Weekly Update for May 8: Women Centric, Directed and Written Films Playing Near You

Films About Women Opening This Week

Hot Pursuit (Don’t Mess With Texas) — Directed by Anne Fletcher

Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara play opposites on a road trip fleeing for their lives. Nerdy policewoman Cooper (Witherspoon) attempts to redeem herself in the eyes of her fellow cops by transporting Daniella Riva (Vergara) to Dallas to testify against a drug cartel. Bad guys try to kill them at every turn. (Melissa Silverstein)

Listen to Women and Hollywood’s podcast with Anne Fletcher.

Piku — Written by Juhi Chaturvedi

Piku (Deepika Padukone) juggles her life as a successful architect and being a single parent to her 70-year old father Bhashkor Banerji (Amitabh Bachchan). Getting a life of her own just doesn’t seem possible — not for a lack of trying, but she’s weighed down by the responsibilities of her work, home and a hypochondriac father. When Bhashkor emotionally blackmails Piku into taking a road trip from Delhi to Calcutta, the owner of the local cab company Rana (Irrfan Khan) has no choice but to drive them personally, since none of his drivers are willing to endure Piku or her eccentric father. “Piku” is a heart-warming slice-of-life film about a father-daughter relationship. (Press materials)

Noble

Based on a true story. Christina Noble (Deirdre O’Kane) had a tough life. She grew up in poverty, was raised by difficult nuns in Ireland and endured a troubled and abusive marriage. Yet she feels a calling to Vietnam to help the kids living on the streets. She saves kids from being raped, feeds them and figures out how to raise money to build them a safe place to stay. “Noble” is a moving story about a woman on a mission who won’t take no for an answer. (Melissa Silverstein)

Preggoland — Written by Sonja Bennett (simultaneously released to VOD)

When Ruth (Sonja Bennett) ruins a baby shower with her drunken, juvenile antics, her old high -chool cronies, who are all mothers now, promptly de-friend her. But when she is later mistakenly thought to be “with child,” she is inexplicably welcomed back into the group. Although she initially tries to come clean, the many perks of pregnancy are far too seductive to ignore. “Preggoland” is a comedy about our societal obsession with babies and the lengths we’ll go to be part of a club. (Press materials)

Sister Code

“Sister Code” is the funny and touching story of three foster sisters with drastically different personalities living together in Los Angeles. Amber Rose plays Lexi, the free-spirited artist; Eva Marcille is Sheila, the corporate killer with a soft side, and Drew Sidora works her magic as Lavae, the glue that keeps the family together. With the revered matriarch of the family gone, the James girls must learn to navigate the choppy waters of love, life and sisterhood without her. The story of the James sisters will inspire all of us to celebrate the most important people in our lives: our family. (Press materials)

Films About Women Currently Playing

Ride — Written and Directed by Helen Hunt

Welcome to Me — Directed by Shira Piven

Far From the Madding Crowd

Marie’s Story

Maya the Bee Movie

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

The Hunting Ground (doc)

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 Opening This Week

One Cut, One Life (doc) — Co-Directed by Lucia Small (Releasing May 13)

When seminal documentary filmmaker Ed Pincus (“Black Natchez,” “The Axe in the Attic”), considered the father of first-person nonfiction film, is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he and his collaborator Lucia Small (“My Father, The Genius”) team up to make one last film. “One Cut, One Life” is an intense, frank and sometimes humorous exploration of the human condition that invites the viewer to contemplate what is important, not only at the end of life, but through all phases of creative pursuits. (Press materials)

Films Directed by Women Currently Playing

Just Before You Go — Directed by Courteney Cox

The Road Within — Written and Directed by Gren Wells

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

Films Written by Women Currently Playing

She’s Funny That Way (Squirrels to the Nuts) — Co-Written by Louise Stratten

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