June 2022 Film Preview

From first crushes to mature flings, coming-of-age stories set in the U.S. and abroad, and an Afrofuturist musical, June has plenty to offer everyone.

Genre pics lead the pack. June 3 marks the release of sci-fi “Neptune Frost” and thriller “Watcher.” The former, helmed by Anisia Uzeyman and Saul Williams, charts the journeys of two people destined to lead a revolution, and the latter, co-written and directed by Chloe Okuno, follows an actress who becomes convinced that she’s being stalked by a serial killer after she and her boyfriend move to Bucharest.

In an off-beat tale about faith, grief, and first love, Olivia Peace’s “Tahara” (June 10) features two teens navigating crushes and sexual revelations after a former classmate dies by suicide. Meanwhile, Rebeca Huntt, an Afro-Latina living in New York City, turns the camera on herself and her family in doc “Beba” (June 24).

Jennifer Lopez offers an intimate look behind the scenes of her extraordinary life as an international superstar in Amanda Micheli’s “Halftime” (June 14). The “Hustlers” actress also toplines “Shotgun Wedding” (June 29), a comedy about a destination wedding that goes horribly awry.

Emma Thompson-starrer “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” launches on Hulu June 17. Directed by Sophie Hyde and written by Katy Brand, the Sundance film follows a retired school teacher and widow who hires a sex worker to explore her sexual desires. Also slated for release that date is “Bitterbrush,” Emelie Mahdavian’s documentary about two women range riders who herd cattle in the remote Idaho countryside. “Vedette” (June 24), a documentary from Claudine Bories and Patrice Chagnard, also centers around two women and cattle. It tells the story of an aging Swiss Hérens cow and the two friends who have loved her throughout her life — and are now preparing to say goodbye.

Here are the women-centric, women-directed, and women-written films debuting in June. All descriptions are from press materials unless otherwise noted.

June 3

“Neptune Frost” – Directed by Anisia Uzeyman and Saul Williams (In Theaters)

Set in the hilltops of Burundi, “Neptune Frost” follows the parallel journeys of an intersex runaway (Cheryl Isheja, Elvis Ngabo) and an escaped coltan miner (Bertrand Ninteretse) who meet and fall in love with one another through a quirk of cosmic providence. Joining together, the lovers spark a revolution as they unite a disparate community of miners to form an anti-colonialist hacker collective resisting an oppressive regime hellbent on despoiling the region’s resources for their own nefarious purposes.

“Watcher” – Directed by Chloe Okuno; Written by Chloe Okuno and Zack Ford (In Theaters)

As a serial killer stalks the city, Julia (Maika Monroe), a young actress who just moved to town with her boyfriend, notices a mysterious stranger watching her from across the street in this terrifying thriller.

“Hollywood Stargirl” – Directed by Julia Hart; Written by Julia Hart and Jordan Horowitz (Available on Disney+)

“Hollywood Stargirl” is a sequel to the 2020 Disney+ film about free spirit Stargirl Caraway (Grace VanderWaal), a silver-voiced teenager whose simple acts of kindness work magic in the lives of others. The new film follows Stargirl’s journey out of Mica, Arizona, and into a bigger world of music, dreams, and possibilities. When her mother Ana (Judy Greer) is hired as the costume designer on a movie, they relocate to L.A., where Stargirl quickly becomes involved with an eclectic assortment of characters. They include aspiring filmmaking brothers Evan (Elijah Richardson) and Terrell (Tyrel Jackson Williams); Mr. Mitchell (Judd Hirsch), one of Stargirl’s neighbors; and Roxanne Martel (Uma Thurman), a musician Stargirl admires and encounters on her journey.

“After Blue” (In Theaters)

In a faraway future, on a wild and untamed female-inhabited planet called After Blue, a lonely teenager named Roxy (Paula Luna) unknowingly releases a mystical, dangerous, and sensual assassin from her prison. Roxy and her mother Zora (Elina Löwensohn) are held accountable, banished from their community, and forced to track down the murderer named Kate Bush. Haunted by the spirits of her murdered friends, Roxy sets out on a long and strange journey across the supranatural territories of this filthy paradise.

