Films About Women Opening This Week
Far From the Madding Crowd
Carey Mulligan is luminous and inspiring as self-reliant landowner Bathsheba Everdene in “Far from the Madding Crowd.” The Thomas Hardy adaptation is a lovely romance about a young woman reluctant to give up her independence and hard-won authority in the small, rural village she governs for a mere wedding ring. But suitors do arrive, steadily and persistently, in the forms of Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael Sheen, and Tom Sturridge. Every decision that Bathsheba Everdene, who is partially inspired by the character of Katniss in “The Hunger Games,” makes for her future is excitingly tied to the new kind of world the young woman wants to create for herself. Whether it’s washing sheep in ladylike finery alongside her men, ensuring that all of the villagers in her care enjoy a proper burial, or allowing herself to explore her sexual desires with a handsome stranger, Bathsheba is a heroine for the ages — and the film around her already one of the year’s finest. (Inkoo Kang)
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with “Far From the Madding Crowd” actress Carey Mulligan.
Ride — Written and Directed by Helen Hunt
Helen Hunt plays a Type A editor from New York who’s too busy working to see that she has become disconnected from life. When her son moves to LA to spend the summer with his father, then decides not to attend college, her entire core is shaken. She heads to LA to get him to come back and makes mistake after mistake trying to reach him. But as she is struggling to figure out how to communicate with her son through surfing, she finds that the water helps her rediscover her own love for life. (Melissa Silverstein)
Listen to Women and Hollywood’s podcast with Helen Hunt on Soundcloud or on iTunes.
Welcome to Me — Directed by Shira Piven
What happens when a young woman with Borderline Personality Disorder wins the lottery? In the case of Alice Klieg (Kristen Wiig), she quits her psychiatric meds and buys her own talk show. Inspired by the immortal Oprah, she broadcasts her dirty laundry as both a form of exhibitionism and a platform to share her peculiar views on everything from nutrition to relationships and neutering pets. Also starring Joan Cusack, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Linda Cardellini. (Press materials)
Marie’s Story
At the turn of the 19th century, a humble artisan and his wife have a daughter, Marie, who is born deaf and blind and unable to communicate with the world around her. Desperate to find a connection to their daughter and avoid sending her to an asylum, the Heurtins send fourteen-year-old Marie to the Larnay Institute in central France, where an order of Catholic nuns manage a school for deaf girls. There, the idealistic Sister Marguerite sees in Marie a unique potential, and despite her Mother Superior’s skepticism, vos to bring the wild young thing would of the darkness into which she was born. Based on true events, “Marie’s Story” recounts the courageous journey of a young nun and the lives she would change forever, confronting failures and discouragement with joyous faith and love. (Press materials)
Maya the Bee Movie
Maya (Coco Jack Gillies) is a little bee with a big heart. She dreams of an exciting life of freedom, fun and adventure — the world is simply far too interesting to stay inside a hive! Her funny attempts to fit in bring her into trouble with the Queen’s narrow-minded royal advisor, Buzzlina (Jacki Weaver). With her best friend Willy (Kodi Smit-McPhee), Maya buzzes out into the meadow on an exhilarating adventure of self-discovery. While most bees believe that other insects should be feared, Maya can’t help but make friends with Flip the charismatic and eccentric grasshopper (Richard Roxburgh), Kurt the dung beetle (Lutz Schnell) and even Sting, a young hornet (Joel Franco). But when the Queen’s royal jelly is stolen, it will take Maya and all of her bug buddies to figure out who did it and how to save the day! (Rotten Tomatoes)
Films About Women Currently Playing
The Age of Adaline
Helicopter Mom — Directed by Salomé Breziner
See You In Valhalla
Iris (doc)
Félix & Meira
Alex of Venice — Co-Written by Jessica Goldberg and Katie Nehra (Available on VOD)
Monkey Kingdom
The Sisterhood of Night — Directed by Caryn Waechter and Written by Marilyn Fu
Clouds of Sils Maria
Effie Gray — Written by Emma Thompson
About Elly
Woman in Gold
52 Tuesdays — Directed and Co-Written by Sophie Hyde
The Divergent Series: Insurgent
Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter
Cinderella — Co-Written by Aline Brosh McKenna
It Follows
Fifty Shades of Grey — Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson; Written by Kelly Marcel
Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem — Co-Written and Co-Directed by Ronit Elkabetz
Films Directed by Women Currently Playing
Just Before You Go — Directed by Courteney Cox
The Road Within — Written and Directed by Gren Wells
Antarctic Edge: 70° South (doc) — Directed by Dena Seidel
The Human Experiment — Co-Directed by Dana Nachman
The Hand That Feeds (doc) — Co-Written and Co-Directed by Rachel Lears
Serena — Directed by Susanne Bier
Amour Fou — Directed by Jessica Hausner
Films Written by Women Opening This Week
She’s Funny That Way (Squirrels to the Nuts) — Co-Written by Louise Stratten
A married Broadway director (Owen Wilson) implores a call girl to turn her life around while the star of his latest production (Rhys Ifans) makes a play for his wife (Kathryn Hahn) in this ensemble comedy from director Peter Bogdonavich. Jennifer Aniston, Cybill Shepherd, Will Forte and Lucy Punch co-star. (Rotten Tomatoes)
Films Written by Women Currently Playing
Adult Beginners — Co-Written by Liz Flahive
24 Days — Co-Written by Emilie Frèche
White God — Co-Written by Viktória Petrányi and Kata Wéber
Cas & Dylan — Written by Jessie Gabe
Chappie — Co-Written by Terri Tatchell
VOD/DVD Releasing This Week
Boy Meets Girl
Selma — Directed by Ava DuVernay
The Boy Next Door — Written by Barbara Curry
