Being Geek Chic is a blog about one woman navigating the male-dominated industries of production and tech. It's written by Elizabeth Giorgi, Founder, CEO and Director of Mighteor - one of the world's first internet video production companies. Learn more about Mighteor here.
This whole thing started with a mission: support female led films on opening weekend whenever possible.* If you want to read more about why, you can read that post here.
If you caught the SAG Awards last weekend, or even just the speeches from the SAG Awards last weekend, you’ll notice that women had big, bold voices with big, bold messages. It’s a strange time to be a woman, in any profession, not just the entertainment profession. But if one thing can most certainly unite all of us - it’s the notion that women are deserving of the spotlight. The work women are doing is not secondary to the work of men - it’s primary. It’s worthy of attention. And it’s worthy of EVERYONE’S attention.
That’s why I have a new challenge for you this month. If you know a little boy, or even a young man, take him to a movie that was written by, directed by or starring a woman this month. Start to help him understand his role by making him open to the stories of women. That is how we make small changes. That is how we help to make women’s stories EVERYONE’S stories.
FEBRUARY 10:
A United Kingdom (Directed by Amma Usante and Starring Rosamund Pike)
Prince Seretse Khama of Botswana causes an international stir when he marries a white woman from London in the late 1940s.
Running Wild (Starring Sharon Stone and Written by Christina Moore)
The story of a young widow trying to save her ranch following her husband’s fatal car crash. She creates a convict rehabilitation program, working with a herd of wild horses that have wandered onto her property. She did not anticipate the greed, bureaucracy and vanity that she must overcome to heal the convicts, the horses and ultimately herself.
Kedi (Directed by Ceyda Torun)
A profile of an ancient city and its unique people, seen through the eyes of the most mysterious and beloved animal humans have ever known, the Cat.
FEBRUARY 17:
Everybody Loves Somebody (Directed by Catalina Aguilar Mastretta)
On the surface, the young and beautiful Clara Barron seems to have everything- a great job as an OB-GYN; a great house in LA; and a big fun-loving Mexican family. But, the one thing Clara doesn’t have figured out is her love life. Pressured by a family wedding in Mexico, Clara asks a co-worker to pose as her boyfriend for the weekend festivities - only to be caught by surprise when her ex- boyfriend suddenly shows up after disappearing from her life completely.
My Name is Emily (Starring Evanna Lynch)
A teenage girl runs away from a foster home with the boy who loves her. She searches for her visionary writer father who is locked up in a psychiatric institution. It is a story of redemption.
Lovesong (Directed by So Yong Kim)
When an emotionally neglected woman and her best friend go on an impromptu road trip, their bond deepens and intensifies until an abrupt farewell separates them.
American Fable (Directed by Anne Hamilton)
A dark, dreamlike mystery plays out amidst the expansive farmlands of the American Midwest in this wondrous, storybook thriller. With her family’s livelihood imperiled by the farm crisis of the 1980s, eleven-year-old Gitty loses herself in a world of fantasy and make believe. But she stumbles into her own fairytale when she makes a startling discovery: a well-dressed mystery man being held captive in her family’s silo. It’s the beginning of a labyrinthine journey that will turn Gitty’s world upside down and force her to question her loyalty to her own family.
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One additional note before I go: I am not able to tell you if these movies are objectively good or feminist friendly, as I have not seen all of them. The point of this list is to give you a place to start. The truth is that we don’t have a lot to choose from, but part of the battle is giving you the information. Information is power. However, shared knowledge is also key. So if you see one of these films or have seen an early screening, please let us know if you recommend it or not in the comments.
This whole thing started with a mission: support female led films on opening weekend whenever possible.* If you want to read more about why, you can read that post here.
I think I speak for all of us when I say: FINALLY, WE CAN SEE HIDDEN FIGURES. This month proves two things: women aren’t exclusively making movies about love, parenthood and being single. In fact, there isn’t a damn movie in the bunch that wouldn’t surprise you. The diversity of trailers here is a delight to witness, even if you just breeze through them.
With that, let’s all make it a priority to see more women in the movies this year. We won’t make things change - if we don’t show up. So, I’m gonna show up. Are you?
