Weekly Update for October 9: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Opening

FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING AND COMING TO STREAMING/VOD

The Forty-Year-Old Version – Written and Directed by Radha Blank

A struggling playwright decides to reinvent herself as a rapper in “The Forty-Year-Old Version,” this year’s winner of Sundance’s Directing Prize. Written and directed by Radha Blank, the black and white comedy tells the story of Radha (Blank), a New Yorker grieving the loss of her mother, an artist, and determined to have a creative breakthrough before 40. Since Radha’s not interested in writing an “all-white play” or a “slave musical,” she hopes that rapping will be a more fulfilling creative outlet, and it is — at first. When she bombs at her first public performance as a rapper and is offered the opportunity to have her play produced, Radha immediately pivots back to theater. But her high profile return to the stage is not at all what she hoped. Her cringe-inducing white producer insists on rewrites, demanding that her play about Harlem gentrification include a major white character and a rap number. Radha’s play becomes less and less recognizable, and she agrees to every stupid suggestion while hating herself for feeling like a sellout. Funny, observant, and fresh, Blank’s first feature marks an auspicious — and uncompromising — debut. The film feels like the antithesis of the play at its center: the product of its creator’s singular version. (Laura Berger)

Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Radha Blank.

“The Forty-Year-Old Version” is now available on Netflix.

Time (Documentary) – Directed by Garrett Bradley

“Time”

Fox Rich is a fighter. The entrepreneur, abolitionist, and mother of six boys has spent the last two decades campaigning for the release of her husband, Rob G. Rich, who is serving a 60-year sentence for a robbery they both committed in the early ’90s, in a moment of desperation. Combining the video diaries Fox has recorded for Rob over the years with intimate glimpses of her present-day life, director Garrett Bradley paints a mesmerizing portrait of the resilience and radical love necessary to prevail over the endless separations of the country’s prison-industrial complex.

“Time” is now playing in select theaters. It will be available on Amazon Prime October 16.

Saint Maud – Written and Directed by Rose Glass

“Saint Maud”

Maud (Morfydd Clark), a newly devout hospice nurse, becomes obsessed with saving her dying patient’s (Jennifer Ehle) soul — but sinister forces, and her own sinful past, threaten to put an end to her holy calling.

“Saint Maud” is now playing in UK theaters. Find screening info here.

Yellow Rose – Directed by Diane Paragas; Written by Diane Paragas, Annie J. Howell, and Celena Cipriaso

“Yellow Rose”

“Yellow Rose” is the timely story of a Filipina teen (Eva Noblezada) from a small Texas town who fights to pursue her dreams as a country music performer while having to decide between staying with her family or leaving the only home she has known.

Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Diane Paragas.

“Yellow Rose” is now playing in select theaters. Find screening info here.

The Planters – Written and Directed by Alexandra Kotcheff and Hannah Leder

Martha Plant (Alexandra Kotcheff) is an awkward telemarketer who’s down and out — sucking at her job and grieving her recently deceased parents. When she finds unlikely friendship in Sadie Mayflower (Hannah Leder), a bubbly vagrant with multiple personalities, Martha discovers having three friends in one may be more than she bargained for.

“The Planters” is now playing in select theaters and via virtual cinemas. Find screening info here.

Fly Like a Girl (Documentary) – Directed by Katie McEntire Wiatt

“Fly Like a Girl” is more than just a film, it’s a movement of young girls and women relentlessly pursuing their passion for aviation — a field currently dominated by men. Hearing first-hand stories from girls and women who dared to aim higher, from a Lego-loving young girl who includes female pilots in her toy airplanes to a courageous woman who helped lead shuttle missions to space, “Fly Like a Girl” shows us that women are in charge of their own destiny.

“Fly Like a Girl” is now playing in select theaters and available on VOD. Find screening info here.

Nocturne – Written and Directed by Zu Quirke

When a virtuoso music student commits suicide days before an important concert, her death unleashes a supernatural force in “Nocturne,” an unsettling tale of sibling rivalry set at a prestigious arts academy. Having grown up in the shadow of her more talented twin sister, shy piano student Juliet Lowe (Sydney Sweeney) is used to always being second-best when it comes to music. But when she finds a mysterious notebook that belonged to the school’s recently deceased star soloist ,her playing miraculously begins to improve and she soon eclipses her sister Vivian (Madison Iseman) as the academy’s top student. Along with her newfound abilities, however, comes a series of frightening premonitions. As Juliet’s visions grow more nightmarish, she discovers the true cost of achieving artistic perfection.

“Nocturne” will be available on Amazon Prime October 13.

