Artisan Films Starring Strong Women
Since its inception, the AMC Artisan Films program has showcased various movies that have been traditionally overshadowed by major blockbusters and major studio films. These extraordinary films bring a unique vision and perspective to AMC Theatres while also pushing boundaries and sparking conversations that last long after the credits roll, becoming part of the public consciousness in the process.
More times than not, these movies feature strong female characters played by incredible and profoundly talented actresses who make the stories even more engaging and powerful. In the past, we’ve highlighted Academy Award® nominated films like PAST LIVES, POOR THINGS, and KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, all of which are anchored by strong women. With the start of the new year, we now turn our attention to a new trio of titles that exemplify what it means to be an AMC Artisan film.
Come with us as we break down and celebrate these dynamic films and the tremendous performances by strong women who make them that much better.
One of the hidden gem 2024 movies, Ava DuVernay’s ORIGIN could very well be the most impactful and meaningful release of the first stretch of the year. Based on Isabel Wilkerson’s non-fiction book “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents,” this AMC Artisan Film stars Academy Award® nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as the decorated author and journalist as she embarks upon a monumental journey of self-discovery and to better understand how racism has shaped not only history, but also our present and potentially our future.
Ahead of the release of the film that blends drama and documentary film techniques, DuVernay spoke with AMC Theatres and shed further light on the project, her goals with it, and the powerful performance by Ellis-Taylor at the center of the story. Describing the KING RICHARD star as a “singular talent, a singular voice,” the acclaimed filmmaker said the actress fully committed to the role, becoming Isabel Wilkerson in the process.
ORIGIN is playing at AMC Theatres
Andrew Haigh’s ALL OF US STRANGERS has been receiving heaps of praise ever since the romantic fantasy starring Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal as neighbors-turned-lovers opened on the big screen. The latest adaptation of Taichi Yamada’s 1987 novel, “Strangers” – the enchanting tale of love, loss, and new beginnings – follows Scott’s Adam as he travels to his childhood home while working on a screenplay and comes in contact with his mother who died in a car accident 30 years earlier.
Claire Foy, the Golden Globe® winner best known for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II on “The Crown,” takes on the role of Adam’s mom, who looks just as she did when he last saw her all those years earlier. Through these fantastical conversations with his deceased mother, and later father (played by Jamie Bell), Adam opens up about the personal and professional struggles he hasn’t been able to discuss with them all these years. Foy looks especially stunning in the role of spirit making up for lost time and learning about her son, his passions, and the man he has become in her absence.
ALL OF US STRANGERS is playing at AMC Theatres
Jonathan Glazer’s Holocaust film, THE ZONE OF INTEREST, which has been nominated for multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best International Feature Film, could very well be one of the most unsettling and traumatizing big-screen experiences this awards season. However, the historical drama could also be one of the most beautiful and enchanting movies of the year, as strange as that sounds. And a lot of that has to do with Sandra Hüller’s decorated performance.
In the movie, Hüller, who has received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her turn in ANATOMY OF A FALL, takes on the role of Hedwig Höss, the wife of Auschwitz commandant Rudolph Höss (Christian Friedel) as she attempts to build an idyllic life for her family and herself just meters away from the gates of the notorious concentration camp. Though the movie may be difficult to watch considering the subject matter and all, Hüller’s performance is worth seeking out and celebrating.
THE ZONE OF INTEREST is playing at AMC Theatres
These AMC Artisan Films starring strong women join a list of movies like THE COLOR PURPLE, ANATOMY OF A FALL, and THE HOLDOVERS, which can either be enjoyed on the big screen around the country or through the AMC on Demand service. But they won’t be alone, as there are dozens of highly anticipated 2024 movies coming to an AMC Theatres location near you in the coming weeks and months, with more being announced all the time.
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