JANUARY 6:
Hidden Figures (Screenplay by Allison Schroeder and Starring Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monáe and Octavia Spencer)
Three brilliant African-American women at NASA – Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson – serve as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn (Glen Powell) into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race and galvanized the world.
Underworld: Blood Wars (Directed by Anna Foerster and Starring Kate Beckinsale)
Death dealer Selene must fend off brutal attacks from both the Lycan clan and the vampire faction that betrayed her. Joining forces with allies David and Thomas, she embarks on a quest to end the eternal war between the two races, even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice.
JANUARY 13:
The Bye, Bye Man (Directed by Stacy Title)
People commit unthinkable acts every day. Time and again, we grapple to understand what drives a person to do such terrible things. But what if all of the questions we’re asking are wrong? What if the cause of all evil is not a matter of what…but who? When three college friends stumble upon the horrific origins of the Bye Bye Man, they discover that there is only one way to avoid his curse: don’t think it, don’t say it. But once the Bye Bye Man gets inside your head, he takes control. Is there a way to survive his possession?
20th Century Women (Starring Annette Bening, Elle Fanning and Greta Gerwig)
In 1979 Santa Barbara, Calif., Dorothea Fields is a determined single mother in her mid-50s who is raising her adolescent son, Jamie, at a moment brimming with cultural change and rebellion. Dorothea enlists the help of two younger women – Abbie, a free-spirited punk artist living as a boarder in the Fields’ home and Julie, a savvy and provocative teenage neighbor – to help with Jamie’s upbringing.
Claire in Motion (Written and Directed by Annie J. Howell, Lisa Robinson)
Three weeks after Claire’s husband mysteriously disappeared, the police end their investigation and her son is beginning to grieve. The only person who hasn’t given up is Claire. Soon, she discovers his troubling secrets, including an alluring yet manipulative graduate student with whom he had formed a close bond. As she digs deeper, Claire begins to lose her grip on how well she truly knew her husband and questions her own identity in the process.
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One additional note before I go: I am not able to tell you if these movies are objectively good or feminist friendly, as I have not seen all of them. The point of this list is to give you a place to start. The truth is that we don’t have a lot to choose from, but part of the battle is giving you the information. Information is power. However, shared knowledge is also key. So if you see one of these films or have seen an early screening, please let us know if you recommend it or not in the comments.
This whole thing started with a mission: support female led films on opening weekend whenever possible.* If you want to read more about why, you can read that post here.
This time of year is an awkward thing: it’s when we are reminded that women don’t win awards in al the big ceremonies - but it’s not because women aren’t making movies - they just aren’t making as many as men. How do we move forward? By voting with our dollars to support the very few films that do feature, star and are written and directed by women at a time when blockbusters are getting all the attention. With that, here’s your December with ladies opening the weekend:
DECEMBER 2:
Things to Come (Directed and Written by Mia Hansen-Løve)
A philosophy teacher soldiers through the death of her mother, getting fired from her job, and dealing with a husband who is cheating on her.
Jackie (Starring Natalie Portman)
Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy fights through grief and trauma to regain her faith, console her children, and define her husband’s historic legacy.
DECEMBER 9:
Miss Sloane (Starring Jessica Chastain)
In the world of political power-brokers, Sloane takes on the most powerful opponent of her career and will do whatever is required to win.
DECEMBER 16:
Rogue One (Starring Felicity Jones)
The Rebellion makes a risky move to steal the plans to the Death Star, setting up the epic saga to follow.
DECEMBER 23:
Julieta (Starring Emma Suárez and Adriana Ugarte)
After a casual encounter, a brokenhearted woman decides to confront her life and the most important events about her stranded daughter.
DECEMBER 30:
Toni Erdmann (Written and Directed by Maren Abe)
A father tries to reconnect with his adult daughter.
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One additional note before I go: I am not able to tell you if these movies are objectively good or feminist friendly, as I have not seen all of them. The point of this list is to give you a place to start. The truth is that we don’t have a lot to choose from, but part of the battle is giving you the information. Information is power. However, shared knowledge is also key. So if you see one of these films or have seen an early screening, please let us know if you recommend it or not in the comments.
