Final exam season is underway at universities across the country. This time of year is often extremely busy and exhausting for many students juggling final projects, exams, and a myriad of other school-related activities. Those who enjoy staying caught up on the latest in film and television may find it hard to make time for a trip to the theater or even a movie night with friends. However, the end of the semester is near and summer break is the perfect opportunity to check out the new movies and tv shows set to be released in the coming months, particularly those directed by women. Here are three anticipated female-directed films and television shows that are worth the watch this summer.
Obi-Wan Kenobi - Limited Series
The long-awaited Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries is set to be released on May 27, 2022, on Disney+. Although much of the plot has been kept under wraps, the series is expected to follow Obi-Wan Kenobi’s journey ten years after the events of the Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and lead up to the start of the original trilogy. Much to fans' excitement, Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, and Joel Edgerton will reprise their roles as Obi-Wan, Darth Vader, and Owen Lars respectively. The series is especially groundbreaking as Deborah Chow is the first woman to direct all the episodes of a tv series in the Star Wars franchise. Chow had already made history as Star Wars’ first female director when she directed Chapter 3 and Chapter 7 of the Star Wars television series, the Mandolorian. Both episodes received praise from audiences and Chow’s ability to create unforgettable action scenes while preserving a unique sense of humanity in these sequences makes her the perfect director to tackle Obi-Wan’s story as he reckons with the tragic fall of the Jedi.
Where the Crawdads Sing
Where the Crawdads Sing is a film adaptation of the 2018 New York Times bestselling novel by Delia Owens premiering in theaters on July 15th, 2022. The book has sold over 11 million copies worldwide and tells the story of Kya Clark, a young girl who grows up alone in the fictional town of Barkley Cove, North Carolina, and becomes the suspect in a murder of a local boy named Chase Andrews. The novel explores themes of the natural world, survival, prejudice, and coming of age with a storyline that captivates a wide variety of readers with different tastes according to the New York Times's Alexandra Alter. Kya will be played by Daisy-Edgar Jones who became widely known for her roles in the television adaptation of Normal People and the newly released Hulu film, Fresh. The newly released trailer shows a multitude of captivating wide shots of the marsh and in a recent interview with Vanity Fair, producer Reese Witherspoon shared that Newman has “built a world that you want to move inside of and be a part of.”
The Woman King
Although the Woman King is only set to hit theaters on September 16, 2022, it is worth watching before the fall semester kicks into high gear. The film is directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and features a noteworthy cast including Viola Davis as Naninsca, the leader of an exclusively female military unit in the Kingdom of Dahomey. This film is based on a true story as the Dahomey Kingdom historically arose in West Africa in the 1600s and prevailed for over three hundred years. The Woman King examines the unparalleled power of the real-life female warriors known as The Dahomey Amazons who also served as inspiration for the Dora Milaje in Black Panther. The film depicts the female warriors as the first line of defense against the French military planning to colonize the region and was recently regarded by Davis as her “Magnum Opus” and a testament to the importance of protecting one’s people.
