FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING
Shirkers (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Sandi Tan (Opens in NY and LA) (Also Available on Netflix)
“When I was 18 the thing I wanted more than anything was to make a movie,” says director Sandi Tan in “Shirkers.” She and her friends banded together to do just that. Also called “Shirkers,” the movie was filmed in Singapore in ’92 and starred Tan as teen murderer. Her dream came true — only to end in a nightmare. While filming the original “Shirkers,” Tan became best friends with Georges, her director and former teacher. Described as a “man of unplaceable age and origin,” Georges shocked Tan and the rest of the crew when he disappeared — and took all of “Shirkers’” footage with him. A mystery, celebration of DIY ethos, and tribute to friendship all rolled into one, the Sundance winner is also a fascinating portrait of a man who couldn’t bear to be surpassed by his peers and protégées. Tan refuses to let Georges bury her film and her aspirations along with it — “Shirkers” chronicles her reclaiming her power by stepping behind the camera and telling her own story. (Laura Berger)
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Sandi Tan.
Find screening info here.
Unlovable – Directed by Suzi Yoonessi; Written by Charlene deGuzman, Sarah Adina Smith, and Mark Duplass (Opens November 1) (Available on VOD November 2)
“Unlovable”
After a suicide attempt, sex and love addict Joy (Charlene deGuzman) attends a 12-step meeting and gains a sponsor. Whilst initially struggling to remain clean for 30 days, she meets a socially inept musician named Jim (John Hawkes), and together they discover the beauty of platonic friendship, music, and self-expression. (Press materials)
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Suzi Yoonessi.
Find screening info here.
Been So Long – Directed by Tinge Krishnan (Available on Netflix)
“Been So Long”
Romance, rage and revenge. “Been So Long” is a neon soaked, modern day romance set on the streets of London’s musical hot-bed of Camden. We follow Simone (Michaela Coel), a dedicated single mother who, on a rare night on the town, is charmed by a handsome yet troubled stranger, igniting old and new feelings. Set against the backdrop of an ever-changing city, “Been So Long” is a fresh take on love, life, and moving on. (Press materials)
Viper Club – Directed by Maryam Keshavarz; Written by Maryam Keshavarz and Jonathan Mastro
“Viper Club”
ER nurse Helen Sterling (Susan Sarandon) struggles to free her grown son, a journalist captured by terrorists in Afghanistan. After hitting walls with the FBI and State agencies, she discovers a clandestine community of journalists, advocates, and philanthropists who might be able to help. (Press materials)
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Maryam Keshavarz.
Find screening info here.
Suspiria (Opens in Select Theaters; Opens Nationwide November 2)
“Suspiria”
A darkness swirls at the center of a world-renowned dance company, one that will engulf the troupe’s artistic director (Tilda Swinton), an ambitious young dancer (Dakota Johnson), and a grieving psychotherapist (Lutz Ebersdorf). Some will succumb to the nightmare. Others will finally wake up. (Press materials)
Find screening info here.
A Bread Factory (Opens in NY and LA)
“A Bread Factory”
Forty years ago, Dorothea (Tyne Daly) and Greta (Elisabeth Henry) moved to the town of Checkford and bought an abandoned bread factory that they transformed into an arts space. It’s where civic groups and immigrant communities can meet, where there are after-school programs for children. Now a celebrity couple — performance artists from China — have come to Checkford. They’ve constructed a huge building, the FEEL Institute, down the street. Dorothea and Greta learn about a new proposal to give all the funding from the school system for their children’s arts programs to the FEEL Institute. Without this funding, the Bread Factory would not survive. They quickly rally the community to save their space. The commercial forces behind the FEEL Institute fight also, bringing a young movie star to town to help make their case. The school board meeting turns into a circus where the fate of the Bread Factory hangs in the balance. (Press materials)
Find screening info here.
