FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING AND COMING TO STREAMING/VOD
Kaali Khuhi – Directed by Terrie Samundra; Written by Terrie Samundra and David Walter Lech
“Kaali Khuhi”
Shivangi (Riva Arora), a 10-year-old girl, is put to the ultimate test to save her family’s village from the restless ghosts of its horrific past.
“Kaali Khuhi” is now available on Netflix.
Alone with Her Dreams – Written by Catena Fiorello, Paolo Licata, and Ugo Chiti
Filmed on the rugged and beautiful Sicilian coast, “Alone with Her Dreams” explores the universally timely themes of family separation, emigration, generational conflicts, and feminine repression. In the late 1960s, Lucia (Marta Castiglia) is left behind with her grandmother while her parents immigrate to France to find work. Lucia is greatly distressed that she must stay in Italy and struggles to learn her role in the tiny, traditional village under the watchful guidance of her stern grandmother, whom Lucia struggles to understand. Unbeknownst to the young girl, her grandmother hides a hideous family secret which endangers Lucia’s well-being.
“Alone with Her Dreams” is now available via virtual cinemas. Find screening info here.
Represent (Documentary) – Directed by Hillary Bachelder (Available on VOD)
“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)
“Represent” will be available on VOD November 3.
Darkness in Tenement 45 – Written and Directed by Nicole Groton
“Darkness in Tenement 45”
After the threat of a biological attack during the Cold War leaves the residents of a NYC tenement building trapped inside, a troubled teenager must fight against the self-appointed leader in order to save the tenants.
“Darkness in Tenement 45” will be available on VOD November 3.
Hit Record – Written by Shug Cvitanic and Ethan Cvitanic
A high school senior and daughter of a pastor is determined to become a pop star and break out of Choctaw, Oklahoma. In the hopes that it will boost her profile, she agrees to be the subject of a documentary.
“Hit Record” is now available on Amazon Prime.
WOMEN AND HOLLYWOOD IS TEAMING UP WITH “RADIUM GIRLS”
FILMS MADE BY WOMEN OPENING AND COMING TO STREAMING/VOD
The Donut King (Documentary) – Directed by Alice Gu; Written by Alice Gu and Carol Martori
“The Donut King”
Alice Gu’s documentary tells the story of Ted Ngoy, AKA the Donut King, a Cambodian refugee who arrived in America in the ’70s with nothing and built a donut empire in Los Angeles. He opened up 70 donut shops, and at one point his wealth was estimated at $20 million. But the “Donut King” isn’t just Ngoy’s unlikely success story. After defying incredible odds and escaping the Khmer Rouge, arriving in the U.S. penniless and becoming a multi-millionaire within three years, Ngoy wanted to give other Cambodians a shot at the American Dream: he sponsored over 100 immigrant families. He also taught them how to bake donuts and helped jumpstart their businesses. Cambodian donut shops took over LA, outnumbering even Dunkin’ Donuts. Ngoy was far from the perfect man, and “The Donut King” doesn’t shy away from his checkered past and complicated legacy. He developed a gambling addiction that cost him plenty besides his fortune. (Laura Berger)
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Alice Gu.
“The Donut King” is now in theaters and available via virtual cinemas. Find screening info here.
Us Kids (Documentary) – Directed by Kim A. Snyder
Sparked by the plague of gun violence ravaging their schools, “Us Kids” chronicles the March For Our Lives movement from the point of view of Emma González, David Hogg, Samantha Fuentes, and the expansive coalition of teenage activists involved over the course of several years as they pull off the largest youth protest in American history and set out across the country to build an inclusive and unprecedented youth movement that addresses racial justice, a growing public health crisis, and shocks a political system into change.
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Kim A. Snyder.
“Us Kids” is now available via virtual cinemas. Find screening info here.
