2018 may have revitalized the “Year of the Woman” in politics, but it was also an outstanding year for female filmmakers. Auteurs like Karyn Kusama (“Destroyer”), Debra Granik (“Leave No Trace”), and Lynne Ramsay (“You Were Never Really Here”) produced jaw-dropping independent dramas while smaller names like Jennifer Fox (“The Tale”), Chloe Zhao (“The Rider”), and Josephine Decker (“Madeline’s Madeline”) pushed the boundaries of filmmaking to create challenging works of art. Now, as 2019 surges forward and the industry remains dedicated to broader representation in front of and behind the camera, we’re excited to see even more ambitious, strange, and even mainstream projects from female directors.
READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2019
Women directed less than a quarter of the top grossing films of 2018, and just 35% of the 2018 Sundance Film Festival’s non-documentary offerings were directed or co-directed by women. Those numbers might not really change this year — Sundance’s figure has increased to a whopping 39% — but this list is about quality over quantity, anyway. (Though some increased quantity would certainly be nice!) Here are some of the most intriguing, exciting films directed by women that should premiere in 2019. These films tell all kinds of stories, from unrequited lesbian nun love to Shia LaBeouf’s upbringing, and feature some casts and creative teams that we thought only existed in our wildest dreams. Read on, mark your calendars, and get hyped! In alphabetical order of course.
READ MORE: The Best Movies of 2018
“Bergman Island”
Director: Mia Hansen-Løve
What You Need to Know: Mia Hansen-Løve made waves with her Isabelle Huppert-starring “Things to Come” in 2016 and returned to the festival circuit last fall with “Maya,” and she’s still not slowing down! It’s looking like her next feature, “Bergman Island,” is primed for a late 2019 release. It follows a filmmaking couple that goes to the island of Faro (home of, you guessed it, Ingmar Bergman) to work on their respective projects. As their stay wears on, the lines between reality and fiction grow blurry. Likely inspired by her own trip to Faro with ex-beau Olivier Assayas and starring Mia Wasikowska and Vicky Krieps, “Bergman Island” sounds like a meta wet dream for arthouse film nerds everywhere (this site’s staff included). We can’t wait to see what comes of this intriguing premise, and that Vicky Krieps casting is so delicious we’ve almost forgotten that Greta Gerwig originally had the role before she dropped out to helm one of the other films on this list. Keep your eyes peeled for this one, and let’s pray that shooting finally wraps soon! Note: the picture below. Greta Gerwig once had a role in the movie, unfortunately, she had to drop out of the picture due to “Little Women” (see below).
Release: TBA — Likely later in the year at TIFF or Venice 2019 given “Maya” is still coming out TBD 2019.
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/865211248841027584
“Booksmart”
Director: Olivia Wilde
What You Need to Know: With a sort of “The To-Do List”-meets-“Eighth Grade” premise and an absolutely stacked cast of young faces, Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut “Booksmart” looks very promising. The film follows two overachieving friends who, on the eve of their high school graduation, realize they should have let loose more and become determined to cram as much fun as possible into one night. With Kaitlyn Dever (a scene-stealer in “Short Term 12”) and Beanie Feldstein (“Lady Bird”) playing the leads and a supporting cast featuring Lisa Kudrow, Will Forte, and Jason Sudeikis, this comedy is shaping up for a rollicking spring debut courtesy of Annapurna. We don’t know much else about this script, penned by Sarah Haskins and Emily Halpern (“Trophy Wife”) with revisions by Katie Silberman (“Set It Up”) and Susanna Fogel (“Life Partners”), but we do know we’re excited to see it. And shout out to Olivia Wilde for getting behind the camera!
Release: May 24
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/1086295684888883200
“Captain Marvel”
Directors: Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
What You Need to Know: What more can we tell you that you haven’t possibly already heard? “Captain Marvel” is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first female-led (and -co-directed) feature starring Brie Larson and co-helmed by duo Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (“It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” “Mississippi Grind”). The movie centers on Carol Danvers (Larson) a former U.S. Air Force pilot who joins the Kree aliens’ military. Upon her return to earth, Danvers must reconcile her identity as human- and alien-kind begin an epic war. You might have lost track of Marvel’s illustrious lineup around the 500th Avengers team-up, but this is one worth getting excited over for its historic representation alone. Though it’s hard to think about “Captain Marvel” without remembering that DC ushered a female-led and -directed movie into their franchise way faster, we’re still eager to see how this alien-out-of-water story plays at the box office come spring. And it’s so exciting to finally see Brie Larson get her day in the sun after knockout performances in indie flicks like “Short Term 12” and “Room.”
Release: March 8
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/1084890925174644737
“Charlie’s Angels”
Director: Elizabeth Banks
What You Need to Know: Two words, nerds: Kristen Stewart. That’s the one thing keeping us intrigued despite this latest addition to Hollywood’s exhausting slate of reboots, revivals, and sequels. “Charlie’s Angels” is a story we all know and (maybe) love, but Kristen Stewart re-entering the franchise world after becoming a household name in “Twilight” (and subsequently laying low in an endless number of weird and/or independent films) is one of the most bewildering Hollywood developments since “Bohemian Rhapsody” scored a Golden Globe. Stewart is either tight with director Elizabeth Banks — maybe she’s a huge fan of “Pitch Perfect 3?” — looking to pay off some major debts, or just bored. Maybe, just maybe, “Charlie’s Angels” is actually an amazing film that deserves a spot on Stewart’s filmography, after “Personal Shopper” and “Certain Woman.” That possibility is enough for it to earn it a place on this list, if nothing else.
Release: November 1
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/1041740609252319233
“The Cradle”
Director: Hope Dickson Leach
What You Need to Know: Hope Dickson Leach had an astonishing debut with “The Levelling,” and we’re hoping to see her negotiate that success into an equally stunning second feature with “The Cradle.” The drama follows a young couple expecting their first child. Things quickly unravel as husband Matt (Jack O’Connell) is waylaid by panic attacks and wife Marissa (Lily Collins) becomes obsessed with finding the cradle she had as an infant. As Matt works to track the item down, however, he’s met with a startling discovery about their burgeoning family. Based on a novel by “Maniac” showrunner Patrick Somerville and co-written between Dickson Leach and Somerville, “The Cradle” promises to bring some serious drama to the big screen. The only downside — it’s still not quite finished filming, so we’re not sure it’ll actually debut before the year’s out. But let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater! Either way, this seems like one worth waiting for.
Release: TBA — late 2019
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/859577152475451394
