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Reviews 

WICKER – Review by T.J. Callahan

T. J. Callahan , , , , , , ,

In this medieval materialistic age, it seems the fabric of choice is Wicker. At least in a small village of odd people and strange traditions, lost in time and far, far away where women are repressed and the men like it that way…until the lives of a few begin to splinter. It stars Olivia Colman as an odiferously ostracized fisherwoman who commissions the local basket maker (Peter Dinklage) to weave her a husband. Wicker is an unconventional love story that braids two lost souls together as they navigate infatuation, trust and devotion in this salaciously passionate parable that’s done with humor and heart and an R rating.

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Reviews 

LA BOLA NEGRA – Review by Jennifer Green

Jennifer Green , , , , , , , , , ,

The film is a sweeping three-tale epic weaving together stories from different time periods. Viewers—particularly those with spotty knowledge of Spanish history—might feel a little lost at points early on, but the piece comes together by the end in surprising and poignant ways. Despite some less nuanced elements, Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo have made an epic and visually impacting film that blends reality and fiction together into a single poignant melodrama. There’s plenty here to interest, inspire and move audiences, and the fact that it’s playing well with viewers and critics from diverse countries and cultures says a lot about directors Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo’s ability to convey universal themes within a distinctively Spanish story.

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Reviews 

BIG GIRLS DON’T CRY – Review by Sarah Ward

Sarah Ward , , , , , ,

As it’s intended to for Sid Bookman, the 14-year-old New Zealander at the heart of Paloma Schneideman’s hauntingly relatable debut feature, a bellybutton piercing acts as handy shorthand in Big Girls Don’t Cry. Armed with a needle and a teenager’s fortitude for self-inflicted stress to impress, the film’s protagonist punctures her own flesh. Even when the wound swiftly becomes infected, causing the popular crowd that she’s so desperately trying to befriend to snicker — while forcing Sid to wear a midriff-revealing top; this is 2006, when the titular Fergie song released — her new navel jewellery is an evident source of pride. Kudos to Ani Palmer, also working on her first feature, for conveying how the in-between stage that is adolescence is a whirlwind of yearning, trying, searching, striving and flailing, as well as salvaging, and not just when her character is taking the homemade route on body art.

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Festivals Reviews 

LA GRADIVA (NYFF 2026) – Review by Margaret Barton-Fumo

Margaret Barton-Fumo , , , , , , , ,

Already an accomplished cinematographer, the young French director Marine Atlan recently burst onto the international film scene at this year’s New York Film Festival with her debut feature, the highly acclaimed La Gradiva. Focusing on a group of late teens on a school trip to the ruins of Pompeii, Atlan’s film ebbs and flows with the rhythms of its young subjects, eventually building into a surprising moment of tragedy. Closely attuned to schoolteacher Mme Mercier (Antonia Buresi)’s struggles as a well-meaning educator, Atlan taps into some ancient truths while observing her youthful, energetic leads. It’s admirable for a first-time director to follow her gut so confidently, and La Gradiva will surely have audiences discussing the film—not unlike its spirited subjects—for some time to come.

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Festivals Reviews 

ALL OF A SUDDEN (NYFF 2026) – Review by Margaret Barton-Fumo

Margaret Barton-Fumo , , , , , ,

It’s truly a delight to watch friendships develop and flourish in this film, with the two “Marie”s (Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto) at the center of an impressive ensemble cast. Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s approach is sometimes dry and academic, but working in concert with cinematographer Alan Guichaoua, the director achieves an emotional, effective catharsis. The connection between Efira and Okamoto is pure kismet, transforming Hamaguchi (and co-writer Léa Le Dimna)’s heady dialogue into a moving experience. Those already familiar with Hamaguchi’s work will certainly adore this film, his French-language debut, which is also a good entry point for those who are new to his work. All of a Sudden is a complex, heartfelt film, sure to inspire thoughts and emotions that will continue to resonate after the end credits roll.

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Movie of the Week 

MOVIE OF THE WEEK October 16, 2026: A PLACE OF ABSENCE

Jennifer Merin , , , , , , , , ,

As much as anything, director Marialuisa Ernst’s heartbreaking documentary A Place of Absence is about what it means to be human — to love and be loved, to believe that everyone has the same rights to freedom and happiness, and, when necessary, to be able to mourn in the event of loss. But for the women featured in the film, much of that meaning hangs painfully in limbo as they search tirelessly for their long-missing migrant children.

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Lists Weekly Releases 

OPENING October 12 to 18, 2026 – Margaret Barton-Fumo reports

Margaret Barton-Fumo , ,

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists highlights movies made by and about women. With a vigilant eye toward current releases, we maintain an interactive record of films that are pertinent to our interests. Be they female-made or female-centric productions, they are films that represent a wide range of women’s stories and present complex female characters. As such, they are movies that will most likely be reviewed on AWFJ.org and will qualify for consideration for our annual EDA Awards, celebrating exceptional women working in film behind and in front of the camera.

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Reviews 

CASE 137 – Review by April Neale

April Neale , , , , , ,

A devastating injury during a protest alters a young man’s life. When the police close ranks, who is left to fight for the truth? In director Dominik Moll’s Case 137 (Dossier 137), a female investigator’s search for answers in the devastating case of this injured young protester exposes the lengths an institution can go to protect its own. Inspired by real events surrounding France’s 2018 Yellow Vest protests, this tense, grounded procedural features a powerhouse performance from Léa Drucker as a woman whose relentless pursuit of the truth threatens to cost her the career she has built, alienate the people closest to her, and expose a police culture where protecting the badge can matter more than delivering justice.

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Reviews 

LADY – Review by Sarah Ward

Sarah Ward , , , , , ,

No one actually knows any fictional character, but a great one, the genuine best of them, walks out of the minds that create them like they’ve stepped straight out of reality. Lady Isabella Ravenhyde, the woman at the heart of Samuel Abrahams’ deliciously entertaining and astute debut feature Lady, is one such fabricated figure, even when she calls herself “aristocracy’s answer to the Kardashians”. Portrayed by Sian Clifford in as committed a performance as the always-excellent Fleabag, Everyone Else Burns, The Miniature Wife and Mother Mary star has given yet, she’s both the sum of a wealth of recognisable eccentricities — this is a gleefully absurdist mockumentary, after all, hilariously so — and a resonant reflection of how money, status, privilege, celebrity and narcissism, alongside anxiety, insecurity, loneliness, grief and aging, can and do warp what we believe we want and who we think we should be.

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Reviews 

THE SOCIAL RECKONING – Review by Diane Carson

Diane Carson , , , , , , , , , , ,

With his characteristic targeted dialogue and efficient pace, writer/director Aaron Sorkin dramatizes an uncomplicated but extremely important story in The Social Reckoning. The Wall Street Journal investigative reporter Jeff Horwitz’s (Jeremy Allen White) search for the truth about Facebook’s guiding principles and safety protocols (or lack thereof) depends on Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison). Only internal documents will provide essential details which Haugen at first parses and reluctantly shares. However, as her moral compass guides her, Haugen will become the lynchpin in critical, corporate revelations substantiating the danger and damage known and indifferently perpetrated by Facebook. In a parallel scenario, CEO Mark Zuckerberg (Jeremy Strong) preps for Congressional testimony, prompted and advised by unscrupulous advisers.

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