kelly Rowland, Adam Lambert, and NE-YO also perform.
John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch (Variety Special) – Written by Malika Sawyer and John Mulaney (Premieres December 24 on Netflix)
In this variety comedy special from John Mulaney, he hilariously tackles grown-up topics with his kid pals, the Sack Lunch Bunch.
The Gift (Premieres December 27 on Netflix)
“The Gift”
The series follows the life of Atiye (Beren Saat), a young and beautiful painter that leads the perfect life in Istanbul. She has a loving family, a wealthy and lovable boyfriend, and to top it all off, she is about to open her first solo exhibition. But her perfect life is about to change with a discovery made in the most ancient temple on Earth, Gobeklitepe. An archeologist named Erhan (Mehmet Günsür) discovers a symbol in the ruins, a symbol that connects Atiye to Gobeklitepe in a mysterious way. And now, Atiye will turn her life upside down and spark a quest to discover the secrets of her past, secrets hidden within those ancient ruins.
Duran Duran: There’s Something You Should Know (Documentary) – Directed by Zoe Dobson (Premieres December 27 on Showtime)
Charting their trajectory over four decades, Duran Duran’s story is told through seven of their albums. Each record uncovers a compelling chapter in the band’s journey.
Dare Me – Written by Megan Abbott and Gina Fattore (Premieres December 29 on USA)
“Dare Me” is an unflinching exploration of teen angst, jealousy, loyalty, and the dynamics of power in a small Midwestern town. Peering behind the all-American facade, the series dives into the cutthroat world of competitive high school cheerleading. It follows the fraught relationship between two best friends (Herizen Guardiola and Marlo Kelly) after a new coach (Willa Fitzgerald) arrives to bring their team to prominence. While the girls’ friendship is put to the test, their young lives are changed forever when a shocking crime rocks their quiet Rust Belt town.
Spinning Out – Created by Samantha Stratton (Premieres January 1 on Netflix)
“Spinning Out” follows Kat Baker (Kaya Scodelario), a talented, up-and-coming elite figure skater who’s ready to turn in her skates after a disastrous fall took her off the competition track. However, when she’s presented a second chance as a pair skater, she seizes the opportunity to continue her career and pairs up with talent pair skater and resident bad boy Justin (Evan Roderick). She soon realizes that in order to chase her skating dreams, she’ll have to overcome fractured family relationships, a rocky partnership, and personal demons that threaten to derail everything she’s worked for. January Jones also stars.
Messiah – Directed by Kate Woods and James McTeigue (Premieres January 1 on Netflix)
When CIA officer Eva Geller (Michelle Monaghan) uncovers information about a man (Mehdi Dehbi) gaining international attention through acts of public disruption, she begins an investigation into his origins. As he continues to cultivate followers who allege he’s performing miracles, the global media become increasingly beguiled by this charismatic figure. Geller must race to unravel the mystery of whether he really is a divine entity or a deceptive con artist capable of dismantling the world’s geopolitical order.
Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning (Docuseries) (Premieres January 2 on Lifetime)
“Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning”
The story continues. Following the groundbreaking Emmy-nominated and Critic’s Choice Award and MTV Award-winning explosive documentary series seen by over 26.8 million people and sparking world-wide conversation, Lifetime unravels more to the saga with “Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning.” The three-night event will feature interviews from a variety of perspectives including with new survivors, supporters, psychologists, and cultural and legal experts, and more insights into the ever-growing saga of the R&B singer, who is currently facing federal and state charges. The three-night event uncovers new stories with revealing details and explores why the voices of the girls that spoke up decades ago are only now being heard.
VOD/STREAMING RELEASES
“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
Toss It – Written and Directed by Michele Remsen (Amazon Prime, December 20)
The Addams Family – Written by Pamela Pettler and Matt Lieberman (VOD, December 24)
Judy (VOD, December 24)
Always a Bridesmaid – Written by Yvette Nicole Brown (VOD, December 25)
Ice Princess Lily – Written by Hortense Ullrich, Gerrit Hermans, Toby Genkel, Marco Petry, Jeffrey Hylton, and Joe Vitale (VOD, December 31)
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil – Written by Linda Woolverton, Micah Fitzerman-Blue, and Noah Harpster (VOD, December 31)
#VOTEFORWOMEN THIS AWARDS SEASON
Credit: WIF LA
You’ve probably seen the Golden Globe nominations — but you won’t have seen any women writers or directors recognized in any of the feature categories. We’ve heard the excuse that if there aren’t many women nominated, then there just weren’t that many of them doing work worthy of it. This past year has brought us so much fantastic work from women both in front of and behind the camera, that the same tired excuses simply can’t be true.
That’s why Women and Hollywood, Women in Film Los Angeles, and New York Women in Film & Television have teamed up to launch the #VoteForWomen
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE BLOG
The Biggest Moments of the Decade for Women in Film
2019’s Best Documentaries By and About Women
2019’s Best Television Created By and About Women
Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton Are “Still Working 9 to 5” in This Exclusive Trailer
London Critics’ Circle Film Nominations Announced, “The Souvenir” Leads the Pack
Guest Post: What TV Commissioning Data Can Tell Us About the Longevity of the “#MeToo Moment”
Quote of the Day: Gabrielle Union on Rejecting the Status Quo and Holding the Door Open
Oscars Doc Shortlist Includes “For Sama,” “One Child Nation,” & More
“Frozen 2” Tops $1 Billion Worldwide
Yes She Can: Crowdfunding Picks
Note: All descriptions are from press materials, unless otherwise noted.
Follow Women and Hollywood on Twitter @WomenaHollywood and Melissa Silverstein @melsil.
To contact Women and Hollywood, email melissa@womenandhollywood.com.
