Female Film Critics 24/375
Fully embracing the idea that it’s never too late to follow a dream or try something new, Edie introduces us to a tenacious octogenarian who refuses to close the book on her life without — literally — climbing one last mountain. Sheila Hancock delivers a compelling lead performance as the titular Edie in director Simon Hunter’s poignant British dramedy about life, aging, friendship, and regret.
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With the Alliance of Women Film Journalists’ special focus on women’s representation in the industry and at highlighted industry events, we’re keen on presenting AWFJ members’ coverage of TIFF19. Seventeen AWFJ members were credentialed by TIFF this year. And, kudos to Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Loren King, Sarah Knight Adamson, Julide Tanriverdi, Brandy McDonnell and Lauren Bradshaw for their TIFF-related contributions to AWFJ.org. Read their brilliant commentaries…
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Gritty and raw, Issa Lopez’ dark urban fairy tale Tigers Are Not Afraid (titled Vuelven in Spanish, which translates to They Come Back) centers on the devastating consequences of the drug trade, showing how the cartels’ criminal ways affect everyone in their path — including children, whose innocence disappears as quickly as the grown-ups in their lives.
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The real-life romance between writers Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West takes center stage in Chanya Button’s provocative period drama Vita & Virginia. Exploring sexuality and passion, desire and connection, the film features strong performances by Gemma Arterton and Elizabeth Debicki, and a script by Eileen Atkins that effectively incorporates the two literary legends’ own words.
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Boasting powerful star performances by Michelle Williams and Julianne Moore and a story with big, emotional twists, Bart Freundlich’s “After the Wedding” is a gender-swapped remake of Susanne Bier’s same-named 2006 Danish drama. It’s a thought-provoking look at life choices, legacy, and motherhood that will stick with you after the credits roll.
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Nanfu Wang’s One Child Nation is a frank, honest look at the devastating impact of China’s “one child per family” policy. Introduced by the Chinese government in 1979 as a radical way of curbing unsustainable population growth, the policy relied on powerful propaganda — and strict enforcement — to ensure compliance. In the documentary, the Chinese-born Wang, now a mother herself, explores the program’s long-term impact on her country and her people.
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Beautifully filmed yet brutal to watch, Jennifer Kent’s The Nightingale is a revenge drama that will resonate with any woman who’s been assaulted — or, for that matter, dismissed by society. Set in 1825 Tasmania, it follows the plight of Clare, an Irish convict who’s suffered years of abuse at the hands of a British officer and is driven by his brutality to seek brutal revenge. The Nightingale is difficult to watch, but it is most certainly a must see.
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Raw, intimate, and devastating, Waad Al-Khateab’s documentary For Sama is a powerful story of what it was like to live in Aleppo during several years of Syria’s destructive civil war. Co-directed by Edward Watts, the film explores the human consequences and casualties of battle, while simultaneously proving that life can continue — and even flourish — in even the most hellish circumstances.
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Just about everyone ends up feeling invisible at some point during their teen years — but what if you actually disappeared? That’s what happens to Holly in writer/director Claudia Myers Above the Shadows, a drama/fantasy that serves as an allegory for what it’s like to be marginalized out of your very existence.
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Opportunity makes strange — but ultimately well-suited — bedfellows in Lynn Shelton’s quirky dramedy Sword of Trust. Centered on an antique weapon that may (or may not) have played an unexpectedly important role in American history, it digs into the denial and hate that are tied into so much of the divisiveness that’s currently plaguing our country. All with an absurdist tone, naturally.
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