Uncategorized – Let’s talk about films

LFF2024- review

This year, I had the absolute pleasure of attending London Film Festival in person. It was one of the most valuable experiences of my life. Here, I am going to review every film I saw in order, and then pick my award winners. i spent a wonderful 9 days at the festival, and then saw Andrea Arnold’s Bird a few days after returning at the Broadway Cinema in Nottingham.

1. Steve McQueen’s Blitz

I unfortunately missed the Gala screening for Blitz, and instead saw it on the 10th October at BFI Southbank. I was pleased to see the screening full, and the level of excitement in the room. My LFF journey was about to begin!

Blitz is probably my favourite of McQueen’s films since Shame. It is powered by such a pure love for humanity and the multi-cultural community of London. New comer Elliott Heffernan leads with confidence and vulnerability. Saoirse Ronan is wonderful in a rare supporting role, and her singing scenes are a force of nature. The film’s original song ‘Winter’s Coat’ is simply beautiful, and expertly performed by Ronan. Overall, why the film might be considered too sprawling by some, I found myself adoring Blitz. It has something new and valuable to add to the war movie genre.

Bella’s rating: 4.5/5

2. Conclave dir. Edward Berger

I was lucky enough to attend the 10th October Gala for Conclave, and hear from the brilliant cast and crew.

I went into this film somewhat apprehensively: having not read the book, I assumed it to be simply another religious drama, which I have no real interest in. I was, therefore, pretty blown away by the sheer drama happening here. Cardinals arguing, being petty and sabotaging each other all in an effort to become the new pope. The constant twists and turns captivated me, and the final reveal delighted me so very much. Ralph Fiennes will surely get his overdue Oscar nomination for this, but the performance I loved most was Carlos Diehz as Benitez. A solid drama that you won’t want to miss.

Bella’s rating: 4/5

3. Emilia Perez, dir. Jacques Audiard

Emilia Perez is one of the most uniquely brilliant films you will ever see. It feels like we’ve been lacking in original musicals for a long time now, but this film will reignite your passion. It has to be seen to be believed.

Every performance in this film is spectacular: it is lead by a superb turn by Karla Sofia Gascon, and supporting turns from Zoe Saldana, Selana Gomez and Adriana Paz. Saldana is the best for me, as she delivers the best performance of her accomplished career. I think it’s about time she gets that Oscar nomination, and even the win.

Emilia Perez is full of fun and brilliant original songs, my favourite being El Mal, performed by Saldana and Gascon. Try and see it in cinemas before its Netflix release, if you can.

Bella’s rating: 4.5/5 stars

4. Anora, dir Sean Baker

Take all of the hype you’ve heard about Anora, and multiply it by ten. That’s how brilliant it is.

I was lucky enough to see it twice at LFF, the first being the Gala screening as i grabbed a last minute ticket. The atmosphere in the festival hall was incomparable to anything I’ve ever seen or felt. Two thousand people crying with laughter and interacting with the film on levels I have never seen before.

Sean Baker’s films have gotten better and better over the years, and it feels like he’s hit his magnum opus with this. His writing has never been funnier or had more heart. Mikey Madison delivers a star making turn that is sure to win her many awards. It’s impossible not to fall in love with Ani. The supporting cast, comprised of Yura Borisov, Mark Eydelshteyn, Karren Karagulian and Vache Tovmasyan provide more laughs than any cast has before. It would be easy to fill the best supporting actor category with just Anora’s actors!

I saw it once again in a packed festival hall on the morning of the 15th, and the reactions were much the same. This is sure to be an audience favourite of the festival, as it is mine.

Bella’s rating, 5/5

5. The Piano Lesson, dir. Malcolm Washington

Some plays are simply not meant to be adapted for the screen, and this is sadly one of them. It felt caged, and the performances (other than Deadwyler’s) suited for the stage. It also felt, tonally, more like a horror than a family drama, which is not something I expected or wanted from it.

Danielle Deadwyler is fantastic, but most other aspects of the film simply didn’t work for me. I felt trapped in too small of a space.

Bella’s rating: 2.5/.5

6. The Wild Robot, Chris Sanders

This film has the most emotional maturity I have ever seen from an animated film targeted at kids. I sobbed throughout.

