Weekly Update for June 22: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You

FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING THIS WEEK

Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts – Co-Written and Directed by Mouly Surya (Opens in NY; Opens in LA July 6)

In the windswept uplands of the Indonesian island of Sumba stands a remote and rustic homestead. The widow Marlina lives there with the embalmed corpse of her as-yet-unburied husband. When a local gang leader visits and announces that his crew will arrive that night to steal Marlina’s livestock, and gang rape her “if they have time,” Marlina must take drastic action to protect herself and safeguard her livelihood. The next morning, she packs up a severed head and sets out for town to face the consequences of her sternly efficient act of self-preservation. (Press materials)

Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Mouly Surya.

Find screening info here.

Boundaries – Written and Directed by Shana Feste (Opens in NY and LA)

“Boundaries”: Sony Pictures Classics

Laura (Vera Farmiga) is a single mother living in Seattle who has a constant need to put others and animals before herself. When her estranged, criminally-minded father Jack (Christopher Plummer) is kicked out of his retirement home, Laura agrees to drive him down the coast to live with her sister JoJo (Kristen Schaal) in LA. Along for the ride is her bright but troubled son Henry (Lewis MacDougall), and an assortment of animal charity cases. Without telling Laura, Jack convinces Henry to help him sell off his copious supply of marijuana at every stop of their journey, resulting in unexpected reunions with old friends and family. (Press materials)

Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Shana Feste.

Find screening info here.

Never Steady, Never Still – Written and Directed by Kathleen Hepburn (Opens in NY)

“Never Steady, Never Still”

Having lived with Parkinson’s disease for almost two decades, Judy (Shirley Henderson) is faced with the heightened challenges of daily life when her husband and caregiver dies of a sudden heart attack on their isolated property on the shores of Stuart Lake. Meanwhile, her teenage son Jamie (Théodore Pellerin), pushed by his father to get a job on the oil fields, is terrified by the idea of filling his shoes at too young an age, and grappling with the daunting task of becoming a man in world that has no apparent room for weakness. (Press materials)

Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Kathleen Hepburn.

Find screening info here.

Izzy Gets the F*ck Across Town

“Izzy Gets the F*ck Across Town”

Riot grrrl rocker and shameless hot mess Izzy (Mackenzie Davis) wakes up hungover AF to find out that her ex-boyfriend is celebrating his engagement to her ex-best friendtonight at a bougie party across town. Enraged and desperate, Izzy embarks on a frenetic quest across Los Angeles to break up the party in order to fulfill what she believes to be her destiny — before it’s too late. (Press materials)

Find screening info here.

Brain on Fire (Available on Netflix)

“Brain on Fire”

“Brain on Fire” follows Susannah Cahalan (Chloë Grace Moretz), a rising journalist at the New York Post who mysteriously starts having seizures and hearing voices. As weeks go by and Susannah rapidly descends into insanity, she moves inexplicably from violence to catatonia. Following a series of outbursts, misdiagnoses, and a prolonged hospital stay, a lucky last-minute intervention by one doctor finally gives her a diagnosis and hope to rebuild her life. (Press materials)

Incident in a Ghostland (Also Available on VOD)

Following her aunt’s death, Colleen (Mylène Farmer) and her two daughters inherit her house. However, during their first night in this new home, murderers break in, pushing Colleen to fight to save her daughters’ lives. During this highly traumatic night, the girls’ disparate personalities diverge even further. Sixteen years later, daughter Beth (Crystal Reed) becomes a famous horror author with a perfect family and life in Chicago, while Vera (Anastasia Phillips) can’t cope. Daughters and mother finally reunite at the house where Colleen and Vera still live. It is only then that strange events begin to take place. (Press materials)

Beach House

“Beach House”

Emma (Willa Fitzgerald)’s quiet beach retreat takes an unsettling turn with the arrival of an enigmatic artist out of her mother’s past. He challenges, enthralls, and frightens her, as she comes to suspect him of a terrible crime. (Press materials)

To Each, Her Own – Directed by Myriam Aziza; Written by Myriam Aziza and Denyse Rodriguez-Tomé (Available on Netflix June 24)

Simone (Sarah Stern)’s been in a relationship for three years with Claire but has never come out to her family. Between her crazy mother, traditionalist father, and two brothers who are always trying to set her up with men, it’s hard for Simone to live openly. So when she falls in love with Wali, thanks in part to his cooking talents, it’s too much. Split between Claire, Wali, and her family, Simone will have to make some hard choices. (Press materials)

FILMS DIRECTED BY WOMEN OPENING THIS WEEK

“Spiral”: Cohen Media Group

Spiral (Documentary) – Directed by Laura Fairrie

Over the last two decades, a rise in physical attacks and verbal assaults on Jews has been recorded in many countries across Europe. At the same time an increasingly fractured world has exposed deep political, social, and racial division, especially in France. “Spiral” is the story of how a cycle of fear, hatred, and violence has taken hold. In portraying the resurgence of anti-Semitism in France and in the wider world, the film trains its gaze on individuals, witnesses on all sides of the conflicts that have fueled this escalation. (Press materials)

Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Laura Fairrie.

