Weekly Update for September 21: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You

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FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING

Nappily Ever After – Directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour; Written by Cee Marcellus and Adam Brooks (Available on Netflix)

In “Nappily Ever After,” Sanaa Lathan (“Shots Fired”) plays Violet, who on the outside looks like she has the perfect life: great job, great hair, and a doctor boyfriend who’s apparently gearing up to pop the question. When that doesn’t happen, Violet becomes unmoored. All the rules that she followed religiously were supposed to get her that diamond ring. But as her life comes apart at the seams, she begins to realize that the non-proposal is the best thing that could’ve happened to her. In a moment of full-on liberation, Violet shaves her head and, with that, shaves off the conventions she’s held on to for so long. People look at her differently, even at work, and it sets her free. She no longer has to play the perfection game and for the first time, she lives her life based on what makes her happy and what she believes in. (Melissa Silverstein)

Colette – Written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Wash Westmoreland, and Richard Glatzer

“Colette”

“The wild days have just begun,” says Colette in the new biopic bearing her name. Also known as Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, Colette is now recognized as a trailblazer and France’s best-selling female author of all time. But she almost didn’t make it into history books. Based on a real story, “Colette” is set in the early 20th century and revisits the “wild days” of Colette (Keira Knightley), a woman who received no credit for her phenomenally popular “Claudine” novels. Though the series was written by Colette and inspired by her personal experiences, her husband, Henry Gauthier-Villars, known as Willy (Dominic West, “The Affair”), took all the credit for the books and their successes. “Colette” sees her re-claiming authorship of her work and control of her life. (Laura Berger)

Find screening info here.

Love, Gilda (Documentary) – Directed by Lisa D’Apolito

“Love, Gilda”

“Love, Gilda” opens a unique window into the honest and whimsical world of beloved performer Gilda Radner, whose greatest role was sharing her story. Working with the Radner estate, D’Apolito unearthed a collection of diaries and personal audio and videotapes documenting her childhood, her comedy career, her relationships, and ultimately, her struggles with cancer. These never-before-seen-or-heard footage and journal entries form the narrative spine of the documentary, allowing Gilda to tell her own story through laughter and sometimes tears. (Press materials)

Tea with the Dames (Documentary)

“Tea with the Dames”

“Tea with the Dames” is a unique celebration of the lives and careers of four of our most iconic actresses: Dame Eileen Atkins, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Joan Plowright, and Dame Maggie Smith. All four have gone from being fledgling actresses in the 1950s to acting royalty. They’ve watched each other’s careers grow and bloom and have celebrated life’s ups and downs together. “Tea with the Dames” invites you to spend time with these acting legends as they talk about their lives and their professional experiences across theater, television, and film. Candid, funny, caustic, irreverent, poignant, and utterly engrossing, this film is proof that there is truly nothing like a Dame. (Press materials)

Assassination Nation

“Assassination Nation”

High school senior Lily (Odessa Young, “High Life”) and her group of friends live in a haze of texts, posts, selfies, and chats, just like the rest of the world. So, when an anonymous hacker starts posting details from the private lives of everyone in their small town, the result is absolute madness, leaving Lily and her friends questioning whether they’ll live through the night. (Press materials)

Find screening info here.

White Rabbit – Written by Vivian Bang and Daryl Wein (Opens in LA) (Also Available on VOD)

“White Rabbit”

This dramatic comedy follows a Korean American performance artist (Vivian Bang, “Always Be My Maybe”) struggling to be authentically heard and seen through her multiple identities in modern Los Angeles. (Press materials)

The Lure – Written and Directed by Agnieszka Smoczynska (September 22 Only in NY)

“The Lure”

Agnieszka Smoczynska’s film about two man-eating siren sisters who come ashore looking for love is a feminist reworking of “The Little Mermaid,” mixing fairy tale, horror, and musical genre elements to create a freaky and completely distinctive feature film debut. It is screening as part of the “Kino Polska: New Polish Cinema” film series at BAMcinématek. (Press materials)

Find screening info here.

The Art of Loving – Directed by Maria Sadowska (September 23 Only in NY)

“The Art of Loving,” director Maria Sadowska’s second feature film, tells the true story of Michalina Wislocka, a pioneering Polish gynecologist who defied Communist authorities and the Catholic Church to lead Poland’s sexual revolution in the 1970s. “The Art of Loving” — which takes its name from Wislocka’s groundbreaking book and Communist Europe’s first guide to sexuality — was the highest grossing Polish film of 2017. It is screening as part of the “Kino Polska: New Polish Cinema” film series at BAMcinématek. (Press materials)

Find screening info here.