The animation team craft some of the most stunning visuals I have ever seen, and the incredibly talented voice cast bring these characters to life. Lupita N’yongo as Roz is the greatest voice work I have ever heard. The thought and care she puts into the character’s emotional journey is evident throughout. This film deserves to not only win Animated Feature, but make it into the Best Picture line up. It is brilliant.

Bella’s rating: 4.5/5

7. A Real Pain, dir. Jesse Eisenberg

A Real Pain was a gut-punch. All too familiar in its perfect portrayal of depression, and brought together by Kieran Culkin in one of the best supporting performances of the year. We all know someone like Benji. A lot of us are Benji. A lot of us are David.

The film’s ensemble work beautifully together, it’s great to see Jennifer Gray in a new, critically acclaimed movie!

A Real Pain is definitely worth your time. It’s simple, but so very effective. I was so lucky to attend the gala presentation!

Bella’s rating: 4/5

8. I’m Still Here dir. Walter Salles

Salles’ true and devastating political drama is lead by a brilliant performance from Fernanda Torres, who sets it apart from convention. Each young actor playing one of her children is so devastatingly convincing, you feel this family’s grief in real time.

See this on the big screen if you can, preferably with someone to discuss it with afterwards. And pack tissues!

Bella’s rating: 4/5

9. Hard Truths dir. Mike Leigh

Unfortunately, I walked out of Mike Leigh’s newest film feeling somewhat deflated and disappointed. Jean-Baptiste is great, but the story tried to cover too much. I would have much preferred a more focused character study on Pansy, and felt focus on her nieces and husband were unnecessary and made the film feel longer than it was.

Be sure to see this film and form your own opinion! It was brilliant to see all of the cast at the gala screening.

Bella’s rating: 3/5

10. Nickel Boys dir. RaMell Ross

Nickel Boys is unlike anything you’ve seen before. Shot almost entirely in subjective, alternating between Elwood and Turner’s points of view, it tells the story of young black boys in a reform school, where they are beaten and abused. Its performances are magnificent and devastating, and Aunjaneu Ellis-Taylor’s performance is small, but impactful.

This film is not to be missed.

Bella’s rating: 4.5/5

11. The Seed of the Sacred Fig dir. Mohammad Rasoulof

So politically relevant, it is devastating and infuriating to watch. It is set in Tehran around the time protests surrounding women’s rights intensifies. An investigating judge, who makes a cruel father, suspects his daughters’ involvement in protests and the robbery of his gun. His paranoia intensifies, and he begins to torment his family.

The film has a satisfying conclusion, whilst also reminding you that the fight for freedom is ongoing. A film that you won’t want to miss.

Bella’s rating: 4/5

12. Nightbitch, dir. Marielle Heller

In all honesty, I’m still not entirely sure what I thought of Nightbitch. Amy Adams was brilliant, but the film itself would have benefitted from a more serious approach. I have not read the book yet, but many fans of it have complained about the change in tone. A body horror approach would have been much better than the final product, which felt far too light hearted for the subject of post-partum depression.

Bella’s rating: 3/5

13. The Apprentice dir. Ali Abbasi

I was absolutely delighted by how good this film was, it was such a surprise to me!

It has been described as a supervillain origin story, but its so much more than that. We see Donald Trump for who he really is, and what he came from. It exposes his hypocrisy, particularly on subjects like gay rights, and his treatment of women. Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong are fantastic, and Maria Bakalova shines in the limited screen time she has. This should be a big awards contender, and I’ll be extremely disappointed if it isn’t.

Bella’s rating: 4.5/5

14. Queer dir. Luca Guadagnino

Luca Guadagnino’s Queer is a triumph in film making. It manages to adapt the unadaptable.

It does not shy away from sexual scenes at all, choosing to linger on them for the entire duration, rather than cut away. Daniel Craig delivers his bravest performance yet, and Drew Starkey’s supporting role will surely catapult him to stardom.

It feels like Guadagnino’s most personal work yet, and pushes the boundaries of reality and film making. The final third is so very intimate, it gets under your skin and will remain there forever.

