5 Female-Directed Films to Look Forward to this Year
Image by Jon Tyson via Unsplash
By Lauren Crookston
2023 has already had some gems from female directors this year with entries such as Aftersun, Rye Lane and, yes, even Cocaine Bear. Thus, let’s hope this year continues as it began in terms of great cinema by taking a look at female-directed films I’m looking forward to seeing this year.
1. Bottoms
Emma Seligman returns after her fantastic debut in 2018 with Shiva Baby with another film starring Rachel Sennot as its queer protagonist. The film doesn’t yet have a trailer but the synopsis of the story about two unpopular queer girls who found a fight club with the ulterior motives of losing their virginities definitely sounds interesting to say the least. The film was well received upon its premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in March and I think it’s safe to say it’s going to be an unmissable admission to queer cinema.
2. Nightbitch
Adapted from Rachel Yoder’s 2021 novel of the same name, Marielle Heller (Diary of a Teenage Girl, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood) allegedly had film rights before the book was even published. Nightbitch will star Amy Adams as the stay-at-home mum who fears that she is becoming a dog. Its bizarre premise might seem ridiculous, but the book makes poignant statements on motherhood and modern feminism through its obscurity. The film does not have a trailer or release date, but it is estimated that it will premiere some time towards the end of the year.
3. Joy Ride
Joy Ride will mark Adele Lim’s directorial debut, starring Stephanie Hsu as Kat (Everything Everywhere All at Once) and Ashley Park as Audrey (Emily in Paris, Beef) with the premise of four Asian-American friends journeying through China in search of Audrey’s birth mother. The trailer makes it seem as though it’s going to a raunchy comedy in the same vein as a classic Seth Rogan romp, who coincidentally is signed on as producer. It’s always nice to see a female-led comedy but going off the initial reviews following its premiere at SXSW, it’s going to be one you won’t want to miss.
4. You Hurt My Feelings
You Hurt My Feelings is veteran Nicole Holofcener’s sixth feature film, and is a comedy-drama about a writer who overhears her husband saying that he doesn’t like her new book. The film looks as though it will be a light-hearted look at marriage and relationships and the white-lies spouses tell each other to keep the peace. It will star Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld, Veep) as it’s protagonist and is scheduled to release in May this year.
5. Barbie
The last entry on this list surely needs no introduction. Greta Gerwig is following up on her first two brilliant solo-directed projects (Little Women, Ladybird) by tackling the titan that is adapting one of the world’s most iconic and beloved brands into a feature film. Starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling alongside a huge ensemble of massive names, Barbie is easily one of the most anticipated films of the year. The trailer and marketing have been very careful as to not give too much away about the actual plot, however going off the aesthetic alone, I think it’s safe to say that Mattel have put their intellectual property in good hands. Barbie is set to release on the 21st of July, a date which I’m sure everyone already has in their calendars.