Kelly Reichardt – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

MOVIE OF THE WEEK October 17, 2025: THE MASTERMIND

October 12, 2025October 12, 2025 Jennifer Merin Alana Haim, betsy bozdech, Bill Camp, Cate Marquis, Hope Davis, James Mooney, jennifer merin, josh o'connor, Kelly Reichardt, leslie combemale, liz whittemore, loren king, motw, Movie of the Week, nell minow, sandie angulo chen, sherin nicole, The Mastermind, Worcester Art Museum

Moody and thought-provoking, writer/director Kelly Reichardt’s compelling drama The Mastermind tells the story of a not-quite-heist-ready would-be art thief in Massachusetts in the early 1970s. Featuring a stand-out performance by star Josh O’Connor and impressively authentic production values, this 2025 Cannes Palme D’Or nominee memorably explores ideas related to identity and purpose as its main character struggles to escape the weight of suburban ennui.

Reviews

THE MASTERMIND – Review by Loren King

October 5, 2025October 16, 2025 Loren King Alana Haim, Bill Camp, Cate Marquis, Hope Davis, James Mooney, jennifer merin, josh o'connor, Kelly Reichardt, motw, The Masterpiece, Worcester Art Museum

There’s the heist movie and its glorious sub-genre, the swaggering ‘70s heist movie with such diverse titles including Dog Day Afternoon, The Getaway, and even Barbara Loden’s great Wanda. With her distinct style, writer-directorKelly Reichardt delivers her own spin on that genre. It may be the heist — in this case, a horribly executed museum art theft — that catches our attention but it’s the perfect, shambling atmosphere of 1970 New England including the cars, clothes and languorous characters that keeps us enthralled.

Festivals Reviews

THE MASTERMIND (NYFF 2025) – Review by Margaret Barton-Fumo

September 30, 2025October 3, 2025 Margaret Barton-Fumo Alana Haim, art heist, Bill Camp, Christopher Blauvelt, Hope Davis, josh o'connor, Kelly Reichardt, NYFF 2025, The Mastermind

Screening as part of the Main Slate of the 63rd New York Film Festival, Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind is strong enough to stand as an opening or closing night feature, if only it carried the gravitas of a big-budget, high profile production. But that, of course, would be antithetical to Reichardt’s work, which is characteristically small scale and often unassuming. With that being said, The Mastermind is a significant accomplishment, one deserving of high praise.

Festivals Reviews

THE MASTERMIND (NYFF 2025) – Review by Diane Carson

September 23, 2025September 24, 2025 Diane Carson Alana Haim, art heist, Bill Camp, Christopher Blauvelt, Hope Davis, josh o'connor, Kelly Reichardt, NYFF 2025, The Mastermind

The Mastermind is one of those rare films that increases appreciation on a second viewing. The subtle interplay, the strained relationships communicated through sidelong glances, the hesitant delivery of dialogue, and the slapdash unraveling of exalted ideas: all of this rewards viewer alertness to Reichardt’s genius. Through the inclusion of carefully selected details delivered through superb performances, audiences come to feel a kinship with the worlds Reichardt creates.

Festivals

Women @ Cannes FF 2025 – Christina Jeurling-Birro reports

April 23, 2025June 5, 2025 Christina Jeurling Birro Alice Rohrwacher, Cannes FF 2025, carla simon, Chie Hayakawa, Hafsia Herzi, Julia Ducournau, juliette binoche, june squibb, Kelly Reichardt, Kristen Stewart, lynne ramsay, Mascha Schilinski, Rebecca Zlotowski, scarlett johansson, Un Certain Regard, women at cannes

When the Cannes Film Festival opens for the 78th time on May 13, Juliette Binoche will preside over the main competition jury. A towering presence in international cinema, Binoche follows in the footsteps of another female film icon, Greta Gerwig. This marks the first time in over six decades that two women have consecutively held this prestigious role! All in all. 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year for women at Cannes.

Reviews

SHOWING UP – Review by Susan Kamyab

April 18, 2023April 22, 2023 Susan Kamyab a24, hong Chau, Kelly Reichardt, michelle williams

It’s great seeing Michelle Williams’ versatility, and she continues to prove she can play any role. This particular role just isn’t very memorable. Director Kelly Reichardt’s intention was to show a “funny portrait of art and craft.” Sadly, there’s not much humor or plot to Showing Up. The art is there, and it’s quite unique. But, none of the movie’s minor redeeming qualities can make up for the underwhelming character’s or story’s lack of intrigue.

Reviews

FIRST COW – Review by Susan Granger

December 11, 2020December 11, 2020 Susan Granger first cow, john magaro, Kelly Reichardt, orion lee

Director/co-writer/editor Kelly Reichardt’s minimalist Western takes a while to get into…first, there’s a quotation from William Blake’s Proverbs of Hell: “The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship.” In the film’s prologue, a contemporary woman (Alia Shawkat) who is walking with her dog near a broad river discovers a pair of human skeletons. Then there’s a flashback…

News

WEEK IN WOMEN: Gotham Awards Best Feature Noms All from Women Directors – Brandy McDonnell reports

November 10, 2020November 15, 2020 Brandy McDonnell 0 Comments a thousand cuts, chloe zhao, cuties, eliza hittman, first cow, gotham awards, independent film project, Kelly Reichardt, Maimouna Doucoure, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, nomadland, radha blank, ramona s diaz, relic

The Independent Filmmaker Project has announced the nominees for the 30th Annual IFP Gotham Awards, and this is the first time that all five nominated films in the best feature category are from women directors: The Assistant from Kitty Green, First Cow from Kelly Reichardt, Never Rarely Sometimes Always from Eliza Hittman, Nomadland from Chloé Zhao and Relic from Natalie Erika James.

Reviews

FIRST COW – Review by MaryAnn Johanson

July 20, 2020July 24, 2020 MaryAnn Johanson 0 Comments first cow, Kelly Reichardt

It’s a simple story about friendship and hope. It’s a gently revisionist Western that literally pushes the clichés of the genre out the door in favor of reconsidering stereotypes of masculinity and reworking the fables of “frontiers.” It’s a softly savage deconstruction of the violence and the ironies of the American dream — of capitalism itself. It’s one of the most astonishing movies I’ve seen this year.

Festivals

Women at Melbourne International Film Festival – Alexandra Heller-Nicholas reports

July 16, 2020August 8, 2020 Alexandra Heller-Nicholas 0 Comments 68 1/2, first cow, Kelly Reichardt, melbourne internationa film festival, Sandra Wollner, The Trouble With Being Born, wendy

As the film festival world increasingly shifts to the domestic small screen as the most responsible way forward in the face of COVID-19, Melbourne International Film Festival has tackled the challenge head on. While still featuring an impressive 112 films – including 12 world premieres, 83 Australian premieres and 44 short films – MIFF has shifted its exhibition model by releasing the 2020 program not as the festival’s 69th edition, but under the more humble banner of MIFF 68½.

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