FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING AND COMING TO STREAMING/VOD
The Craft: Legacy – Written and Directed by Zoe Lister-Jones
In Blumhouse’s continuation of the cult hit “The Craft,” an eclectic foursome of aspiring teenage witches get more than they bargained for as they lean into their newfound powers. Cailee Spaeny, Gideon Adlon, Lovie Simone, Zoey Luna, Nicholas Galitzine, Michelle Monaghan, and David Duchovny star.
“The Craft: Legacy” will be available on VOD October 28. Find screening info here.
Radium Girls – Directed by Lydia Dean Pilcher and Ginny Mohler; Written by Ginny Mohler and Brittany Shaw
“Radium Girls”
Based on true events and set in 1928 New Jersey, teenage sisters Bessie (Joey King) and Jo (Abby Quinn) dream of faraway places as they paint glow-in-the-dark watch dials at the American Radium Factory. When Jo loses a tooth, Bessie’s world turns upside down as the mystery of Jo’s disease slowly unravels. Bessie befriends two young activists and in a radical coming of age, she exposes a corporate scandal. Bessie and the “Radium Girls” file a lawsuit against American Radium. This notorious case ultimately led to a lasting impact in the area of workplace health and safety as well as the study of radioactivity.
“Radium Girls” is now in select theaters and virtual cinemas. Find screening info here.
Friendsgiving – Written and Directed by Nicol Paone
“Friendsgiving”
Abby (Kat Dennings) is looking forward to a laid-back Thanksgiving with her best friend Molly (Malin Åkerman). But the friends’ plans for a quiet turkey dinner go up in smoke when they’re joined by Molly’s new boyfriend and her flamboyant mother. Throw in some party crashers, including Molly’s old flame, a wannabe shaman, and a trio of Fairy Gay Mothers, and it’s a recipe for a comically chaotic holiday no one will ever forget — even if they wanted to!
“Friendsgiving” is now in theaters and available on VOD.
After We Collided – Written by Anna Todd and Mario Celaya
In this second installment based on the worldwide bestseller “After,” we follow Tessa’s (Josephine Langford) intense breakup and its aftermath. Will love overcome the past?
“After We Collided” is now in theaters and available on VOD.
Over the Moon – Written by Audrey Wells
Fueled by memories of her mother, resourceful Fei Fei (Cathy Ang) builds a rocket to the moon on a mission to prove the existence of a legendary moon goddess.
“Over the Moon” is now available on Netflix.
Defying All Odds (Documentary) – Directed by Caroleen Moise
“Defying All Odds” is the empowering story of one brave woman’s fight to overcome progressive MS and regain her life. From wheelchair bound and barely able to sit upright in 2007 to riding her bicycle in 2008, the story of Dr. Terry Wahls’ recovery is not only powerful, but it also serves to challenge what we know about conventional medicine.
“Defying All Odds” will be available on VOD October 27.
Haunting of the Mary Celeste – Directed by Shana Betz
Rachel (Emily Swallow), a concerned researcher, and her team have set out to sea to prove that the disappearance of a family and crew from a merchant ship was supernatural. Her theory that those on the Mary Celeste vanished into a “rift” between dimensions proves true as the boat breaks down and her crew begins to vanish one by one.
“Haunting of the Mary Celeste” is now available on VOD.
Fishbowl – Directed by Alexa Kinigopoulos and Stephen Kinigopoulos; Written by Maria Stratakis, Piero S. Iberti, and Stephen Kinigopoulos
In Bishop, a town filled with secrets, the three Simon sisters, Belle, Rachel, and Jessa, are trying to cope with their mother’s absence and maintain a normal life. Silently repressing them is Rick (Rick Kain), their damaged father who, adrift himself, is growing increasingly obsessed with The Rapture that he believes is imminent. With home anything but a refuge, the sisters must cling to one another to survive. The girls, attending Catholic school, and going through teen challenges, bear the brunt of their father’s quest to rejoin their mother. Belle (Belle Shickle), the oldest, is the force, Rachel (Emily Peachey), the pleaser, and Jessa, the youngest, chooses to be mute (Caroline Coleman).
“Fishbowl” will be available on VOD October 27.
Oleander (Short) – Written and Directed by Kate Hackett
“Oleander” tells the story of a sex-positive teenage YouTuber (Emily Robinson) who starts a social media war against her Christian abstinence program.