Us and Them – Directed by Rene Liu (Available on Netflix)

“Us and Them”

“Us and Them” follows the love story of Lin Jianqing (Jing Boran) and Fang Xiaoxiao (Zhou Dongyu), spanning over 10 years. The two first meet and fall in love on the train back home for Chinese New Year. The couple’s struggle eventually leads to breakup. Ten years later, they reunite on a flight home. (Press materials)

Racing Colt – Co-Directed by Heather R. Provost

Manny (Toby Meuli) has always idolized Colt Racer (David Atkinson), especially when he became Colt’s assistant for a few years — that was until Manny had to move and care for his sick wife, and Colt found himself in rehab. Now, Manny finds himself assisting Colt once again, but this time for an Ernest Hemingway biopic. When filming commences, Manny finds that art imitates life as Colt picks up old habits that would even make Hemingway blush. As the storm brews behind the camera, Manny ultimately stands up to Colt, and discovers not only the real hero in himself, but a dark secret that changes Manny’s life forever. (Press materials)

Lobster Cop – Written and Directed by Xinyun Li

“Lobster Cop”: Chinalion Film Distribution

Four police officers open up a lobster restaurant as a cover in order to catch a notorious drug dealer, only to find their secret recipe is more popular than they expect. When they get caught up in their new business venture, they find a bigger conspiracy at work. (Press materials)

The Accidental Detective 2: In Action – Directed by Eon-hie Lee

“The Accidental Detective 2: In Action”

A comic book store-keeper, Dae-man (Sang-Woo Kwon), and the legendary homicide detective Tae-soo (Dong-il Sung), who met on a previous case, quit their jobs to open a private detective agency. Despite their high hopes, they soon find themselves with only trivial cases such as spouse infidelity, unpaid debt, and missing cats. Then one day, a woman walks into the office, wanting to find the truth behind the death of her fiancé. Not only that, she also offers them a handsome reward of $50,000. Dae-man and Tae-su see it as an opportunity to put their true detective skills to work. (Press materials)

Find screening info here.

TV PREMIERES THIS WEEK

“Kristal Clear”: Kristal Clear Productions

Kristal Clear (Web Series) – Created by Amanda Fahey (Available Now on Amazon Video)

Kristal Hasting (Melanie Leishman) is a young YouTube influencer and beauty vlogger. She’s fun, charming, resourceful, and all about keeping up appearances. Kristal is estranged from her identical twin sister, Kyle, a brilliant PhD student, and budding young physicist. Kyle is dry and sarcastic and isn’t afraid to call Kristal on her BS. Though it’s like looking in a mirror, they couldn’t be more different. (Press materials)

Strangers (Web Series) – Created by Mia Lidofsky (Season 2 Premieres June 24 on Facebook Watch)

“Strangers”

In Season 1, based in Los Angeles, newly single and bisexual, Isobel (Zoë Chao) rented out her spare room in a last-ditch effort to keep the home she loves. Along with her lesbian best friend, Cam (Meredith Hagner), she navigated the most complicated time in her life — emotionally, sexually, and professionally. As Isobel began to share her life with a revolving door of colorful characters, their zany antics challenged her perspective and helped open her up to a new way of looking at the world. From navigating her first relationship with another woman, to grappling with career dissatisfaction, Isobel ventured into uncharted territory with hilarity and sincerity. In Season 2, she and Cam have relocated to New York and in a reversal, Isobel is now the renter. (Press materials)

Secret City (Premieres June 26 on Netflix)

“Secret City”

Beneath the placid facade of Canberra, amidst rising tension between China and America, senior political journalist Harriet Dunkley (Anna Torv) uncovers a secret city of interlocked conspiracies, putting innocent lives in danger — including her own. (Press materials)

W. Kamau Bell: Private School Negro (Comedy Special) – Directed by Shannon Hartman (Premieres June 26 on Netflix)

Activist and comedian W. Kamau Bell muses on parenting in the Trump era, “free speech” dustups, woke children’s TV, and his fear of going off the grid. (Press materials)

Liza On Demand (Premieres June 27 on YouTube Red)

“Liza On Demand” follows the chaotic misadventures of Liza (Liza Koshy), a young woman in Los Angeles who is trying to make a career out of juggling various gig economy jobs — for lack of a better idea of what to do with her life. (Press materials)