Bella’s rating: 5/5

15. Maria dir. Pablo Larrain

Maria was, unfortunately, quite disappointing to me. Outside of its beautiful costumes and scenery, it has very little to say. Unlike Spencer and Jackie, it loses its focus and does little more than visually impress. When she’s acting, Jolie is incredible, but her lip-syncing ruins the musical scenes. Why not get someone who can actually do the singing? It feels like Larrain went for status, rather than authenticity.

Bella’s rating: 3/5

16. Bird dir. Andrea Arnold

Unfortunately, I had returned home by the time this screened in London, but luckily I made it to my local cinema’s LFF screening on the 21st, so didn’t miss out entirely. Bird is a beautiful film that explores puberty, comparing it to a sort of animalistic transformation. Bailey is a 12 year old girl with a young father, and a mother whose new boyfriend is abusive. She meets the whimsical and mysterious Bird (Franz Rogowski) after spending the night in a horse field, and they embark on a series of adventures together.

Arnold’s newest is simply beautiful. Its magical realism themes work perfectly with the subject matter of poverty.

Bella’s rating: 4/5

My Award Winners:

I will now pick my favourites from a few different categories as follows

Best Film: Anora

Best Director: Luca Guadagnino

Best Actress: Mikey Madison, Anora

Best Actor: Daniel Craig and Sebastian Stan (tie0

Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldana, Emilia Perez

Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain

Original Screenplay: Anora

Adapted Screenplay: Queer

Cinematography: Nickel Boys

International: Emilia Perez

Editing: Anora

Production Design: Queer

Costume design: Maria

Makeup: The Apprentice

Original Score: The Wild Robot

Original Song: El Mal, Emilia Perez

Alumni-Bella Hunter

When I graduated from David Nieper Academy in 2021, I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do as a profession. For my A Levels, I just picked subjects I knew I was passionate about: English Literature and Geography, which I had taken for GCSEs, and a new subject, Film Studies.

Film quickly became my favourite subject at Bilborough College, and I finally found what I wanted to do with my life. The script writing part of the course felt like I finally found my purpose. My knowledge of creative writing from my GCSEs fit perfectly together with my passion for film and I began creating short scripts outside of college too.

Studying writer-director focused films for my A Levels lead me to want to direct the scripts I had written too, taking heavy inspiration from La La Land’s director Damien Chazelle and other auteur directors.

Being a woman in the film industry can be very difficult, but having a female teacher as well as many women taking the course with me allowed me to build a network of women who also wanted to make films. Having like minded people around you is the most helpful way to face challenges like this. After leaving college I joined up with ‘Women in Film and Television’ who support women in this industry and run special events like Q&As with huge stars, which I have attended on various occasions. These include a BAFTA Q&A of ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ with Lily Gladstone, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Cate Blanchett, as well as Q&As with Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore and a ‘Saltburn’ Q&A with Emerald Fennell and Alison Oliver.

Cate Blanchett, Lily Gladstone and Leonardo DiCaprio

These events helped me to make friends in the industry, as well as building strong connections to London. These opportunities didn’t just stop at Q&As: I eventually had the privilege of attending a Luncheon event where I was able to meet Academy Award Nominee Lily Gladstone. To me, she proves that we can defy all odds against us to succeed in this industry, and is my favourite working actress.

After college, I decided not to pursue further education and entered straight into film making. Over the summer I gained valuable experience as a Production Assistant on local short films. Then, in autumn, I began shooting my own short films with my younger brother Jude. We fundraised for our budgets and entered various film festivals, which was a very valuable experience. Our Sci-Fi short film ‘Asteroid Shower’ even won an award for Best Mobile Short!

In May 2024, I was contacted about working as a Production Assistant on a feature film, which would shoot in Kent. It starred some familiar names, which was nerve wracking as I was very much a beginner in the industry. I accepted what would be my first paid opportunity, and spent a challenging three weeks in Maidstone, working 12 hours a day, with 6 night shifts.

