FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING
Paradise Hills – Directed by Alice Waddington (Available on VOD November 1)
On an isolated island, Uma (Emma Roberts) wakes up to find herself at Paradise Hills, a facility where high-class families send their daughters to become perfect versions of themselves. The facility is run by the mysterious Duchess (Milla Jovovich) where calibrated treatments including etiquette classes, vocal lessons, beauty treatments, gymnastics, and restricted diets resolve all physical and emotional shortcomings within two months. The outspoken Uma finds solace and friendship in other Paradise Hills residents — Chloe (Danielle McDonald), Yu (Awkwafina), and Mexican pop star Amarna (Eiza Gonzalez). Uma soon realizes that lurking behind all this beauty is a sinister secret. It’s a race against the clock as Uma and her friends try to escape Paradise Hills before it consumes them all.
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Alice Waddington.
Find screening info here.
Black and Blue
“Black and Blue”
An action thriller about a rookie cop (Naomie Harris) who inadvertently captures the murder of a young drug dealer on her body cam. After realizing that the murder was committed by corrupt cops, she teams up with the one person from her community who is willing to help her (Tyrese Gibson) as she tries to escape both the criminals out for revenge, and the police who are desperate to destroy the incriminating footage.
Find screening info here.
Ximei (Documentary) – Directed by Gaylen Ross and Andy Cohen (Opens in LA)
“Ximei”
Ximei is a young peasant woman from rural Henan Province who contracted AIDS when the local government encouraged farmers to sell their blood plasma for money, literally bleeding people for profit with contaminated equipment. Risking her own life and freedom, she confronts the local authorities head on, demanding that her fellow patients receive medical treatment in the rural areas of her county where hundreds of thousands have been infected. Her courageous actions and fiery character transform the tragedy of Henan’s HIV-infected outcasts into lives of hope and dignity.
A Good Woman Is Hard to Find (Opens in the UK)
This crowd-pleasing and violent kitchen-sink revenge thriller is a dark and daring journey through Northern Ireland’s criminal underbelly. Recently widowed mother of two Sarah (Sarah Bolger) is desperate to know who murdered her husband in front of their young son, rendering him mute. Coerced into helping a low-life drug dealer, she’s forced to go beyond her humanity to protect her children and learn the truth.
Countdown
“Countdown”: STX films
When a young nurse (Elizabeth Lail) downloads an app that claims to predict exactly when a person is going to die, it tells her she only has three days to live. With time ticking away and death closing in, she must find a way to save her life before time runs out.
The Gallows: Act II (Also Available on VOD)
After Auna Rue (Ema Horvath), a teenage vlogger/aspiring actress, logs onto a sinister website, she’s soon trapped in the malevolent world of a cursed stage play, The Gallows. After performing a passage from the play for her tiny online fan base, Auna instantly achieves the stardom she seeks — as well as a twisted challenge from a deadly spirit in this nightmarish supernatural thriller.
Find screening info here.
Saand Ki Aankh
Both over the age of 60, Chandro Tomar (Bhumi Pednekar) and Prakashi Tomar (Taapsee Pannu) inspire other women in India when they demonstrate their expert sharpshooting skills.
Rattlesnake (Available on Netflix)
Katrina (Carmen Ejogo) is a single mother driving cross country to start a new life with her young daughter Clara (Apollonia Pratt) when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. As Katrina changes the tire, Clara wanders off the desert road and is bitten by a venomous rattlesnake. Desperate to save her daughter’s life, Katrina accepts the help of a mysterious woman, but after she miraculously heals Clara, Katrina is asked to repay the good deed by killing a stranger in exchange for the life saved. Without time to lose, she must wrestle with the morality of who deserves to live and who should die, before her daughter’s life is once again put in peril at sundown.