Border – Written by Isabella Eklöf, Ali Abbasi, and John Ajvide Lindqvist
Customs officer Tina (Eva Melander) is known for her extraordinary sense of smell. It’s almost as if she can sniff out the guilt on anyone hiding something. But when Vore (Eero Milonoff), a suspicious-looking man, walks past her, her abilities are challenged for the first time ever. Tina can sense Vore is hiding something she can’t identify. Even worse, she feels a strange attraction to him. As Tina develops a special bond with Vore and discovers his true identity, she also realizes the truth about herself. Tina, like Vore, does not belong to this world. Her entire existence has been one big lie and now she has to choose: keep living the lie or embrace Vore’s terrifying revelations. (Press materials)
5 Weddings – Directed by Namrata Singh Gujral; Written by Namrata Singh Gujral, Denise Cruz-Castino, and Andy Glickman
“5 Weddings”
An American journalist travels to India to cover the colorful vibrancy of Indian weddings. Interwoven with the joy and fun of these traditional ceremonies, the film goes beyond the fluff — to explore the human component of Hijras, a sect of transgender dancers who have been an integral part of Indian weddings for centuries. Conflict arises when our heroine (Nargis Fakhri) decides to delve more into the life of a Hijra but her government-designated liaison officer (Rajkummar Rao) is instructed to keep her story censored. As the coverage of Indian weddings unfolds, so does a colorful mosaic of lost loves, transgender tangles, and culture clashes along the heartfelt journey of life, symbolized by the universal ups and downs of a wedding celebration. (Press materials)
Silencio – Written and Directed by Lorena Villarreal
In order to save her son’s life, Ana (Melina Matthews) must find a powerful stone. Her grandfather originally discovered it in the Zone of Silence, the Bermuda Triangle of Mexico. Throughout her desperate search, Ana stumbles upon family secrets and enemies who believe the stone’s power is worth killing for. (Press materials)
Find screening info here.
Killer Kate! (Also Available on VOD)
Estranged sisters Kate (Alexandra Feld) and Angie (Danielle Burgess) haven’t spoken since Angie went to college and left Kate to care for their ailing father. In a show of reconciliation, several years after moving out, Angie invites Kate to her bachelorette party held at a remote house booked on a home-sharing app. The women are unaware that by booking this house, they’re walking into a trap set in motion by a disturbed family of amateur killers who are out for blood to right a cosmic wrong. They soon become unwitting participants in a savage and often ridiculous life-or-death struggle that pits family against family, and past against present. (Press materials)
Find screening info here.
FILMS MADE BY WOMEN OPENING
“Weed the People”
Weed the People (Documentary) – Directed by Abby Epstein (Opens in NY; Opens in LA November 2)
This documentary covers the controversial topic of medical marijuana, detailing the anti-cancer properties of cannabis oil and the lack of action by the government to support both scientific research in the area, and downgrade the status of marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug. (Press materials)
Find screening info here.
The Long Shadow (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Frances Causey (Opens in NY; Opens in LA November 23)
“The Long Shadow”
Of all the divisions in America, none is as insidious and destructive as racism. The powerful documentary “The Long Shadow” takes a shockingly candid look at America’s original sin — slavery — and traces the history of slavery from the country’s founding, up through its insidious ties to racism today. We witness from the moment of America’s birth, how slavery was embedded in principal structural elements of society, and yet, even as slavery ended, these systems still operate today in various forms, carrying out their original purpose — to diminish the social role of black people and keep them in a perpetual state of suffering. (Press materials)
Find screening info here.
Burning – Written by Jungmi Oh and Chang-dong Lee (Opens in NY; Opens in LA November 2)
“Burning”
“Burning” tells the story of three individuals and a mysterious incident they experience. Jong-su (Ah-In Yoo) bumps into an old friend, Hae-mi (Jong-seo Jeon), on a part-time delivery job. Hae-mi asks Jong-su to take care of her cat while she leaves on a trip to Africa. When she returns, Hae-mi introduces Jong-su to Ben (Steven Yeun), a man she met while traveling. One day, Ben and Hae-mi pay Jong-su a visit, and Ben reveals his secret interests to Jong-su. (Press materials)
Find screening info here.
Dovlatov – Written by Yulia Tupikina and Aleksey German (Available on Netflix)
The story circles around life of an outstanding Russian author just one year before he has to leave his homeland and move to Tallinn. By this time, Dovlatov (Milan Maric) is already quite a prolific writer, but his stories are constantly being rejected by all Soviet magazines and journals. (Press materials)
London Fields – Written by Roberta Hanley
Recently arrived in London in the hope of writing one last book before succumbing to a fatal illness, American author Samson Young (Billy Bob Thornton) falls in with a cast of characters who just might give him the story he is looking for. First, there is Keith Talent (Jim Sturgess) a small-time crook and dart player always on the lookout for his next scam. Then there’s Guy Clinch (Theo James), an upper class banker who hangs out at Ned’s favorite pub, searching for distraction from his boring life, his spoiled wife, and their monstrous toddler. And, just like a scene from a movie, into their lives walks Nicola Six (Amber Heard), a spectacularly beautiful woman-of-mystery who instantly ensnares all three men with her charms. (Press materials)
Find screening info here.