Once I was back home, I went straight into developing my next short film, ‘Adverse Utopia’ which would be my first to use a crew. This was incredibly exciting, and my brother and I wrote it together, with him as the starring role. For my crew, I called on friends from college to create an all-female crew and help them to get their first work experiences and get their foot in the door of the world of film making. We shot the film over a weekend in June in Alfreton, and I hope to shoot many more films here in the future.

My journey after leaving David Nieper Academy has taken me all over the country, to places I never dreamed I could reach with people I never thought I could meet. Getting into the film industry is challenging, but I managed to prove that people from this area CAN do it with hard work. This journey of perseverance started at school, even though I hadn’t yet studied film, and the connections I made there with great people and caring teachers will help me forever.

In terms of next steps, I want to help others to make films with my newly set up independent production company, Iced Coffee Films. I aspire to eventually direct my own feature films whose screenplays I am already working on, and continue to use the friends I have now as crew. I believe that Derbyshire can and should be a film making hub, and I’ll continue to shoot my films here in the hope that I can help it get there.

My advice to current students would be to follow your aspirations no matter how out of reach they may feel, and look to others with similar backgrounds to yourself for guidance on how to get there. Work hard and make friends, and you’ll always have people willing to support you on your journey.

Bella Hunter, film maker

My Top 30 Films of 2023

2023 has been the most exceptional year in my memory for films, as I have found myself loving so many of the releases. Here, I will count down my top 30 releases, with reasoning behind why I love each so much.

30. How To Have Sex dir. Molly Manning Walker

Molly Manning Walker’s feature film debut as director starring BAFTA rising star nominee Mia McKenna-Bruce is a powerful and devastating look into consent and sex culture on teen holidays. I will lucky enough to see this in October at LFF at Broadway Cinema, Nottingham, and I have been thinking about it since. Its 3 BAFTA nominations are incredibly well deserved.

29. Of An Age dir. Goran Stolevski

Of An Age is a heartfelt and tender coming of age romance that spans over a 24 hour period. It’s unique approach to story telling has remained with me since watching back in August, and will remain with me for much longer. A true hidden gem that I can’t recommend enough.

28. Rye Lane dir. Raine Allen-Miller

Allen-Miller’s 2 time BAFTA nominated romantic comedy is without a doubt one of the best rom-coms of all time. Set amongst the bustling crowds of South London, the story follows Dom and Yes as they meet by chance and spend the day together.

27. Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse

A real triumph in not just animation, but film as a medium. Joaquin Dos Santos and Justin K. Thompson, as well as the whole team, blur the lines of what a film can be a look like. An impressive film that musty be witnessed on the biggest possible screen.

26. Nimona dir. Troy Quane and Nick Bruno

Nimona is a trail blazer for queer representation in animation and kids media. And it holds a fantastic come back story, after being dropped by Disney and acquired by Netflix. Now, Nimona is a nominee for best Animated Feature at the 2024 Academy Awards.

25. Fair Play dir. Chloe Domont

A powerful and shocking drama that is somehow Domont’s feature debut, Fair Play examines power dynamics and whether having a higher position at work actually gives a woman a power advantage over a man.

24. Scrapper dir. Charlotte Regan

A hilarious and heartwarming film that follows the life of 12 year old Georgie after her mum dies and her absent father unexpectedly returns into her life.

23. The Iron Claw dir. Sean Durkin

The Iron Claw is the devastating story of the Von Erich brothers who were famous in Texas for their wrestling. It is an incredibly emotional story of pressure and grief, and Zac Efron delivers a powerful lead performance as Kevin Von Erich.

22. Bottoms dir. Emma Seligman

Bottoms is without a doubt the teen comedy of the decade. Emma Seligman crafts two unbelievably hilarious lesbian main characters who create a fight club to get close to their cheerleading crushes. Aye Edebiri and Rachel Sennott are incredible as the leads.

21. Godzilla Minus One dir. Takashi Yamazaki

Godzilla Minus One has hit the headlines recently for being the first ever Oscar nominated Godzilla film, for visual effects. It is both an incredible action film and grounded in an emotional core storyline, combining to be a truly excellent film.

20. Monster dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda

Kore-eda’s newest film is, like all of his films such as 2022’s Broker, a tenderly made film that deals with heavy political and social issues. Queerness is a main theme here, and this film encourages people to treat both visibly queer kids and those who may be more closeted with respect.