Wild Roses – Written and Directed by Anna Jadowska (September 23 Only in NY)

Featuring a soul-bearing central performance from lead actress Marta Nieradkiewicz, “Wild Roses” depicts a woman whose life reaches a crisis point as she deals with the pressures of motherhood, marriage, and an explosive secret. It is screening as part of the “Kino Polska: New Polish Cinema” film series at BAMcinématek. (Press materials)

Find screening info here.

Birds Are Singing in Kigali – Written and Directed by Joanna Kos-Krauze and Krzysztof Krauze (September 21 Only in NY)

Writer-directors Joanna Kos-Krauze and Krzysztof Krauze’s “Birds Are Singing in Kigali” tells the emotionally aching story of two women — a Tutsi refugee and the Polish woman who helped her escape Rwanda — as each undertakes the emotional journey of adjusting to life in Polish society while coming to terms with unimaginable trauma. This film is screening as part of the “Kino Polska: New Polish Cinema” film series at BAMcinématek. (Press materials)

Find screening info here.

The Storyteller – Written by Rachel Noll and Joe Crump

The love of an enchanted young girl brings wonder and healing to a broken family. On the run from her mysterious past and guided by a fairy that only she can see, Abby (Brooklyn Rae Silzer) sparks a daisy chain of compassion, bringing joy and music back into the family. “The Storyteller” is a powerful exploration of reality and the true meaning of family. (Press materials)

Call Her Ganda (Documentary) – Written by Victoria Chalk and PJ Raval (Opens in NY)

When Jennifer Laude, a Filipina transwoman, is brutally murdered by a U.S. Marine, three women intimately invested in the case — Virgie Suarez, an activist attorney; Meredith Talusan, a transgender journalist; and Julita Nanay, Jennifer’s mother — galvanize a political uprising, pursuing justice and taking on hardened histories of U.S. imperialism. (Press materials)

Find screening info here.

FILMS MADE BY WOMEN OPENING

“A Happening of Monumental Proportions”

A Happening of Monumental Proportions – Directed by Judy Greer

Daniel (Common), an account manager with a boring job gears up for Career Day at his lovely daughter’s elementary school, while dealing with the fallout of an intra-office romance with his assistant (Jennifer Garner) and his nasty new boss (Bradley Whitford). The boss’ unfortunately nerdy son finds himself instantly entranced with Daniel’s daughter (Storm Reid), seeking advice from their school’s hip shop teacher (John Cho) and depressed music teacher (Anders Holm), without success. The teachers’ principal team (Allison Janney and Rob Riggle) spend their day trying to hide the school’s dead gardener from not only the staff, but also the students and their parents, who experience a Career Day they likely will never forget. (Press materials)

Find screening info here.

Quincy (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Rashida Jones and Alan Hicks (Available on Netflix)

“Quincy” is an intimate look into the life of icon Quincy Jones. The film seamlessly threads personal vérité moments with private archival footage to reveal a legendary life like no other. A unique force in music and popular culture for 70 years, Jones has transcended racial and cultural boundaries; his story is inextricably woven into the fabric of America. Beyond his own acclaim as a trumpeter, producer, conductor, composer, and arranger, Jones’ inimitable gift to discover the biggest talents of the past half of the century is unprecedented. He has mentored and cultivated the careers of young talents, from Lesley Gore and Michael Jackson to Oprah Winfrey and Will Smith. (Press materials)

95 and 6 to Go (Documentary) – Directed by Kimi Takesue (September 21-23 Only in NY)

In “95 and 6 to Go,” a resilient widower’s memories become intertwined with the fictional screenplay his granddaughter is writing, revealing the fine line between life and art, rumination and imagination. Takesue captures the cadence of daily life for Grandpa Tom, a retired postal worker born to Japanese immigrants in Hawai’i in the 1910s. Amidst the solitude of his home routines — coupon clipping, rigging an improvised barbecue, lighting firecrackers on the New Year — we glimpse an unexpectedly rich inner life. As his granddaughter queries his history of love and loss, a stalled film project becomes a collaborative inquiry into mortality and how one constructs a personal narrative with memories that span almost a century. (Press materials)

Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Kimi Takesue.

Find screening info here.

The Song of Sway Lake – Written by Elizabeth Bull and Ari Gold (Available on VOD September 25)

“The Song of Sway Lake”

A young man’s plot to steal a valuable jazz record from his grandmother’s lake house is derailed when his accomplice falls for the matriarch. (Press materials)

Mug – Written and Directed by Małgorzata Szumowska (September 22 Only in NY)

Małgorzata Szumowska’s “Mug,” this year’s Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear award winner, follows a man who undergoes a complete facial transplant after being severely injured while helping construct the world’s largest statue of Jesus. This film is screening as part of the “Kino Polska: New Polish Cinema” film series at BAMcinématek. (Press materials)

Find screening info here.

