Women and Hollywood Weekly Update
January 15
Some News About Our Newsletter: One of the first resources Women and Hollywood introduced was our weekly newsletter of films by and about women. As the years have progressed and we have seen a huge increase in projects by and about women, happily, this has become quite a task. It takes several hours of research from our fellows each week and then additional time from the rest of the team to ensure we are bringing you the timeliest, most accurate information.
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All synopses are courtesy of press materials, unless otherwise noted.
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING AND COMING TO STREAMING/VOD
Promising Young Woman - Written and Directed by Emerald Fennell
“Promising Young Woman” is one helluva debut feature. The first film from “The Crown” actress and former “Killing Eve” showrunner Emerald Fennell is a sharp, stylish take on rape culture and is frankly one of the most cathartic movies I’ve seen in a long time. Carey Mulligan stars as Cassie, who left med school years earlier after a mysterious incident. By day, she’s a bored barista with few personal connections. By night, she goes to clubs, pretends to be drunk, and teaches the predatory men who take her home a lesson about consent. One day, she encounters a former classmate, Ryan (Bo Burnham), is reminded of her time in school, and decides to do something about all the anger she’s been carrying with her since. “Promising Young Woman” -- similar to “I May Destroy You” -- feels like one of the great pieces of art to come out of the #MeToo era. With a righteously furious protagonist and a candidness about sexual violence and complicity, it’s the feminist thriller we’ve been waiting for. (Rachel Montpelier)
“Promising Young Woman” is now in theaters and available on VOD. Find screening info here.
My Little Sister - Written and Directed by Véronique Raymond and Stéphanie Chuat
Brilliant playwright Lisa (Nina Hoss) no longer writes. She lives in Switzerland with her family but her heart has stayed in Berlin, beating to the rhythm of her twin brother's heart. The ties between the twins have grown stronger since Sven (Lars Eidinger) was diagnosed with an aggressive type of leukemia. He’s a famous theater actor and Lisa refuses to accept his fate, moving heaven and earth to get him back on stage. She gives her all for her soul mate, neglecting everything else, even risking her marriage. Her relationship with her husband starts to fall apart, but Lisa only has eyes for her brother, her mirror, who connects her back with her aspirations and rekindles her desire to create, to feel alive.
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Véronique Raymond and Stéphanie Chuat.
“My Little Sister” is now in virtual cinemas. Find screening info here.
Love Sarah - Directed by Eliza Schroeder
Determined to fulfil her late mother's dream of opening a bakery in charming Notting Hill, 19-year-old Clarissa (Shannon Tarbet) enlists the help of her mother's best friend Isabella (Shelley Conn) and her eccentric estranged grandmother Mimi (Celia Imrie). These three generations of women will need to overcome grief, doubts, and differences to honor the memory of their beloved Sarah while embarking on a journey to establish a London store filled with love, hope, and colorful pastries from all over the world.
“Love Sarah” is now in theaters and available on VOD.
The Delivered
Set on an isolated farm in Shropshire in 1657, this is the story of Fanny Lye (Maxine Peake), a woman who learns to transcend her oppressive marriage and discover a new world of possibility -- albeit at great personal cost. Living a life of Puritan stricture with her husband and young son, Fanny Lye’s world is shaken to its core by the unexpected arrival of two strangers in need, a young couple closely pursued by a ruthless sheriff and his deputy.
“The Delivered” is now available on VOD.
Assassins (Documentary)
In 2017, Kim Jong-nam -- the half-brother of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un -- was assassinated in the bustling departures hall of Malaysia’s international airport. The spectacularly brazen murder happened in broad daylight, filmed entirely by security cameras. Footage showed two young women approaching Jong-nam from behind, covering his eyes with their hands, and pressing VX -- the most lethal nerve gas on earth -- into his eyes. He stumbled away and was dead within an hour. But if the murder was extreme, the story that came next was even more bizarre: The two women who killed Jong-nam claimed they had simply been hired to pull a video prank and had no idea what they were really doing. The Malaysian government scoffed, arrested, and imprisoned the women and put them on trial for murder, facing execution. But was their outlandish story actually the truth? And would anyone believe them?