This whole thing started with a mission: support female led films on opening weekend whenever possible.* If you want to read more about why, you can read that post here.
The awards season is about to begin while we gorge ourselves on holiday eating. It’s like a double whammy. Endless movies. Endless office cookies. Whatever your gluttony of the day may be, things are looking up for women (slightly) at the box office this month.
NOVEMBER 4:
What Happened Last Night (Directed and Written by Candice Cain)
Two college students, Danny and Sarah, are strangers until they wake up together after a night of partying. Told in reverse time order, the story follows what happened the night before.
NOVEMBER 11:
National Bird (Directed by Sonia Kennebeck)
This documentary follows the dramatic journey of three whistleblowers who are determined to break the silence around one of the most controversial current affairs issues of our time: the secret U.S. drone war.
Arrival (Starring Amy Adams)
Linguistics professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams) leads an elite team of investigators when humongous spaceships touch down in 12 locations around the world. As nations teeter on the verge of global war, Banks and her crew must race against time to find a way to communicate with the extraterrestrial visitors.
NOVEMBER 18:
The Edge of Seventeen (Written and Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig)
Everyone knows that growing up is hard, and life is no easier for high school junior Nadine, who is already at peak awkwardness when her all-star older brother Darian starts dating her best friend Krista. All at once, Nadine feels more alone than ever, until an unexpected friendship with a thoughtful teen gives her a glimmer of hope that things just might not be so terrible after all.
NOVEMBER 23:
Dear Zindagi (Directed by Gauri Shinde and Starring Alia Bhatt)
An unconventional thinker helps a budding cinematographer gain a new perspective on life.
Evolution (Written and Directed by Lucile Hadžihalilović)
In a hospital on an island populated solely by women and boys, Nicholas is subjected to a medical procedure. He senses everyone is lying to him, and with help from a young nurse, he learns the secret of what the women do on the beach at night.
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One additional note before I go: I am not able to tell you if these movies are objectively good or feminist friendly, as I have not seen all of them. The point of this list is to give you a place to start. The truth is that we don’t have a lot to choose from, but part of the battle is giving you the information. Information is power. However, shared knowledge is also key. So if you see one of these films or have seen an early screening, please let us know if you recommend it or not in the comments.
This whole thing started with a mission: support female led films on opening weekend whenever possible.* If you want to read more about why, you can read that post here.
This is late. But it’s better than never. And honestly, can you blame me? It’s been a rough couple of weeks for women at the box office. As in, they are hardly present. Normally, I wouldn’t put movies on this list that are only starring one woman in a principle role, as I’d look for at least two or one other major contribution on the crew, but this month was so paltry, I had to break my own rules.
Since I started doing this a little over a year ago, this is the worst its been. I hope it is never this bad again. Because if there was ever a case for why 7 or 8 movies would be released every weekend and there isn’t even ONE every week for a month that has a woman in a leadership role, then I would like to know what the excuse should be.
OCTOBER 7:
The Girl on the Train (Starring Emily Blunt)
A divorcee becomes entangled in a missing persons investigation that promises to send shockwaves throughout her life.
OCTOBER 14:
Certain Women (Written and Directed by Kelly Reichard and starring Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart and Laura Dern)
The lives of three women intersect in small-town America, where each is imperfectly blazing a trail.
Aquarius (Starring Sonia Braga)
Clara, a 65-year-old widow and retired music critic, vows to live in her apartment until she dies after a developer buys all of the units around her.
OCTOBER 21:
The Whole Truth (Directed by Courtney Hunt and Starring Renée Zellweger)
A defense attorney works to get his teenage client acquitted of murdering his wealthy father.
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One additional note before I go: I am not able to tell you if these movies are objectively good or feminist friendly, as I have not seen all of them. The point of this list is to give you a place to start. The truth is that we don’t have a lot to choose from, but part of the battle is giving you the information. Information is power. However, shared knowledge is also key. So if you see one of these films or have seen an early screening, please let us know if you recommend it or not in the comments.