“Poser” (In Theaters)

Wallflower Lennon Gates (Sylvie Mix) yearns for access to the inner sanctum of the underground music scene in Columbus, Ohio. When she creates a podcast to interview the local artists she adores, Lennon discovers her own musical ambitions, develops a fast friendship with the striking, confident performer Bobbi Kitten, and in the process creates an identity not wholly her own. Soon, Lennon’s aspirations, with some constructive coaxing from Bobbi to find her voice, lead her down a path of dark obsession.

“Sambizanga” (4K Restoration) – Directed by Sarah Maldoror; Written by Sarah Maldoror, Mário Pinto de Andrade, and Maurice Pons (In Theaters One Week Only in NY)

Based on José Luandino Vieira’s novella about the harrowing abuses faced by prisoners during the battle for Angolan independence, Sarah Maldoror’s landmark film — set at the height of the conflict in 1961 — follows Maria (Elisa Andrade) as she searches for her husband, a revolutionary who’s fallen into the hands of brutally repressive Portuguese colonial officials.

“Eiffel” – Written by Caroline Bongrand, Natalie Carter, Thomas Bidegain, Martin Bourboulon, and Martin Brossollet (In Theaters)

The movie revolves around Eiffel (Romain Duris) as he finishes his collaboration on the Statue of Liberty and is pressured by the French government to design something spectacular for the 1889 Paris World Fair. Eiffel simply wants to design the subway, but everything changes when he crosses paths with a mysterious woman from his past (Emma Mackey). Their long lost, forbidden passion inspires him to build the iconic Eiffel Tower.

June 7

“Being BeBe” (Documentary) – Directed by Emily Branham (Available on VOD)

“Being BeBe” intimately charts 15 years of drag performer Marshall Ngwa aka BeBe Zahara Benet, an immigrant to America from homophobic Cameroon, and the first champion on now-iconic LGBTQ+ reality show phenomenon “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Grounded by Marshall’s present-day narration, the film features vérité, interviews, and performances illustrating his journey to Queer Black Excellence.

June 10

“Tahara” – Directed by Olivia Peace; Written by Jess Zeidman (In Theaters)

In this acerbic teen comedy, a funeral becomes a battleground between best friends Carrie Lowstein (Madeline Grey DeFreece) and Hannah Rosen (Rachel Sennott). When their former Hebrew school classmate dies by suicide, the two girls attend her funeral as well as the “Teen Talk-back” session hosted by their synagogue, designed to be an opportunity for them to understand grief through Judaism. Hannah, more interested in impressing her crush Tristan (Daniel Taveras), convinces Carrie to practice kissing with her, unlocking feelings that turn Carrie’s world upside down.

“Jurassic World Dominion” – Written by Emily Carmichael and Colin Trevorrow (In Theaters)

Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are joined by Oscar-winner Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neill in “Jurassic World Dominion,” a bold, timely, and breathtaking new adventure that spans the globe. “Dominion” takes place four years after Isla Nublar has been destroyed. Dinosaurs now live — and hunt — alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures.

June 14

“Halftime” (Documentary) – Directed by Amanda Micheli (Available on Netflix)

“Halftime” offers an intimate peek behind the curtain, revealing the grit and determination that makes Jennifer Lopez the icon she is, from her performances onscreen and on stages around the world, to her Super Bowl Halftime show, to the recent Presidential inauguration. The documentary focuses on an international superstar who has inspired people for decades with her perseverance, creative brilliance, and cultural contributions. And it’s only the beginning. “Halftime” serves as the kickoff to the second half of Lopez’s life, as she lays bare her evolution as a Latina, a mother, and an artist, taking agency in her career and using her voice for a greater purpose.