“Assassins” is now available on VOD.
Shusenjo: Comfort Women and Japan's War on History (Documentary)
The “comfort women” issue is perhaps Japan’s most contentious present-day diplomatic quandary. Inside Japan, the issue is dividing the country across clear ideological lines. Supporters and detractors of “comfort women” are caught in a relentless battle over empirical evidence, the validity of oral testimony, the number of victims, the meaning of sexual slavery, and the definition of coercive recruitment. Credibility, legitimacy, and influence serve as the rallying cry for all those involved in the battle. In addition, this largely domestic battleground has been shifted to the international arena, commanding the participation of various state and non-state actors and institutions from all over the world. This film delves deep into the most contentious debates and uncovers the hidden intentions of the supporters and detractors of comfort women.
“Shusenjo: Comfort Women and Japan's War on History” will be available on VOD January 19.
Ten Minutes to Midnight
A character-driven night terror, “Ten Minutes to Midnight” begins when veteran punk rock disc jockey Amy Marlowe (Caroline Williams) is bitten by a rabid bat on the eve of her final graveyard shift broadcast. When a raging storm traps Amy, her mysterious replacement (Nicole Kang), and the uneasy staff inside their small-town radio station, reality begins to fracture as they move further and further into the graveyard shift.
“Ten Minutes to Midnight” will be available on VOD January 19.
Double Dad - Directed by Cris D’Amato; Written by Thalita Rebouças, Renato Fagundes, Marcelo Andrade, and João Paulo Horta
While her mom is away, a teen sneaks out of the hippie commune where she lives and embarks on a life-changing adventure to discover who her father is.
“Double Dad” is now available on Netflix.
Donna: Stronger Than Pretty - Written by Pat Branch and Jaret Martino
A young mother's American Dream turns into a living nightmare, until she finds the inner strength to listen to a voice she hadn't heard before: her own.
“Donna: Stronger Than Pretty” is now in virtual cinemas. Find screening info here.
The Wake of Light
Mary (newcomer Rome Brooks) has spent her entire life caring for her widowed father (William Morton) following a stroke he suffered when she was a little girl. One day Mary meets Cole (Matt Bush), a young man passing through her small town on a cross-country road trip, who falls for Mary and asks her to join him on his journey. Now Mary must choose between her deep-felt responsibility to her father or a chance at love.
“The Wake of Light” is now in virtual cinemas. Find screening info here.
Abortion Helpline, This Is Lisa (Short Documentary) - Directed by Barbara Attie, Janet Goldwater, and Mike Attie
At the Philadelphia abortion helpline, counselors arrive each morning to the nonstop ring of calls from women and teens who are seeking to end a pregnancy but can’t afford to. In this short documentary we learn how economic stigma and cruel legislation determine who in America has access to abortion.
“Abortion Helpline, This Is Lisa” is now available on Vimeo.
What Would Sophia Loren Do? (Short Documentary)
In this delightful short documentary, an Italian American grandmother and film buff finds strength and joy in the life of her screen idol, Sophia Loren.
“What Would Sophia Loren Do?” is now available on Netflix.