FILMS MADE BY WOMEN OPENING
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound (Documentary) – Directed by Midge Costin; Written by Bobette Buster (Opens in NY and LA)
“Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound”
“Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound” reveals the hidden power of sound in cinema — and our lives. Through film clips, interviews, and verité footage, the film captures the history, impact, and creative process of this overlooked art form through the insights and stories of legendary directors such as George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, David Lynch, Barbra Streisand, Ang Lee, Christopher Nolan, Sofia Coppola, and Ryan Coogler, and the sound men and women with whom they collaborate.
Find screening info here.
Connect – Written and Directed by Marilyn Edmond (Opens in the UK)
“Connect” follows the story of Brian (Kevin Guthrie), a young man battling with his mental health. Outwardly, he keeps calm, goes to work, and carries on. He never feels that it’s possible to share his feelings, until care home owner Jeff (Stephen McCole) becomes a source of support. A flirtation with single mother Sam (Siobhan Reilly) could be a reason to choose life.
Tales From the Lodge – Written and Directed by Abigail Blackmore (Opens in the UK)
“Tales From the Lodge”: SXSW Film Festival
A group of middle-aged friends gather at a remote lodge to honor a friend who recently drowned in a nearby lake. With emotions running high, everyone makes the most of a gloomy situation by celebrating the best way they know how: swapping silly, scary stories that would have earned a giggle from their dearly departed pal. Urban legends about a masked slasher, a paranormal ghost hunt, and a post-apocalyptic wasteland soon lose their fun shock value as the sextet become stuck in a true terror tale that exposes dark secrets no one could have possibly foreseen.
Salvation – Written and Directed by Carmen Sangion (Opens in South Africa)
“Salvation”
Chance encounters on the streets of Johannesburg connect Ezra (Jason Willemse), a young man on the run from the law; Roxy (Kira Wilkinson), a dejected stripper; and Father Benjamin (Clayton Evertson), a despairing priest, in their search for answers, acceptance, and faith. Charged to revive a struggling church in a depressed inner-city community, Father Benjamin is forced to learn about forgiveness. Ezra’s escape from his small town leads him to embark on a journey of self-discovery, while Roxy finally confronts a past she buried deep in the recesses of her mind. When their paths cross, they form an unlikely bond that forces them to venture out of their comfort zones and find freedom and salvation in truth and forgiveness.
Made in China – Written by Parinda Joshi, Mikhil Musale, Karan Vyas, and Niren Bhatt
A middle-class businessman, dejected by his failures, goes to China with the hope to get a successful business idea and better his prospects. There, he embarks on an unusual and comical journey and finds something much better.
Housefull 4 – Written by Sara Bodinar, Sajid Khan, Tasha Bhambra, and Sparsh Khetarpal
When six lovers are parted because of an evil conspiracy and revenge in the era of 1419, they cross paths once again in 2019. However, in the present life the three boys fall in love with the wrong women and are about to marry their sisters-in-law. As destiny would have it history repeats itself when the three couples land up in Sitamgarh once again, where it all began. Will they remember their past lives in time for marriage or will they be stuck with the wrong lovers forever?
The Rise of Jordan Peterson (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Patricia Marcoccia (Opens October 29) (Also Available on VOD)
University of Toronto psychology professor Jordan Peterson skyrocketed to fame after he published a controversial viral video series entitled “Professor Against Political Correctness” in 2016. Within two years, he sold over three million copies of his self-help book, “12 Rules For Life,” and became simultaneously branded by some as an academic rockstar selling out theaters around the world, and by others as a dangerous threat to progressive society. “The Rise of Jordan Peterson” intimately traces the transformative period of Peterson’s life while visiting rare moments with his family, friends, and foes.
TV PREMIERES
Little Miss Sumo (Documentary Short) (Premieres October 25 on Netflix)
“Little Miss Sumo”
Banned from competing professionally, female sumo wrestling champion Hiyori will have to retire at the age of 21. Fighting tradition, Hiyori embarks on a remarkable journey, confronting obstacles both inside and outside the ring in an attempt to help change Japan’s national sport forever.
