OPENING Jan 26 – Feb 1, 2026 – Margaret Barton-Fumo reports
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. Our members are feature writers, columnists and regular contributors to a variety of media outlets and many of us publish regularly on the festival circuit. Our critical voices are widespread and diverse. We invite you to join us in tracking weekly releases of particular interest. And we welcome information about new films that will help us to keep our records updated and our critics alert. Below is a concise list of new releases set for the week of January 26 – February 1 that are of particular interest. Titles highlighted in red have links to full reviews:
Tuesday, January 27
- 7 Keys – Level 33 Entertainment – UK – Thriller written and directed by Joy Wilkinson. Daniel has kept the keys to the places he’s lived in. Lena wants to use them – on the ultimate tour of London, a weekend of getting to know each other intimately in other people’s homes. This risky fantasy soon becomes a deadly threat.
- Revolver Lily – Well Go USA (VOD) – Japan – Action film. In 1924, ex-spy Yuri, a former assassin, and an orphan possessing intel about missing imperial Japanese army funds are pursued by soldiers as they seek the money while trying to survive.
- Infinite Icon: A Visual Memoir – CJ 4DPlex (Cinemas) – USA – Documentary. Paris Hilton’s musical journey unfolds through rare footage and intimate moments, from her debut album to her latest work. A raw look at her evolution as an artist and icon, blending performances with personal revelations.
- The Moment – A24 (Cinemas) – UK / USA – Docudrama starring Charli XCX. A rising pop star navigates the complexities of fame and industry pressure while preparing for her arena tour debut.
- Moses the Black – Fathom Entertainment (Cinemas) – USA – Drama written and directed by Yelena Popovic. The story of a gangster in modern day Chicago inspired by an incredible story of repentance of the 4th century saint of the same name.
- My Sister’s Bones – Quiver Distribution (VOD) – UK – Thriller directed by Heidi Greensmith. Kate Rafter is back home after a horrific incident in war-torn Iraq and the death of her mother. While packing up her mother’s belongings she comes to believe there is something strange and terrifying happening in the house next door.
- Natchez – Oscilloscope – USA – Documentary co-written and directed by Suzannah Herbert. A sharp look at the American South’s unreconciled history through Natchez, a Mississippi town that mixes antebellum tourism with a community deeply divided over its past.
- Paying for It – Film Movement (Cinemas) – Canada – Dramedy co-written and directed by Sook-Yin Lee. When an introverted cartoonist’s girlfriend wants to redefine their relationship, he begins sleeping with sex workers and discovers a new kind of intimacy in the process. An adaptation of the Graphic Novel by Chester Brown.
- Pike River – Brainstorm Media (VOD) – New Zealand – Drama. In the aftermath of an explosion that rocked the Pike River Mine and took 29 lives, two women step up to fight for accountability.
- Send Help – 20th Century Fox / Disney (Cinemas) – USA – Horror. Two colleagues become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash. On the island, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it’s a battle of wills and wits to make it out alive.
Friday, January 30
Film descriptions are adapted from press releases. Titles highlighted in red have links to full reviews. Stay tuned in for next week’s releases! Contact us if we’ve overlooked anything.