Evil Eye – Written by Madhuri Shekar

At home in Delhi, India, proud parent Usha Khatri (Sarita Choudhury) is overjoyed when her daughter Pallavi (Sunita Mani) calls from New Orleans with news she has met someone special. But as Usha learns more about Pallavi’s wealthy boyfriend Sandeep (Omar Maskati), she becomes convinced something more nefarious than chance brought the young couple together. When Pallavi announces her engagement to Sandeep, mother and daughter are forced to confront dark family secrets and a terrifying supernatural force in this stylish psychological thriller.

“Evil Eye” will be available on Amazon Prime October 13.

Blackpink: Light Up the Sky (Documentary) – Directed by Caroline Suh

“Blackpink: Light Up the Sky”: Netflix

“Blackpink: Light Up the Sky” interweaves exclusive interviews with never-before-seen footage of Blackpink members Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa, from their trainee days to the global sensations they are today. Viewers will get a first look into the recording process of the band’s follow-up album, which depicts the highs and lows of being a K-pop idol group, and showcases each member’s incredible talent that when combined, creates the uniquely trailblazing DNA of Blackpink.

“Blackpink: Light Up the Sky” will be available on Netflix October 14.

A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting – Directed by Rachel Talalay

When high school freshman Kelly Ferguson (Tamara Smart) reluctantly agrees to babysit Jacob Zellman (Ian Ho) on Halloween, the last thing she expects is to be recruited into an international secret society of babysitters who protect kids with special powers from monsters. In order to keep Jacob safe from harm, Kelly teams with no-nonsense chapter Vice President Liz Lerue (Oona Laurence), tech genius Berna Vincent (Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson), creature expert Cassie Zhen (Lynn Masako Cheng), and potions master Curtis Critter (Ty Consiglio) to defeat a Boogeyman known as The Grand Guignol (Tom Felton), a glamorous witch named Peggy Drood (Indya Moore), and their legion of mysterious monsters.

“A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting” will be available on Netflix October 15.

Freedia Got a Gun (Documentary)

Devastated after learning that her brother was murdered, New Orleans bounce legend Big Freedia raises awareness about gun violence, an epidemic that continues to disproportionately harm Black communities.

“Freedia Got a Gun” will be available on Peacock October 15.

Transference – Written by Nicole Cannon

A story of overcoming childhood sexual trauma through a horror/psychological drama lens, this film is about a woman who, in returning home for her estranged father’s funeral, is haunted by memories from the past that manifest as an entity threatening to tear her world apart. That is, until she finds the courage to finally face her demons and lay them to rest.

“Transference is now available on Amazon Prime.

I Am Lisa

A sadistic small-town sheriff and her underlings brutalize Lisa and leave her for dead in the woods. Bitten by a werewolf and bestowed with supernatural abilities, can Lisa retain her humanity as she exacts revenge?

“I Am Lisa” is now playing in select theaters and available on VOD.

The Doorman

A woman (Ruby Rose) returns from combat and befriends a family in NYC, a gang of thieves plot to take the family’s valuables, and she is all that stands between them and their lives.

“The Doorman” is now available on VOD.

The Widow’s Last (Short) – Written and Directed by Vanessa Perdriau

Set in Ireland, during the third year of The Great Hunger, “The Widow’s Last” tells the story of Kathryn Healy, a hardened widow who fights to keep her young son alive during one of the darkest times in human history.

“The Widow’s Last” is now available on Omeleto.

The Complex: Lockdown – Written by Lynn Renee Maxcy

After a major bio-weapon attack on London, two scientists debate whether to save a suspected terrorist’s life. However, assassins have infiltrated the building and soon our scientists find themselves with time, and options, running out.

“The Complex: Lockdown” will be available on VOD October 13.

FILMS MADE BY WOMEN OPENING AND COMING TO STREAMING/VOD

Totally Under Control (Documentary) – Directed by Suzanne Hillinger, Ophelia Harutyunyan, and Alex Gibney

“Totally Under Control”

On January 20, 2020 the U.S. and South Korea both discovered their first cases of COVID-19. However, 9 months later, the novel Coronavirus has claimed the lives of 200,000 Americans and caused staggering economic damage, while in South Korea, there were no significant lockdowns and, in an urbanized population of 51 million, only 344 lives have been lost. Where did we go wrong? As the presidential election nears, Americans are increasingly enraged by a lack of clear leadership and endemic political corruption, and left to ask: How did the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world manage to fail so thoroughly in its response to a global pandemic?

“Totally Under Control” will be available on VOD October 13 and on Hulu October 20.