Brotherhood (Premieres October 25 on Netflix)
An honest lawyer reaches a moral crossroads after the cops force her to inform on her incarcerated brother, the leader of a rising criminal faction.
OWN Spotlight: Oprah At Home with Lupita Nyong’o and Cynthia Erivo (TV Special) (Premieres October 26 on OWN)
Oprah Winfrey sits down one-on-one with the award-winning actresses Lupita Nyong’o and Cynthia Erivo, who discuss their fast rise to fame and how their leading roles have shaped them personally and professionally. Oscar-winning actress Nyong’o will discuss her film career and new children’s book, “Sulwe.” Then, Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award-winning actress Cynthia Erivo joins Oprah to talk about her starring role in the upcoming film “Harriet.” Erivo discusses her preparation to play Harriet — on a physical and spiritual level — as well as the controversy surrounding her casting in the role.
Mrs. Fletcher (Premieres October 27 on HBO)
“Mrs. Fletcher”
An adaptation of Tom Perrotta’s 2017 novel of the same name, HBO’s “Mrs. Fletcher” enlists an all-women directing team to tell the story of a woman’s sexual awakening. Single-mom Eve Fletcher (Kathryn Hahn) spends her days working at a local senior center and the majority of her spare time trying to connect to her entitled, ungrateful son Brendan (Jackson White). Now the teen is off to college and his mom can’t help but wonder who she is besides his mom. The 30-minute comedy sees Eve re-discovering herself and her sexuality. After dabbling in internet pornography for the first time, Eve develops a hobby of watching it and pleasuring herself. She’s also digging deep at a personal essay class she’s taking at a local college, where she develops bonds with her trans teacher (Jen Richards) and a former classmate of her son (Owen Teague). Having read the book, I was pleasantly surprised by how much more affecting it was to see Eve’s journey on the screen than read about it. It remains a rare joy to see a women protagonist over the age of 40 exploring — and acting on — her desires, even if she makes some morally questionable decisions along the way. (Laura Berger)
Independent Lens: Made in Boise (Documentary) – Directed by Beth Aala (Premieres October 28 on PBS)
A surprising — and booming — industry has emerged in Boise, Idaho. In this idyllic, all-American city, nurses, nail technicians, and stay-at-home mothers are choosing to become paid surrogates for people from around the world. “Made in Boise” goes inside the lives of four of them as they build relationships with the intended parents, prepare for the rigors of pregnancy, and navigate the mixed feelings of their own families, who struggle to understand their choice to risk the physical and emotional complications of carrying babies for someone else.
VOD/STREAMING RELEASES
“The Farewell”
47 Meters Down: Uncaged (VOD, October 29)
The Farewell – Written and Directed by Lulu Wang (VOD, October 29)
Legend of the Demon Cat – Written by Hui-Ling Wang and Kaige Chen (VOD, October 29)
Them That Follow – Written and Directed by Britt Poulton and Dan Madison Savage (VOD, October 29)
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE BLOG
Kim Nguyen directed an episode of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” as part of Female Forward’s Class of 2019: NBC
Rebecca Lenkiewicz to Pen Movie About NYT Writers Who Helped Bring Down Harvey Weinstein
Gotham Awards Nominations: “The Farewell,” “Hustlers,” & More
“The Nightingale” Tops Nominations for the Australian Academy Awards
IDA Documentary Awards Announces 2019 Noms, Women Dominate Best Director Race
Apply Now: NBC’s Female Forward and Emerging Director Programs
Study: The Number of Women-Directed European Films Is “Growing,” But Slowly
Hot Springs Doc Film Fest’s 2019 Lineup Is Over 50 Percent Women-Directed
IDA Announces Latest Round of Enterprise Doc Fund Recipients, Over 80% Are Women-Directed
Göteborg Film Fest’s 2020 Edition Will Be 50 Percent Women-Directed
Finding Her Place: VOD and Web Series 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.