June 17

“Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” – Directed by Sophie Hyde; Written by Katy Brand (Available on Hulu)

Nancy Stokes (Emma Thompson), a retired school teacher and widow, is yearning for some adventure, some human connection, and some sex. Good sex. Whilst her husband Robert provided a home, a family, something resembling a life, good sex was never on offer. But he’s gone now, and Nancy has a plan: she will find adventure with a sex worker named Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack). In an anonymous out-of-town hotel room Nancy greets Leo. He looks every bit as good as his picture, but what Nancy wasn’t expecting was conversation as well as fornication. Leo has a view on everything, and though he may not always tell the truth, Nancy finds she likes him. And he likes her. With growing sexual confidence, Nancy starts to relax. Over the course of three rendezvous, the power dynamics shift and their well-worn masks begin to slip.

“My Donkey, My Lover, & I” – Written and Directed by Caroline Vignal (In Theaters)

Primary school teacher Antoinette (Laure Calamy) is elated about her upcoming vacation with her married lover, Vladimir (Benjamin Lavernhe), but their plans are upended when his wife books a surprise hiking trip. On an impulse, Antoinette heads to the same mountainous region of the Cévennes National Park, with an itinerary inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic 1878 memoir “Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes.” Completely unversed in the ways of the wilderness, Antoinette forges quick bonds with an idealistic innkeeper (Marie Rivière) and several other offbeat fellow travelers.

“Bitterbrush” (Documentary) – Directed by Emelie Mahdavian (In Theaters; Available on VOD June 24)

Emelie Mahdavian’s sweeping documentary “Bitterbrush” follows Hollyn Patterson and Colie Moline, range riders who are spending their last summer herding cattle in remote Idaho. Totally off the grid, with only their dogs as companions, Hollyn and Colie brave inclement weather and perilous work conditions while pondering their futures. A portrait of friendship, life transitions, and the work of two skilled young women in the isolated and beautiful landscape of the American West, “Bitterbrush” is an intimate portrayal of a way of life rarely seen on film.

“The Lost Girls” – Written and Directed by Livia De Paolis (In Theaters and Available on VOD)

Inspired by the classic tale of Peter Pan, and starring Joely Richardson and Vanessa Redgrave, “The Lost Girls” chronicles four generations of Darling women as they struggle in the aftermath of their adventures with Peter Pan in Neverland. Like her grandmother and her mother Jane before her, Wendy (Amelia Minto, Emily Carey, Livia De Paolis, Siobhan Hewlett) must escape Pan’s (Louis Partridge) hold on her and the promise he desperately wants her to keep. As her daughter Berry (Ava Fillery, Ella-Rae Smith) comes into Peter’s orbit, Wendy must fight to save her relationship with her daughter while reconciling her legacy.

“Cocoon” – Written and Directed by Leonie Krippendorff (In Theaters and Available on VOD)

Nora (Lena Urzendowsky), a shy 14-year-old Berlin girl, will never forget this way-too-hot summer. Surrounded by people with disrupted biographies, from different cultures and backgrounds, she makes her way into adulthood. Nora gets her first period, falls in love with another girl, learns to stand up for herself, and gets her heart broken for the first time. When summer ends, things will never be the same again for Nora.

“The Martha Mitchell Effect” (Documentary Short) – Directed by Anne Alvergue and Debra McClutchy (Available on Netflix)

She was once as famous as Jackie O. And then she tried to take down a president. “The Martha Mitchell Effect” is an archival documentary portrait of the unlikeliest of whistleblowers: Martha Mitchell, a Republican cabinet wife who was gaslighted by the Nixon Administration to keep her quiet. It offers a female gaze on Watergate through the voice of the woman herself.

“Abandoned” – Written by Jessica Scott and Erik Patterson (In Theaters; Available on VOD June 24)

“Abandoned” follows the sharply intense lives of Sara (Emma Roberts), her husband Alex (John Gallagher Jr.), and their infant son as they move into a remote farmhouse, which harbors a dark, tragic history. As their home’s past is revealed, the mother’s fragility escalates to a state of psychosis that jeopardizes her own safety and that of her newborn son.

June 24

“Beba” (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Rebeca Huntt (In Theaters)

“Beba” is a poetic, raw, and ruthless coming-of-age tale, in which a young NYC-born-and-bred Afro-Latina stares down historical, societal, and generational trauma with unflinching courage.