FILMS ABOUT WOMEN CURRENTLY PLAYING AND AVAILABLE ON STREAMING/VOD
Herself - Directed by Phyllida Lloyd; Written by Clare Dunne and Malcolm Campbell (Amazon Prime Video)
If Not Now, When? - Directed by Meagan Good and Tamara Bass; Written by Tamara Bass (VOD)
#Like - Written and Directed by Sarah Pirozek (Virtual Cinemas; Available on VOD January 26)
I Blame Society - Written and Directed by Gillian Wallace Horvat (Virtual Cinemas)
Hunted - Written by Léa Pernollet and Vincent Paronnaud (Shudder)
Climate of the Hunter (VOD)
Wonder Woman 1984 - Directed by Patty Jenkins; Written by Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns, and Dave Callaham (Theaters, HBO Max)
Sylvie’s Love (Amazon Prime Video)
DNA - Directed by Maïwenn; Written by Maïwenn and Mathieu Demy (Netflix)
Pieces of a Woman - Written by Kata Wéber (Netflix)
Shadow in the Cloud - Directed by Roseanne Liang; Written by Roseanne Liang and Max Landis (Theaters, VOD)
Audrey (Documentary) - Written and Directed by Helena Coan (VOD)
Two Ways Home (VOD)
Yellow Rose - Directed by Diane Paragas; Written by Diane Paragas, Annie J. Howell, and Celena Cipriaso (VOD)
Ariana Grande: Excuse Me, I Love You (Documentary) (Netflix)
FILMS MADE BY WOMEN OPENING AND COMING TO STREAMING/VOD
Film About a Father Who (Documentary) - Directed by Lynne Sachs
Over a period of 35 years between 1984 and 2019, filmmaker Lynne Sachs shot 8mm and 16mm film, videotape, and digital images of her father, Ira Sachs Sr., a bon vivant and pioneering businessman from Park City, Utah. “Film About a Father Who” is her attempt to understand the web that connects a child to her parent and a sister to her siblings. With a nod to the Cubist renderings of a face, Sachs’ cinematic exploration of her father offers simultaneous, sometimes contradictory, views of one seemingly unknowable man who is publicly the uninhibited center of the frame yet privately ensconced in secrets. In the process, Sachs allows herself and her audience inside to see beyond the surface of the skin, the projected reality. As the startling facts mount, Sachs as a daughter discovers more about her father than she had ever hoped to reveal.
“Film About a Father Who” is now in virtual cinemas. Find screening info here.
The Dig - Written by Moira Buffini
As WWII looms, a wealthy widow (Carey Mulligan) hires an amateur archaeologist (Ralph Fiennes) to excavate the burial mounds on her estate. When they make a historic discovery, the echoes of Britain’s past resonate in the face of its uncertain future.
“The Dig” is now in theaters. It will be available on Netflix January 29.
MLK/FBI (Documentary) - Written by Laura Tomaselli and Benjamin Hedin
“MLK/FBI” is the first film to uncover the extent of the FBI’s surveillance and harassment of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Based on newly discovered and declassified files, utilizing a trove of documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act and unsealed by the National Archives, as well as revelatory restored footage, the documentary explores the government’s history of targeting Black activists, and the contested meaning behind some of our most cherished ideals.
“MLK/FBI” is now in theaters and available on VOD. Find screening info here.
The Salt of Tears - Written by Arlette Langmann, Philippe Garrel, and Jean-Claude Carrière
This typically French take on toxic masculinity places one handsome young cad amid three vulnerable women, mixes in a heady dose of narcissism, and sprinkles in some de rigueur male compartmentalization. Impulsive and rakish, Luc (Logann Antuofermo) is in Paris only briefly to become certified as a cabinetmaker -- but long enough to ensorcel a beautiful young woman he picks up at a bus stop. Soon he’s juggling three relationships, but really only one -- with his own ego. (Film Forum)
“The Salt of Tears” will be in virtual cinemas January 20. Find screening info here.
FILMS MADE BY WOMEN CURRENTLY PLAYING AND AVAILABLE ON STREAMING/VOD
One Night in Miami… - Directed by Regina King (Amazon Prime Video)
Beautiful Something Left Behind (Documentary) - Directed by Katrine Philp (Virtual Cinemas)
Alaska Is a Drag - Written and Directed by Shaz Bennett (Netflix)
My Rembrandt (Documentary) - Written and Directed by Oeke Hoogendijk (Virtual Cinemas)
In Corpore - Directed by Sarah Jayne Portelli and Ivan Malekin (VOD)
Gun and a Hotel Bible - Directed by Alicia Joy LeBlanc and Raja Gosnell (VOD)
The Emoji Story (Documentary) - Directed by Martha Shane and Ian Cheney (VOD)
TV AND EPISODIC PREMIERES
WandaVision - Created by Jac Schaeffer (Premieres January 15 on Disney+)
In “WandaVision,” a blend of classic television and the MCU, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) -- two super-powered beings living idealized suburban lives -- begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems.
