Spotlight: Women Directors, 2018 Edition
In honor of International Women’s Day (Friday, March 8th), Telescope celebrates the accomplishments of women in film, and presents some of the best films made by women directors and released in the past year.
High Life
A father and daughter must rely on each other to survive a dangerous mission to deep space.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Germany, France, United Kingdom • 2018
- Director Claire Denis
- Cast Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, André Benjamin, Mia Goth, Agata Buzek, Lars Eidinger
- Genre Drama, Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller
- Available on Max Amazon Channel, Max, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Kanopy
Zama
An officer must find a way to escape from South America in this film based on the 1956 novel.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Argentina, Brazil, Spain • 2017
- Director Lucrecia Martel
- Cast Daniel Giménez Cacho, Lola Dueñas, Matheus Nachtergaele, Juan Minujín, Nahuel Cano, Mariana Nunes
- Genre Drama
- Available on Metrograph, Strand Releasing Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy
Happy as Lazzaro
(Lazzaro felice)
A pure-hearted sharecropper Lazzaro forms an unlikely friendship that will change his world.
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- Italy, Switzerland, France • 2018
- Director Alice Rohrwacher
- Cast Adriano Tardiolo, Agnese Graziani, Luca Chikovani, Alba Rohrwacher, Sergi López, Tommaso Ragno
- Genre Drama
- Available on Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads
Capernaum
(کفرناحوم)
Zain, a hardened 12-year-old boy struggling to survive on the streets of Beirut, sues his parents for his conception.
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- Lebanon, United States, France • 2018
- Director Nadine Labaki
- Cast Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Nadine Labaki, Kawthar Al Haddad, Fadi Kamel Youssef
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Faces Places
(Visages, villages)
Director Agnès Varda and street artist JR journey through rural France, forming an unlikely friendship through spectacular collaborative artwork.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2017
- Director Agnès Varda, JR
- Cast Agnès Varda, JR
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Cohen Media Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, Kanopy
You Were Never Really Here
A traumatized veteran and the trafficked girl he saved struggle to survive.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, France, United States • 2017
- Director Lynne Ramsay
- Cast Joaquin Phoenix, Judith Roberts, Ekaterina Samsonov, John Doman, Alex Manette, Dante Pereira-Olson
- Genre Thriller
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand, AMC on Demand
First They Killed My Father
A 5-year-old girl becomes a child soldier during the terrifying reign of the Khmer Rouge.
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- Cambodia, United States • 2017
- Director Angelina Jolie
- Cast Sareum Srey Moch, Phoeung Kompheak, Sveng Socheata, Mun Kimhak, Heng Dara, Khoun Sothea
- Genre Drama, History, War
- Available on Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads
I Am Not a Witch
An 8-year-old girl is convicted of witchcraft and brought to a penal colony where witches do hard labor.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, France, Germany • 2017
- Director Rungano Nyoni
- Cast Maggie Mulubwa, Henry B.J. Phiri, Gloria Huwiler, Nellie Munamonga, Dyna Mufuni
- Genre Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, Metrograph, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, Pluto TV, Freevee, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
The Breadwinner
An enchanting story of a brave young girl who puts her life at risk to provide for her family.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Ireland, Canada, Luxembourg • 2017
- Director Nora Twomey
- Cast Saara Chaudry, Soma Bhatia, Laara Sadiq, Shaista Latif, Ali Badshah, Noorin Gulamgaus
- Genre Animation, Drama, Family, War
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, AMC on Demand
On Body and Soul
(Testről és lélekről)
Two introverts who discover they share the same dreams try to recreate them in real life.
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- Hungary • 2017
- Director Ildikó Enyedi
- Cast Alexandra Borbély, Morcsányi Géza, Réka Tenki, Nagy Ervin, Zoltán Schneider, Tamás Jordán
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads
Spotlight: Films of Alfonso Cuarón
Congratulations to Alfonso Cuarón, director of Roma, and winner of Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Foreign Language Film, and Best Director (2019)!
Y Tu Mamá También
(Y tu mamá también)
Two teenage boys and an older woman embark on a road trip and learn about life — and each other.
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- Mexico • 2001
- Director Alfonso Cuarón
- Cast Maribel Verdú, Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, Diana Bracho, Verónica Langer, María Aura
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Hulu, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel
Sólo con tu pareja
A playboy's life is thrown into chaos when an ex-lover falsifies his blood test, convincing him he has AIDS.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Mexico • 1992
- Director Alfonso Cuarón
- Cast Daniel Giménez Cacho, Claudia Ramírez, Luis de Icaza, Astrid Hadad, Dobrina Liubomirova, Isabel Benet
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Amazon Video
Roma
A meditative portrait of a domestic worker's journey through adversity in turbulent 1970s Mexico City.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Mexico, United States • 2018
- Director Alfonso Cuarón
- Cast Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Diego Cortina Autrey, Carlos Peralta, Marco Graf, Daniela Demesa
- Genre Drama
- Available on Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, United States • 2004
- Director Alfonso Cuarón
- Cast Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Gary Oldman, David Thewlis, Alan Rickman
- Genre Adventure, Fantasy
- Available on NBC, fuboTV, USA Network, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Max Amazon Channel, Max, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand, AMC on Demand
Gravity
Two astronauts, unable to communicate with Earth after a sudden catastrophe, must survive in space on their own.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, United States • 2013
- Director Alfonso Cuarón
- Cast Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris, Orto Ignatiussen, Phaldut Sharma, Amy Warren
- Genre Drama, Science Fiction, Thriller
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand, AMC on Demand