19. American Fiction dir. Cord Jefferson

Nominated for 5 Oscars including best actor and supporting actor (Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K Brown), American Fiction is a hilarious and brutal racial satire that pokes fun at the literary world. Jeffrey Wright has deserved this kind of recognition his entire career, and it’s wonderful to finally see him shine this way.

18. Rotting in the Sun dir. Sebastian Silva

Rotting in the Sun is hilarious, anxiety inducing, queer and unlike any film you’ve seen before. It hasn’t received the recognition it deserves, especially in terms of Catalina Saavedra’s incredible supporting performance. Watch it on MUBI now, if you haven’t already.

17. A Thousand and One dir. A.V. Rockwell

A Thousand and One is one of the most powerfully moving films of the entire year, and Teyana Taylor’s powerhouse performance is one for the ages. An absolute must watch, and a real teal jerker that I was so lucky to have experienced in cinemas.

16. Afire dir. Christian Petzold

Afire is a film that I haven’t stopped thinking about since experiencing army local indie cinema (Broadway Nottingham). Lead by a pretentious writer, his friend, and the woman they’re sharing the holiday home with, Afire follows the now meaningless dramas that come before a devastating wildfire that changes their lives forever.

15. The Zone of Interest dir. Jonathan Glazer

One of the most vital but depressing watches of the year, this film follows the family of a nazi officer living next to Auschwitz, who are more concerned by simple family problems than the horrors happening so close to them. I’m not sure I could stomach watching it a second time, but it’s a must watch. It has recieved 5 Oscar nominations including best picture and best director.

14. Priscilla dir. Sofia Coppola

Coppola’s latest is perhaps her best film yet, as it follows a young Priscilla Presley as she is first noticed by Elvis at age 14, all the way to their separation. Cailee Spaeny plays Priscilla perfectly, translating both her innocence and determination to the screen. I was lucky enough to experience this on 35mm, an experience I’ll treasure forever.

13. The Holdovers

The Holdovers feels like a film plucked straight from the 1970s. It features career best performances from Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Paul Giamatti, that earned them both Oscar nominations, and an impressive debut from youngster Dominic Tessa. It is sure to become a Christmas classic for years to come.

12. May December dir. Todd Haynes

Haynes’ latest film May December perhaps hit too close to home for Academy voters, receiving only one nomination for Samy Burch’s original screenplay. It explores the lengths actors will go to to deliver a realistic performance, spending time with even the most evil of people. Charles Melton’s incredible supporting performance earned him a Gotham award, but unfortunately not the Oscar nomination.

11. Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning

Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise have once again collaborated on one of the greatest action films of all time, and Dead Reckoning has finally made Mission: Impossible an Oscar nominated franchise. Perfect and entertaining in every way.

10. All of Us Strangers dir. Andrew Haigh

One of Britain’s greatest auteurs Andrew Haigh delivers an utterly heartbreaking, yet healing, film about grief and sexuality. Andrew Scott leads with Paul Mescal as his love interest and Jamie Bell and Claire Foy as his long dead parents, that revisit him as he begins to write a screenplay.

9. Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret.

This is the coming of age film you wish you’d had at 11 years old. It validates the complicated feelings girls go through during puberty, whilst also handling the sensitive subject of religion and right to choose. Set in the early 1970s, the film stars Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates and Benny Safdie. It is an absolute delight from start to finish.

8. Oppenheimer dir. Christopher Nolan

Coming into 2024 with a massive 13 Oscar nominations, Oppenheimer is a film that has been non-stop discussed and widely regarded as Nolan’s magnum opus. It is an incredible film detailing the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer and the creation of the atom bomb, and its switches between black and white and colour add to the already gorgeous cinematography.

7. Past Lives dir. Celine Song

As unbelievable as it might seem, Past Lives is director Celine Song’s debut feature film. It has been nominated for both best original screenplay and best picture at the 2024 oscars, and is a quiet and contained masterpiece. Greta Lee and Ted Yoo’s performances are full of yearning, and John Magaro is just delightful as Arthur, Nora (Lee’s) husband.