Indivisible – Written by Cheryl McKay, David G. Evans, and Peter White
“Indivisible” is based on the extraordinary true story of Army Chaplain Darren Turner (Justin Bruening) and his wife Heather (Sarah Drew). With a strong, faith-filled marriage, the Turners are ready to follow their calling: serving God, family, and country. Fresh from seminary and basic training, Chaplain Turner and his family arrive at Fort Stewart. Yet before the Turners can even unpack their new house, Darren is deployed to Iraq. Heather is left taking care of their three young children alone — as well as serving the families of the other deployed soldiers. Despite a desire to stay connected with their loved ones, the harsh realities of war take a daily toll over the course of the Battalion’s extended deployment. Meanwhile back home, babies are born, kids keep growing, and nerves are frayed with every late-night knock on the door. With deeply etched battle scars, the soldiers’ long-awaited homecoming is much different than any of their families anticipated. (Press materials)
Find screening info here.
TV PREMIERES
“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Premieres October 26 on Netflix)
“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” bears little resemblance to the T.G.I.F. show that preceded it. Taking over for Melissa Joan Hart’s “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “Mad Men” alumna Kiernan Shipka plays the role of Sabrina Spellman in Netflix’s “Chilling Adventures,” a decidedly darker take on story of a half-witch, half-mortal living in the fictional town of Greendale. This version of Sabrina is being forced to choose between two worlds: the witch world of her family and the human world of her friends. And the stakes are terrifyingly high: Sabrina’s soul is up for grabs. “Chilling Adventures” is as addictive as it is absorbing, so it’s best to set some time aside for a binge watch. (Laura Berger)
Girl From Nowhere (Premieres October 27 on Netflix)
“Girl from Nowhere”: GMM Grammy/Sour Bangkok/Jungka Bangkok
A mysterious, clever girl named Nanno (Chicha Amatayakul) transfers to different schools, exposing the lies and misdeeds of the students and faculty at every turn. (Press materials)
Busy Tonight (Talk Show) (Premieres October 28 on E!)
“Busy Tonight” will feature everyone’s favorite unfiltered Hollywood best friend giving her hilarious and outspoken opinions on the latest pop culture stories and trending topics with candid celebrity guest interviews and original comedic segments. (Press materials)
LadyGang (Talk Show) (Premieres October 28 on E!)
The ladies of LadyGang (Keltie Knight, Jac Vanek, and Becca Tobin) are gearing up to take over our TV screens, after continually sounding off on our airwaves courtesy of their podcast LadyGang over the past few years. (Press materials)
Outside the Bubble: On the Road with Alexandra Pelosi (Documentary) – Directed by Alexandra Pelosi (Premieres October 29 on HBO)
“Outside the Bubble: On the Road with Alexandra Pelosi”: HBO
Intent on escaping her coastal bubble, Alexandra Pelosi (“Journeys with George”) sets out on a cross-country trip to engage in conversations with fellow Americans in an effort to gain an unfiltered understanding of other perspectives. (Press materials)
A Very Wicked Halloween: Celebrating 15 Years on Broadway (Musical Special) (Premieres October 29 on NBC)
Original “Wicked” stars Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth reunite to host and perform during this NBC special. Performing alongside the pair of Tony winners will be pop star and Broadway alum Ariana Grande (a noted “Wicked” superfan), the a cappella group Pentatonix, the current Broadway cast of the musical (led by Jessica Vosk and Amanda Jane Cooper), Adam Lambert, and Ledisi. (Press materials)
VOD/STREAMING RELEASES
“The Darkest Minds”
The Headless Woman – Written and Directed by Lucrecia Martel (FilmStruck, October 26)
The Darkest Minds – Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson (VOD, October 30)
The Spy Who Dumped Me – Directed by Susanna Fogel; Written by Susanna Fogel and David Iserson (VOD, October 30)
A Whale of a Tale (Documentary) – Directed by Megumi Sasaki (iTunes, October 30)
WOMEN AND HOLLYWOOD IN THE NEWS
Elite film festivals have a huge role to play in equality — if they want to (ThinkProgress)
PICKS OF THE WEEK FROM WOMEN AND HOLLYWOOD
“Halloween”
New ACLU Web Series Spotlights What It’s Like to Be “Trans in America”
The Women of “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” Discuss Their Camaraderie and Female Empowerment
Quote of the Day: Paul Feig Calls Bullshit on Claim That There Are No Female Directors to Hire
“Lost Gully Road” and “She is the Ocean” Among LA Femme International Film Festival Winners
Queer Women in Love: October’s VOD and Web Series Picks
Viola Davis Gets Candid About Stifling Her Voice, Time’s Up, and What’s Missing from Cinema
Rome Film Festival Signs Gender Parity Pledge
LFF 2018: Sudabeh Mortezai’s “Joy” Takes Top Prize, Tricia Tuttle Named Head of BFI Fests
“Halloween” Marks Biggest Debut for a Film with Female Lead Over 55
Writer to Watch: “Speechless” and “Friends from College” Scribe Broti Gupta
Follow Women and Hollywood on Twitter @WomenaHollywood and Melissa Silverstein @melsil.
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