“Oleander” is now available on Film Shortage.
WOMEN AND HOLLYWOOD IS TEAMING UP WITH “RADIUM GIRLS”
FILMS MADE BY WOMEN OPENING AND COMING TO STREAMING/VOD
Barefoot: The Mark Baumer Story (Documentary) – Directed by Julie Sokolow
Mark Baumer, an environmental activist, avant-garde writer, and vegan, hiked barefoot for over 100 days across America to draw attention to climate change. In a voice The New Yorker praised as “reminiscent of Andy Kaufman”, Baumer narrates his offbeat take on life and how we all can make a difference. Edited from Baumer’s own self-recorded videos, along with interviews from family and friends, “Barefoot: The Mark Baumer Story” is a moving portrait filled with laughs, tragedy, and inspiration.
“Barefoot: The Mark Baumer Story” will be available on VOD October 27.
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan – Written by Jena Friedman, Erica Rivinoja, Sacha Baron Cohen, Peter Baynham, Anthony Hines, Lee Kern, Dan Mazer, and Dan Swimer
In this sequel to the 2006 Oscar-nominated mockumentary, Sacha Baron Cohen reprises his role as the fictitious Kazakh journalist who ruffles the feathers of the ignorant across increasingly wild (and very real) scenarios. (IndieWire)
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” is now available on Amazon Prime Video.
Holidate – Written by Tiffany Paulsen
Fed up with being single on holidays, two strangers (Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey) agree to be each other’s platonic plus-ones all year long, only to catch real feelings along the way.
“Holidate” will be available on Netflix October 28.
Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight – Written by Mirella Zaradkiewicz, Bartosz M. Kowalski, and Jan Kwiecinski
Addicted to technology, a group of teens attends a rehabilitation camp in the forest, but a sinister force there intends to take them offline forever.
“Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight” will be available on Netflix October 28.
TV AND EPISODIC PREMIERES
The Queen’s Gambit (Miniseries) (Premieres October 23 on Netflix)
“The Queen’s Gambit”
Anya Taylor-Joy plays a brilliant chess prodigy besieged by addiction in “The Queen’s Gambit,” Netflix’s bingeworthy adaptation of the 1983 novel of the same name. Set in the late 1950s, the miniseries follows Beth (Taylor-Joy), a professional chess player, from her childhood in an orphanage to her headline-making runs at international tournaments. Shortly after moving into a Kentucky orphanage, nine-year-old Beth (Isla Johnston) takes an immediate interest in the game. Beth’s prodigious talent is undeniable, but her innate gift blossoms due in no small part to her drive. She’s ravenous to learn everything she can about the game. Her new skill is being developed alongside her new addiction: after being given daily tranquilizers along with all of the other kids she lives with, Beth becomes reliant on them. Drugs and chess become inextricably linked for Beth, leading to substance abuse problems throughout her life. Within the confines of a chess board, she can make sense of the world. It’s the only space she can control, and the only space she feels safe in. But she’s convinced that she needs to be under the influence to be granted access to that world. (Laura Berger)
American Selfie: One Nation Shoots Itself (Documentary) – Directed by Alexandra Pelosi (Premieres October 23 on Showtime)
“American Selfie: One Nation Shoots Itself”
Filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi travels across the United States chronicling the unprecedented social and political upheaval of 2020 as it unfolds. From political rallies, environmental protests, Black Lives Matter marches, and the still-developing Covid-19 crisis, Americans on both sides of the political divide react to events that have defined this turbulent year.
Perdida – Created by Ruth García, Natxo López, and David Oliva (Premieres October 23 on Netflix)
A five-year-old girl, Soledad (Daniela Soneira), disappears mysteriously in Valencia, Spain, with no trace left behind. Thirteen years later, the girl’s father, Antonio (Daniel Grao), gets arrested in Bogotá, Colombia, on purpose after sniffing multiple balls of cocaine, in order to find her whereabouts.
Barbarians – Directed by Barbara Eder and Steve Saint Leger (Premieres October 23 on Netflix)
Torn between the mighty empire that raised him and his own tribal people, a Roman officer’s conflicted allegiances lead to an epic historical clash.