6. Poor Things dir. Yorgos Lanthimos

Emma Stone delivers her best performance since her Oscar winning turn in La La Land, as a reanimated corpse on a journey of self discovery. Poor Things is brave and unapologetic in its portrayal of sex and sexuality, and is full of wonderful supporting performances from the likes of Mark Ruffalo, Willem Defoe, and Ray Youssef.

5. Perfect Days dir. Wim Wenders

Wim Wenders delivers yet another masterpiece, and this time it’s set in Japan. Perfect Days follows the everyday life of a toilet cleaner (Koji Yakusho) as he goes about his daily routines and helps people along the way. This film finds the joy in every day life, and is truly gorgeous to watch. It has been nominated for best International feature film at the oscars, representing Japan.

4. Saltburn dir. Emerald Fennell

You’ve probably heard about Saltburn after its arrival to Prime Video in December, as a sort of cultural phenomenon has happened all over the internet. Talked about for its shock value and, well, Jacob Elordi, this phenomenon somewhat brushes over what an incredible film it really is. Fennell’s storytelling ability shines, and paired with stunning cinematography by Linus Sandgren as well as engrossing production design on the whole, what I would call a masterpiece emerges. It is an absolute must watch for lovers of cinema.

3. Anatomy of a Fall dir. Justine Triet

Anatomy of a Fall has just been nominated for an impressive 5 oscars including best director, which is even more impressive considering that it was not France’s submission for international feature film. Sandra Huller delivers an incredible leading performance as a mother accused of killing her husband. It is a commentary on the treatment of women by the justice system and the public as a result.

2. Barbie dir. Greta Gerwig

Everyone has heard about this film. It has been a cultural phenomenon that has changed the game for women in film, and has just received 8 Oscar nominations, including best picture. Barbie was not just a film about dolls, it spoke to me deeply about the female experience as a whole.

1. Killers of the Flower Moon dir. Martin Scorsese

The utterly uncontested film of the year for me is Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. It tells the story of the Osage murders that were committed by white colonisers in order to gain head rights to oil blessed land. It keeps the conversation about genocide, and tells an important story that is often left out of history books. The film is lead by the incredible Lily Gladstone, who has just been nominated for best actress. She is the heart of the film and out performs Oscar winners Robert Deniro and Leonardo DiCaprio.

And that concludes my 2023 film of the year count down. Thank you for reading, I hope that this list gives you some more films to watch!

Women In Film-2023 Roundup

2023 has been a historic year for women in film, with the highest grossing film of the year being directed by a woman and catered towards women in particular (Barbie, dir. Greta Gerwig).

Here I will discuss some of the most stand out moments for women in film from 2023, and think about what 2024 can do better.

Barbie Dir. Greta Gerwig

It would be impossible to discuss women in film in 2023 without discussing Barbie. The film took the world by storm, grossing 1.446 billion dollars at the world wide box office.

Barbie had children and adults alike dressing up in all pink and heading to cinemas, and was a real celebration of womanhood. It lead to discussions about what it means to be a woman, such as the heart felt TikTok trend making videos about girlhood to Billie Eilish’s What Was I Made For?

The film was (co) written by and directed by Gerwig, and starred a cast of brilliant women including Margot Robbie, America Ferrera, Harry Nef, Sharon Rooney and Issa Rae. The poignant monologue performed by America Ferrera’s character Gloria perfectly encapsulates the difficulties of being a woman, and having such a female focused film as the biggest of 2023 is a triumph all round.

Saltburn dir. Emerald Fennell

It seems that everyone is talking about Saltburn after its Christmas arrival to Prime Video, and its surge to 1 million logs on Letterboxd makes it one of the year’s biggest films. An incredible achievement for yet another film written and directed by a woman.

Saltburn is a daring, dark yet beautiful film that benefits massively from its director’s vision. The male leads Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi are magnificent, but the female supporting cast (Rosamund Pike and Alison Oliver) create humour and depth perfectly. This film is clearly made by a visionary female director, and to me feels like a film only a woman could make.

Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret.

Margaret is a triumph in female focused cinema, and a much needed look at female puberty that I would have done anything to have had in my tween years. It cannot be overstated how valuable this film is, and how much it will help young girls work through their complicated feelings.