The Walrus and the Whistleblower (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Nathalie Bibeau

“The Walrus and the Whisleblower”: Joseph Michel Gratton

Part-time mailman and ex-trainer at MarineLand, the iconic amusement park in Niagara Falls, Phil Demers is known as the Walrus Whisperer on Twitter, with over 27,000 followers. At the heart of the movement to end marine mammal captivity, he has appeared on Joe Rogan’s show four times, testified before the federal government, and is being sued for $1.5 million for plotting to steal a walrus. His is a story about the cost and courage of speaking out when you have nothing to lose.

Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Nathalie Bibeau.

“The Walrus and the Whistleblower” is now playing in select theaters.

Albert Einstein: Still a Revolutionary (Documentary) – Directed by Julia Newman

Albert Einstein, the most famous scientist of all time, was a world renowned celebrity, greeted like a rock star when he appeared in public. An anti-war firebrand, Einstein also spoke out on issues ranging from women’s rights and racism to immigration and nuclear arms control. But today, his image has been neutered into that of a charmingly absent-minded genius. He was, in fact, a powerful force for social change and a model for political activism. Using a wealth of rarely-seen archival footage, correspondence, and new and illuminating interviews, “Albert Einstein: Still a Revolutionary” makes the case that Einstein’s example of social and political activism is as important today as are his brilliant, ground-breaking theories.

“Albert Einstein: Still a Revolutionary” is now available on VOD. Find screening info here.

The Wall of Mexico – Directed by Magdalena Zyzak and Zachary Cotler

Don (Jackson Rathbone) is hired by a wealthy Mexican-American family, who are not well-liked by the townspeople — something to do with the mysterious water well Don guards at night. As the water level drops from possible theft, the family decides to build a massive wall.

“The Wall of Mexico” will be available on VOD October 13.

In Case of Emergency (Documentary) – Directed by Carolyn Jones

“In Case of Emergency” is a documentary that paints a startling picture of our ERs stretched to the breaking point and exposes the extent of our nation’s broken safety net. All of our country’s biggest public health challenges — from COVID-19 to the opioid crisis to gun violence to lack of insurance — collide in emergency departments. Nearly half of all medical care in the U.S. is delivered in ERs and nurses are on the frontlines, addressing our physical and emotional needs before sending us back out into the world. “In Case of Emergency” follows 16 emergency nurses across the U.S., shedding light on their efforts to help break a sometimes-vicious cycle for patients under their care.

“In Case of Emergency” will be available on KinoNow and VOD October 14. Find screening info here.

Rooting for Roona (Documentary) – Directed by Pavitra Chalam and Akshay Shankar

“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” will be available on Netflix October 15.

The Rifleman (Short) – Directed by Sierra Pettengill

“The Rifleman” is an all-archival excavation of the links between gun culture, the National Rifle Association, and the U.S. Border Patrol across five decades.

“The Rifleman” is now available On Demand via Metrograph. Find screening info here.

Pray: The Story of Patrick Peyton (Documentary) – Written by Megan Harrington and Matthew Donlan

This is the inspiring true story of a poor Irish immigrant who sets sail for America in 1928 with dreams of becoming a millionaire but, with the help of the most iconic celebrities of Hollywood, ends up spending his life championing the message, “The family that prays together stays together.”

“Pray: The Story of Patrick Peyton” is now playing in select theaters. Find screening info here.

TV AND EPISODIC PREMIERES

Shayla Rivera: It’s Not Rocket Science (Comedy Special) (Premieres October 9 on HBO Latino)

A featured comedian in HBO Latino’s “Entre Nos, Part 2,” the hilarious Shayla Rivera hits the stage once more — this time for a comedy special of her own. A former rocket scientist, Rivera talks about being Puerto Rican in Texas, the challenges of motherhood, dating non-Latinos, and much more in this uninhibited half-hour of comedy.

Driving While Black: Race, Space and Social Mobility in America (Documentary Special) – Directed by Gretchen Sorin and Ric Burns (Premieres October 13 on PBS)

“Driving While Black: Race, Space and Mobility in America”

Discover how the advent of the automobile brought new mobility and freedom for African Americans but also exposed them to discrimination and deadly violence, and how that history resonates today.

Social Distance (Anthology) – Created by Hilary Weisman Graham (Premieres October 15 on Netflix)

“Social Distance”: Netflix

Set in the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, “Social Distance” is an eight-part anthology series that showcases the power of the human spirit in the face of uncertainty and isolation. Each standalone episode is told through a virtual lens and captures the unique emotional experience of being forced apart by circumstance and having no choice but to communicate remotely and rely on technology to maintain any sense of connection.