Sexual assault is sadly the most inclusive crime there is. I don’t know a single person, man or woman, who has not been somehow, whether they know it or not, affected by rape and sexual assault, and the impact of it is often intergenerational. Nancy […]
Writer-director Josh Margolin’s feature debut, “Thelma,” is a splendid gem of hilarity and heart. Thelma (June Squibb) is a 90 year old woman, who after falling victim to a phone scam that costs her $10,000, is determined to get her money back by any means […]
“We know that our rising tide lifts all boats. We are who we depend on, so we create spaces where we can uplift each other. This is not a place where you’re going to go to a party and everyone will be looking over their […]
“Paradise is Burning” screened as part of The 59th Chicago International Film Festival on October 18, 2023, as part of the International Competition. Writer-director Mika Gustafson’s “Paradise is Burning” is a union of debuts. It’s her narrative feature film debut, and the three actresses at […]
“Departing Seniors” screened opening night of The 59th Chicago International Film Festival on October 11, 2023. The final week of senior year of high school can be full of surprises. Memories of the times you’ve had flood the halls you’ve walked for four years. Fear […]
“Sisterhood” screened as part of The 59th Chicago International Film Festival, learn more about this film! Nora El Hourch’s feature debut “Sisterhood” (french title: “HLM Pussy”) is an emboldened dossier of how girlhood prematurely, and often violently, transitions into womanhood. Amina (Leah Aubet), Djeneba (Médina […]
“The Beautiful Summer” is screening this afternoon at AMC NEWCITY at 2:30 PM as part of the Women in Cinema and Outlook program. Adolescence is universal. No matter the time period, gender, sexuality, or setting, coming of age is tangible to any audience member. It […]
“This movie that saved my life also holds a complicated and controversial history in the queer film canon. I’m not seeking to change anyone’s mind with this film, but to recognize the importance of engaging in dialogue around different perspectives and understanding where and why […]
Filmmaker Celine Song had a unique moment when her childhood sweetheart and her husband met. This moment was very significant to her, and it became the seed of her film, “Past Lives.” The film has been called “a modern romance,” but to me, it is […]
Juli Del Prete and her short film “Caroline” was awarded the Critics’ Choice award for the 2023 Cinema Femme Short Film Festival. With their award recognition a review was written by Cinema Femme contributor and film critic Peyton Robinson, who also was a programmer for […]
The festival year started for me in a most unexpected way, on January 14, 2023, I landed in Bangladesh, a place I’d never been before and would not have normally made it a destination. But I had been invited to serve in the International Film […]
Words from Managing Editor Rebecca Martin Fagerholm: When we watch films, we desire a connection that enlightens and represents who we really are as people. This year at Sundance, I was stretched in the best way through watching and engaging with incredible stories that have […]