Saturday, April 1, 2023

March 2023 Film Watches

A still from Cauleen Smith’s Drylongso (1998).

March was a month mainly comprised of short films— which may be the simplest approach for women filmmakers. Feature-length seems a harder task (more expensive), especially for Black women. 
Last month, Gina Prince-Blythewood said, “Black centered films are the hardest to get made” at the 16th Annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood event and that’s reflected through available choices. 
Recently acquired The World of Wong Kar Wai Collection from the Criterion flash sale and look forward to the release of Barry Jenkins’ Medicine For Melancholy (2008) and Alice Diop’s Saint Omer (2022, still no release date). 

1.) “Emily” (2023) Frances O’Connor #* 7/10

2.) “Pariah” (2012) dee rees *+ 10/10

3.) “Thirst” (2009) Park Chan-wook ^ 8.5/10

4.) “The Stunt Woman” (1996) Ann Hiu #^* 7/10

5.) “The Heroic Trio” (1993) Johnnie To #^ 9/10

6.) “Night Fishing” (2011) Park Chan-wook & Park Chan-kyong #^ 7.7/10

7.) “Judgment” (1999) Park Chan-wook ^ 9/10

8.) “Far North” (2007) Asif Kapadia #^ 3/10

9.) “Yes, Madam” (1985) Corey Heum #^ 6.5/10

10.) “Maya & Her Lover” (2021) Nicole Sylvester #*+ 6/10

11.) “Feathers” (2018) A. V. Rockwell #*+ 8.5/10

12.) “Pillars” (2020) Haley Elizabeth Anderson #^ 9/10

13.) “Amulet” (2020) Romola Garai #* 6/10

14.) “Flowers” (2015) Nikyatu Jusu and Yvonne Michele Shirley *+ 9.5/10

15.) “Black Swan Theory” (2011) Nikyatu Jusu #*+ 7.5/10

16.) “20 Weeks” (2017) Leena Pendharkar #*^ 2/10

17.) “Say Grace Before Drowning” (2010) Nikyatu Jusu *+ 8/10

18.) “African Booty Scratcher” (2007) Nikyatu Jusu *+ 9.5/10

19.) “Suicide By Midnight” (2019) Nikyatu Jusu *+ 10/10

20.) “To Be Free” (2017) Adepero Oduye *+ 9/10

21.) “The Disappearance of Mrs. Wu” (2021) Anna Chi #^* 5/10

22.) “Drylongso” (1998) Cauleen Smith #*+ 9/10

23.) “Fallen Angels” (1995) Wong Kar Wai #^ 7/10

24.) “Chungking Express” (1994) Wong Kar Wai #^ 10/10

25.) “Executioners” (1995) Johnnie To #^ 7.5/10

26.) “Thunder on the Hill” (1951) Douglas Sirk # 9.5/10

27.) “Tortilla Soup” (2001) María Ripoll #*^ 8/10

28.) “Yellow Fever” (2012) Ng’endo Mukii *+ 10/10

29.) “Mtindo”(2018)  Ng’endo Mukii #*+ 7/10

30.) “Rye Lane” (2023) Raine Allen-Miller #*^ 10/10

31.) “My Friend From the Park” (2015) Ana Katz #*^ 4.5/10


# first time watch

*woman filmmaker

*+Black woman filmmaker

^nonwhite filmmaker

Other notes: 22 first time watches, 30 films directed/written by nonwhite filmmakers, and 21 films made by women. April is National Poetry Month and some of my intended film selection will reflect that.

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