Miss Scarlet & The Duke - Created by Rachael New (Premieres January 17 on PBS)
Kate Phillips stars in a six-part mystery as the headstrong, first-ever female detective in Victorian London, who won’t let any naysayers stop her from keeping her father’s business running. Stuart Martin plays her childhood friend, professional colleague, and potential love interest, Scotland Yard Detective Inspector William Wellington, a.k.a. The Duke.
Inside the Mind of Agatha Christie (Documentary) (Premieres January 17 on PBS)
Surpassed only by the Bible and Shakespeare, Agatha Christie is the most successful writer of all time. We all know her characters and incredible plot twists, but what do we know about Agatha herself? Combining rare access to Agatha's family, her personal archive, and speaking to those who know her work best, we discover what made the world's most successful crime writer tick.
How It Feels To Be Free (Documentary) - Directed by Yoruba Richen (Premieres January 18 on PBS)
“How It Feels To Be Free” tells the inspiring story of how six iconic African American female entertainers -- Lena Horne, Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson, and Pam Grier -- challenged an entertainment industry deeply complicit in perpetuating racist stereotypes and transformed themselves and their audiences in the process.
Daughter from Another Mother (Premieres January 20 on Netflix)
After realizing their babies were exchanged at birth, two women develop a plan to adjust to their new lives: creating a single -- and peculiar -- family.
Perfect Life - Created by Leticia Dolera (Premieres January 21 on HBO Max)
After getting dumped by her long-term boyfriend and pregnant by a one-night stand, María’s (Leticia Dolera) meticulous life plan begins to slip into disarray -- but her sister Esther (Aixa Villagrán) and best friend Cristina (Celia Freijeiro) are determined to see her through.
Walker - Created by Anna Fricke (Premieres January 21 on The CW)
Jared Padalecki is Cordell Walker, a widower and father of two with his own moral code, who returns home to Austin after being undercover for two years, only to discover there's harder work to be done at home.
RETURNING SERIES
Disenchantment (Netflix, January 15)
Batwoman - Created by Caroline Dries (The CW, January 17)
All American - Created by April Blair (The CW, January 18)
Nancy Drew - Created by Noga Landau, Stephanie Savage, and Josh Schwartz (The CW, January 20)
Call My Agent! - Created by Fanny Herrero (Netflix, January 21)
Grown-ish (Freeform, January 21)
Gomorrah - Created by Ludovica Rampoldi, Leonardo Fasoli, Stefano Bises, Roberto Saviano, and Giovanni Bianconi (HBO Max, January 21)
Legacies - Created by Julie Plec (The CW, January 21)
THE GIRLS CLUB IS OFFERING 10 PERCENT OFF MEMBERSHIP
Founded by Women and Hollywood publisher and founder Melissa Silverstein, the Girls Club is a community for women creatives, culture-changers, and storytellers to connect, create, network, advocate, support, and redefine entertainment.
These are trying times, and we want to offer a space for folks to come together amidst all of the uncertainty. With that in mind, the Girls Club is offering 10 percent off membership when you sign up.
If you identify as a woman and would like an invitation to this community, please email girlsclubnetwork@gmail.com and let us know a bit about who you are and what you do.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WEEK
Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond Discuss Switzerland’s Oscar Pick “My Little Sister”
“Insecure’s” Yvonne Orji Developing Semi-Autobiographical Comedy at Disney+, Oprah Winfrey Producing
“Saint Maud” Leads Nominations for London Critics’ Circle Film Awards
Pamela B. Green Developing Biopic About First Female Filmmaker Alice Guy-Blaché
Gotham Awards Winners: “Nomadland,” “Time,” “I May Destroy You,” and More
“Sex and the City” Revival Coming to HBO Max
National Society of Film Critics Names “Nomadland” Best Picture, Chloé Zhao Best Director
“The Sleepwalkers” Named as Argentina’s Pick for Oscars’ International Feature Category
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