Zud – Written and Directed by Marta Minorowicz (September 21 Only in NY)

“Zud” is a coming of age story set in Mongolia, about an 11-year-old boy who trains a wild stallion for a horse race that could save his family from financial ruin. This film is screening as part of the “Kino Polska: New Polish Cinema” film series at BAMcinématek. (Press materials)

Find screening info here.

TV PREMIERES

“Murphy Brown”: Cliff Lipson/CBS

Hilda (Children’s Program) (Premieres September 21 on Netflix)

Fearless, free-spirited Hilda finds new friends, adventure, and magical creatures when she leaves her enchanted forest home and journeys to the city. (Press materials)

Anne of Green Gables: Fire & Dew (TV Movie) – Written by Susan Coyne (Premieres September 23 on PBS)

Through the influence of a spirited new teacher, Miss Stacy (Natalie Lisinska), Anne (Ella Ballentine) steps up her ability at scholarship and competes for the few spaces available at a teacher’s college. When Anne leaves for Queen’s College, Matthew and Marilla (Martin Sheen and Sara Botsford) feel a sudden emptiness in their lives. Anne moves to Charlottetown and is overwhelmed by her new surroundings, difficult classes at teacher’s college, and a deepening romance with Gilbert (Drew Haytaoglu). At the same time, Matthew and Marilla deal with health and financial difficulties that jeopardize their lives at Green Gables. (Press materials)

Jane Fonda in Five Acts (Documentary) – Directed by Susan Lacy (Premieres September 24 on HBO)

“Jane Fonda in Five Acts”

Girl next door, sex kitten, activist, fitness tycoon: Oscar-winner Jane Fonda has lived a life marked by controversy, tragedy, and transformation, and she’s done it all in the public eye. Directed and produced by award-winning documentarian Susan Lacy, “Jane Fonda in Five Acts” is an intimate look at her singular journey. (Press materials)

Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Susan Lacy.

Time for Ilhan (Documentary) – Directed by Norah Shapiro (Premieres September 25 on Fuse)

“Time for Ilhan”

“Time for Ilhan” is a stereotype-busting documentary that follows the uphill campaign battle of political newcomer Ilhan Omar, a young, female, black, Muslim mother of three. No one anticipated this rising star would change the face of American politics, not even Ilhan herself. Yet, on November 8, 2016, the hijab-wearing rising political star made history by becoming the first Somali Muslim woman to be elected to state office in America. (Press materials)

Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Norah Shapiro.

Single Parents – Created by Elizabeth Meriweather and J.J. Philbin (Premieres September 26 on ABC)

“Single Parents”

This ensemble comedy follows a group of single parents as they lean on each other to help raise their seven-year-old kids and maintain some kind of personal lives outside of parenthood. The series begins when the group meets Will (Taran Killam), a 30-something guy who’s been so focused on raising his daughter that he’s lost sight of who he is as a man. When the other single parents see just how far down the rabbit hole of PTA, parenting, and princesses Will has gone, they band together to get him out in the world and make him realize that being a great parent doesn’t mean sacrificing everything about your own identity. (Press materials)

Murphy Brown – Created by Diane English (Premieres September 27 on CBS)

Multiple Emmy Award-winners Candice Bergen and series creator Diane English reunite for “Murphy Brown,” the revival of the groundbreaking comedy about the eponymous broadcast news legend and her biting take on current events, now in a world of 24-hour cable, social media, “fake news,” and a vastly different political climate. (Press materials)

VOD/STREAMING RELEASES

“Leave No Trace”

All Styles – Directed by Angela Tucker; Written by Angela Tucker and Lauren Domino (VOD, September 25)
Eighth Grade (VOD, September 25)
Izzy Gets the F*ck Across Town (VOD, September 25)
Leave No Trace – Directed by Debra Granik; Written by Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini (VOD, September 25)
The Seagull (VOD, September 25)

JOIN WOMEN AND HOLLYWOOD AT THE WRAP’S POWER WOMEN SUMMIT

Tarana Burke, Olivia Wilde, Nancy Duboc, and Mira Sorvino are confirmed to speak at the event: TheWrap

Women and Hollywood is proud to be on the steering committee for TheWrap’s Power Women Summit, which will be held on November 1 and 2 in Los Angeles. The summit will provide two days of education, mentorship, workshops, and networking to promote the goal of greater women’s leadership in this industry, and gender balance in media, entertainment, and technology overall.

Some of the confirmed speakers include: Olivia Wilde, Mira Sorvino, Vice Media CEO Nancy Dubuc, #MeToo movement founder Tarana Burke, and Former CEO of Paramount Sherry Lansing.

Thanks to Amazon Studios, Women and Hollywood has 25 tickets to offer for FREE to members of our community. If you would like to be considered for one of the tickets, we need you to send a short essay by 5pm EST on October 1 on why coming to this summit will be beneficial to your life and your work.

Learn more about the event and find specific application instructions here.