Kelly Freeman Craig flawlessly adapts the much loved Judy Blume classic, and Abby Ryder Fortson and Rachel McAdams make a perfect mother-daughter duo in Margaret and Barbara Simon. Are you their God? It’s me Margaret. is essential viewing and one of the best films of 2023.

Past Lives dir. Celine Song

Celine Song’s feature debut is nothing short of a perfect film. Her artistic vision and skilful writing creates a film that feels like poetry, or a warm hug from a loves one. Greta Lee absolutely shines as Nora Moon, in a subtle yet powerful performance. This film has earned nominations almost everywhere, and is another example of 2023 as a historical year for women in film.

Anatomy of a Fall dir. Justine Triet

Yet another masterpiece of cinema directed and (co) written by a woman, Anatomy of a fall contemplates a woman’s innocence in the death of her husband.

It examines the treatment of women by the public and justice systems, and is much needed in a society where people like Amber Heard are still laughed at and bullied in court. Director Justine Triet has been making films that focus on women’s experiences for years (eg. Sibyl, In Bed With Victoria) and it is a triumph that 2023 has finally lead to one of her films being widely recognised as a masterpiece.

Bottoms dir. Emma Seligman

Bottoms is the comedy of the year, perhaps even the decade. After all, every decade has its teen comedy, and there are no other contenders for the 2020s so far.

Director Emma Seligman creates an effortlessly hilarious female led comedy, whose main premise is ‘lesbian fight club’. The leads Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott are utterly brilliant here, working with the ensemble cast to create one of the best films of the year.

Fair Play dir. Chloe Domont

Domont’s feature film debut examines relationship dynamics and how they are affected by work place dynamics. Lead Phoebe Dynevor delivers an Oscar worthy performance, that is utterly daring. She proves herself as an actress to look out for.

Mollie Burkhart-Killers of The Flower Moon

The most powerful women in film of 2023 haven’t only emerged from films directed by women, as proven with Lily Gladstone’s magnificent performance in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon.

Gladstone plays real life Osage woman Mollie Burkhart, whose entire family was killed in a murderous plot from her husband’s family to steal the Osage’s headrights and claims to oil money. Their performance is devastating, and if it were up to me, would earn her a best actress Oscar.

Gladstone’s portrayal is so powerful that she outshines her Oscar winning co-stars Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio. However, Gladstone’s native female co stars are also forces to be reckoned with (Cara Jade Myers as her sister Anna and Tantoo Cardinal as her mother Lizzie). Even though it is about the suffering of the Osage nation, powerful women emerge.

How To Have Sex dir. Molly Manning Walker

How to Have Sex is both written and directed by a woman (Molly Manning Walker) and starring a powerhouse trio of actresses, Mia-McKenna Bruce, Lara Peake and Enva Lewis. It explores the toxic sex culture of teen holidays, as the group of 15/16 year olds travel to Crete and pretend to be older than they are. McKenna Bruce’s character Tara experiences rape, which ruins what should have been a great experience.

Priscilla dir. Sofia Coppola

In Sofia Coppola’s newest and most poignant film yet, we follow a 14 year old Priscilla Presley as she is groomed by her Elvis into a life in the spotlight. It is a deeply uncomfortable watch that sheds light on the often overlooked, darker side of the King. Cailee Spaeny is magnificent at capturing 10+ years of Priscilla’s life, transforming from schoolgirl to the mother and wife that she is known for today. A true triumph in female film making.

A Thousand and One dir. A.V. Rockwell

Rockwell feature film debut features a powerhouse performance from its lead actress Teyana Taylor that leaves you thinking about this layered and complex character for months after watching. She is quite unlike any character put to screen before, and I can only recommend watching the film yourself in order to recognise the magnificently complex portrayal of motherhood, especially as a black woman.

Showing Up dir. Kelly Reichardt

Reichardt and Michelle Williams team up for yet another quietly fantastic film. Joining the cast is the wonderful Hong Chau, who plays the rather annoying but endlessly magnetic Jo. Reichardt is a veteran of her genre and continues to pave the way for women in independent film making.