Rooting for Roona (Documentary) – Directed by Pavitra Chalam and Akshay Shankar
“Rooting for Roona”
“Rooting for Roona” is a documentary that fights for the health of the Indian child and captures the incredible story of baby Roona Begum. Tucked away in a neglected corner of the North East of India, Roona suffered from hydrocephalus, a birth defect caused by build-up of fluid in the brain leading to massive swelling of the head. Her parents Abdul and Fatema, who lead a hand-to-mouth existence, struggled to cope and understand what ailed their daughter. Their trips to state level government hospitals were in vain because these hospitals were poorly equipped to treat her. With no means to travel beyond their home state of Tripura, Abdul and Fatema were resigned to their daughter’s tragic fate.
“Rooting for Roona” is now available on Netflix.
The True Adventures of Wolfboy – Written by Olivia Dufault
Paul (Jaeden Martell) lives an isolated life with his father in upstate New York. He finds making friends impossible due to a rare condition he has known as congenital hypertrichosis — an affliction that causes an abnormal amount of hair growth all over his face and body. On his 13th birthday, Paul receives a mysterious gift that compels him to run away and seek out the mother he has never known.
“The True Adventures of Wolfboy” is now available on VOD.
Greatland – Written and Directed by Dana Ziyasheva
Set in an imaginary country dubbed the birthplace of love and endless source of fun, “Greatland” tells the tale of Ulysses (Arman Darbo), a rebellious non-binary teen on a mission to save his childhood sweetheart as an absurd election and a deadly virus wreak chaos and violence.
“Greatland” will be available on Amazon Prime VOD November 1.
TV AND EPISODIC PREMIERES
Citizen Bio (Documentary) – Directed by Trish Dolman (Premieres October 30 on Showtime)
“Citizen Bio”
“Citizen Bio” follows the stories of four of America’s most notorious biohackers and their relationships with Aaron Traywick, a self-proclaimed biohacker whose life took a tragic turn when he was mysteriously found dead at a meditation spa at the age of 28. Following his death, theories began floating around the cause of death and whether it was linked to the potential groundbreaking treatments he was developing – treatments that could have the power to disrupt the highly regulated pharmaceutical market.
Race in America: Our Vote Counts (Special) – Hosted by Nina Parker (Premieres November 1 on Bravo and E!)
Host Nina Parker returns to the roundtable with celebs from across the NBC broadcast and cable entertainment networks for an open dialogue on the power of the Black vote on both a local and national level, the vital role that local elections play in changing the system, the changes this new generation can make with their vote, and the effects that the pandemic could have on people going to the polls. From the doctors speaking on how to safely vote in person to an emotional conversation on Black people’s voting experience and how it has affected them more than any other race in the country, this compelling special strives to educate, speak to the key issues, and ignite Americans to exercise their right to vote.
Love & Anarchy – Created by Lisa Langseth (Premieres November 4 on Netflix)
This eight-part series features Sofie (Ida Engvoll), a career driven consultant and married mother of two. When Sofie gets an assignment to modernize an old publishing house she meets young IT tech Max (Björn Mosten), and an unexpected, flirtatious game begins. Sofie and Max secretly challenge each other to do things that question societal norms. It starts innocently enough, but as the game gets more and more daring, the consequences grow beyond proportions.
Carmel: Who Killed Maria Marta? (Docuseries) (Premieres November 5 on Netflix)
This documentary series investigates the circumstances surrounding the death of María Marta García Belsunce, one of the most controversial criminal cases in Argentina.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WEEK
Witherspoon
Susanne Bier to Co-Chair Academy’s International Feature Film Executive Committee
“What We Wanted” Is Austria’s Pick for Oscars’ International Feature Category
Keisha Rae Witherspoon Receives Inaugural Lynn Shelton “Of a Certain Age” Grant
IDA Doc Awards Announce Shortlists for Best Feature and Best Short: “Time,” “Boys State,” & More
November 2020 Film Preview
Submit Now: The NYWIFT Online Shorts Festival
Pick of the Day: “Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine”
Sara Wolitzky on Exploring “Reawakened Feminist Energy and Organizing” in “Not Done: Women Remaking America”
Note: All descriptions are from press materials, unless otherwise noted.
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