The Undoing (Miniseries) – Directed by Susanne Bier (Premieres October 25 on HBO)
“The Undoing”
Grace (Nicole Kidman) and Jonathan Fraser (Hugh Grant) are living the only lives they ever wanted for themselves. Overnight, a chasm opens in their lives: a violent death and a chain of terrible revelations. Left behind in the wake of a spreading and very public disaster and horrified by the ways in which she has failed to heed her own advice, Grace must dismantle one life and create another for her child and her family.
Represent (Documentary) – Directed by Hillary Bachelder (Premieres October 26 on PBS)
“Represent”
The past few years have seen a record-breaking number of women running for office. Hillary Bachelder follows three of these women — Myya Jones, Bryn Bird, and Julie Cho — in her feature directorial debut, “Represent.” Although they come from very different backgrounds and are pursuing very different goals, each is an idealistic candidate determined to improve the political system from within. Jones is a young Black Democrat hoping to be Detroit’s next mayor, and Bird is a Democrat who wants to make her rural Ohio community more progressive with her township trustee candidacy. Cho, a Korean immigrant, is a Republican running for state representative in the left-leaning Evanston, Illinois. While each subject is open about her political views, which are often complicated, “Represent” is most interested in the machinations of mainstream politics — and the possibility, or lack thereof, of a newcomer breaking down its barriers. The doc also examines how Jones, Bird, and Cho’s unique identities — their race, gender, class, and age — impact their candidacies. (Rachel Montpelier)
Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine (Variety Special) – Directed by Natasha Lyonne (Premieres October 27 on Netflix)
Best-selling author and comedian Sarah Cooper brings her unique talent to Netflix with “Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine,” a variety special full of vignettes dealing with issues of politics, race, gender, class, and other light subjects. Sarah will be joined by a fantastic array of special guests who will participate in short interviews, sketches, and more shenanigans.
Not Done: Women Remaking America (Documentary) – Directed by Sara Wolitzky (Premieres October 27 on PBS)
“Not Done”
“Not Done: Women Remaking America” chronicles the seismic eruption of women’s organizing from the 2016 election through today, and the intersectional fight for equality that has now gone mainstream. Like the movement it documents, this story is told collectively through the firsthand experiences and narratives of frontline activists, writers, celebrities, artists, and politicians who are remaking culture, policy, and most radically, our notions about gender. Premiering against the backdrop of an unprecedented pandemic and widespread social upheaval, the film looks back on recent milestones in the women’s movement, weaving together a story of major progress with the clear reality that our work is not done.
The Soul of America (Documentary) – Directed by KD Davison (Premieres October 27 on HBO)
Based on John Meacham’s 2018 bestseller of the same name, “The Soul of America” follows the writer, journalist, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, and presidential biographer as he offers his timely and invaluable insights into the country’s current political and historical moment by examining its past.
That Animal Rescue Show (Docuseries) – Written by Nayeema Raza and Bill Guttentag (Premieres October 29 on CBS All Access)
“That Animal Rescue Show” follows the animal rescue community in and around Austin, Texas. This 10-episode docuseries provides a window into this captivating world through moving, humorous, and powerful stories of animals, the humans who love them, and the inspiring, life-changing bond that occurs between people who have dedicated their lives to rescue and the animals who rescue them right back.
WOMEN AND HOLLYWOOD IN THE NEWS
Clare Crawley faces the most ageist season ever of ‘The Bachelorette’ (CNN)
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WEEK
Credit: WIF
Join the Girls Club for a Conversation with Susanne Bier About “The Undoing”
Apply Now: Women In Film’s Hire Her Back Grant
Offering a “Brave Space to Create Unapologetically”: Crowdfunding Picks
Submit Now: Starz, WrapWomen, and WIF’s Telling Our Stories Short Film Competition
Pick of the Day: “Surge”
Diane Warren, Susan Stroman, & Weinstein Survivor Louisette Geiss Join Forces for #MeToo Musical
“Wildfire” Writer-Director Cathy Brady Wins £50,000 Bursary at BFI London Film Festival
Queer Family Felicitations: VOD and Web Series Picks
Every Project from Margot Robbie & Christina Hodson’s All-Women Script-Writing Program Has Sold
Writers Guild of America, East Launches Safe Workplace Helpline
Note: All descriptions are from press materials, unless otherwise noted.
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