Pretty Red Dress dir. Dionne Edwards

Pretty Red Dress is another wonderful examination of masculinity through the lens of a female film maker. Starring Nate Jones and Alexandra Burke, as well as the fantastic youngster Temilola Olatunbosun, Pretty Red Dress follows a father as he is released from prison and becomes interested in cross dressing in his wife’s red dress.

Mary Lamb, The Holdovers

The always wonderful Da’Vine Joy Randolph is finally getting the praise she deserves for her widely awarded turn as a grieving mother in The Holdovers. She portrays Mary with such complexity and emotion, and seems to be the front runner for best supporting actress at this years Oscars.

It would, however, be irresponsible to talk about the Holdovers in an article uplifting women and not mention the sexual misconduct allegations against its director Alexander Payne. I love this tender film and its heart Mary Lamb deeply, but I feel I must acknowledge this issue.

May December dir. Todd Haynes

No, I have not made a mistake, I am aware that Todd Haynes is not a woman, but I feel that the problematic leading ladies of May December played by Julienne Moore and Natalie Portman need to be discussed here.

To me, this is a near perfect film that examines the women that we might not want to believe exist. These two aren’t here because of girl power, but because they’re the women we should strive not to be. This is an examination of women in film, the great ones and the awful ones.

The Women of Mission Impossible-Dead Reckoning

Here we have my personal favourite franchise of all time, and its newest addition features some pretty awesome women.

Hayley Atwell’s pick pocketing character is the core of the plot, bad ass villain Paris (played by Pom Klementieff) becomes not such a villain in a brilliant change of events, academy award nominee Vanessa Kirby is quite simply perfect as White Widow, and Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust remains the coolest woman in action film history. All I ask of part 2 is to keep these awesome women coming!

Bella Baxter- Poor Things

Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest collaboration Poor Things is a story of female empowerment and sexual liberation, all within the package of a near-ridiculous fantasy. Bella Baxter is already an iconic character, who, in similar ways to Barbie, has made women all over the world feel liberated in their own skin.

Rye Lane dir. Raine Allen-Miller

Allen-Miller’s Rye Lane is the rom-com of the year by a country mile, and it is directed by, and starring, a black woman.

Lead actress Vivian Oparah is sensation in this BAFTA long listed performance, working with her director to create a beautifully healthy on screen relationship, that seems so alien in a world of toxic 2000s rom-coms. A real triumph for women in film.

Scrapper dir. Charlotte Regan

Scrapper follows a young girl, Lola Campbell, as she lives independently following her young mother’s death. Her life is turned upside down when her absent father, Harris Dickinson, returns to her life.

Scrapper is directed by a woman, Regan, and is the story of a young woman thrust into adulthood too soon. It is the type of mature complexity that even the greatest actors can struggle with, yet child actor Lola Campbell succeeds tremendously.

The Color Purple

2023’s musical adaptation of The Color Purple is a film that I feel would have massively benefited from a female director, but it still succeeds through the raw performances of its lead actresses. The thing that stands out especially to me is Celie (Fantasia Barrino) and Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson’s) relationship.

This adaptation is much more explicit about their romantic relationship but could have still taken it further. The Color Purple is a female led tale of healing and forgiveness, and is one of the most complex portrayals of womanhood 2023 has to offer.

The Unknown Country dir. Morrisa Maltz

This brilliant indie is another example that features Lily Gladstone (can you tell they’ve become my favourite actor this year?). The Unknown Country is directed by a woman, Marissa Maltz, and stars a grieving woman Tana (Gladstone). Lily Gladstone won the Gotham award for best lead performance in 2023 for this film.

Polite Society dir. Nida Manzoor

Polite Society is perhaps one of the most underrated gems of British cinema in 2023. Both directed by a woman and starring a cast of exciting female talent, Polite Society bends genres, somehow being a family drama, comedy and fantasy all at once. The fantastical laws of ninja movies are present here, and it is just so much fun.

There are plenty more brilliant examples of women in film from 2023 that I simply haven’t had time to touch on, such as Annette Bening and Jodie Foster in Nyad, Frybread Face in Frybread Face and Me and Jagna in The Peasants.