“Vedette” (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Claudine Bories and Patrice Chagnard (In Theaters)

Who didn’t grow up loving Ferdinand, the bull who just wanted to smell the flowers and who refused to fight? Vedette, on the other hand, is a Swiss Hérens cow, an aggressive breed whose females compete by locking horns (no damage is done) and who has been queen of some spectacularly beautiful Alpine pastures her entire life. The Queen grazes on the best grass and is hand-fed loaves of bread by Elise and Nicole, two women who have doted upon her for a lifetime. But now Vedette is old, and they are confronted by the kinds of existential issues we all face at the fading of the light. Reading Descartes to their beloved cow and playing music by Bizet and Mozart all figure into the equation. Anyone who has ever lived with an animal will be drawn to Vedette’s awesome presence and innate dignity, and will empathize with the people who adore her. (Film Forum)

“Olga” – Written by Raphaëlle Desplechin and Elie Grappe (In Theaters)

Olga (Anastasiia Budiashkina) is a talented teenage Ukrainian gymnast exiled in Switzerland, dreaming of Olympic gold and trying to fit in with her new team in her new home. As she prepares for the European Championships, the Ukrainian people back home in Kyiv rise up in what has become known as the Maidan Revolution, suddenly involving everyone she cares about. Olga is left a powerless, distant bystander as her mother, an investigative journalist, faces danger as she challenges the brutal Yanukovich regime. Incorporating documentary footage from the 2013 uprising, “Olga” is a tense, sensitively handled tale of exile, reflecting the clash between the personal and the political in a young woman’s search for identity.

“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” – Written by Jenny Slate, Dean Fleischer-Camp, and Nick Paley (In Theaters)

Marcel (Jenny Slate) is an adorable one-inch-tall shell who ekes out a colorful existence with his grandmother Connie (Isabella Rossellini) and their pet lint, Alan. Once part of a sprawling community of shells, they now live alone as the sole survivors of a mysterious tragedy. But when a documentary filmmaker discovers them amongst the clutter of his Airbnb, the short film he posts online brings Marcel millions of passionate fans, as well as unprecedented dangers and a new hope at finding his long-lost family. A beloved character gets his big-screen debut in this hilarious and heartwarming story about finding connection in the smallest corners.

“The Human Trial” (Documentary) – Directed by Lisa Hepner and Guy Mossman (In Theaters)

In 2011, Lisa Hepner and her husband Guy Mossman heard about a radical stem cell treatment for diabetes, a disease that shockingly kills more than five million people each year. Driven by a desire to cure Lisa of her own type 1 diabetes (T1D), the filmmakers were given unprecedented, real-time access to a clinical trial — only the sixth-ever embryonic stem cell trial in the world. What follows is an intimate journey with the patients and scientists who put themselves on the line to be first.

“Press Play” (In Theaters and Available on VOD)

Laura (Clara Rugaard) and Harrison (Lewis Pullman) have the picture-perfect romance built on the foundation of a shared love of music. After a deadly accident, Laura is given the chance to save the love of her life when she discovers that their mixtape can transport her back in time.

June 28

“Doula” – Directed by Cheryl Nichols (Available on VOD)

After dating for a matter of months, 30-somethings Deb (Troian Bellisario) and Silvio (Arron Shiver) are expecting their first child. When their elderly midwife, Penka, passes away suddenly, Silvio makes the hasty decision to hire Penka’s son, Sascha (Will Greenberg), as their live-in doula. Deb is nonplussed, as Silvio didn’t consult her before hiring, but before long, Sascha’s unconventional style wins her over. As Deb and Sascha grow closer, and the pregnancy nears its inevitable conclusion, Silvio starts to feel like the odd man out. His continued efforts to exert control over the pregnancy lead to a blow-up fight in which he forces Deb to choose between him and Sascha.

June 29

“Shotgun Wedding” – Written by Elizabeth Meriwether and Mark Hammer (In Theaters)

Starring Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel, the film follows a couple’s extravagant destination wedding, which is hijacked by criminals. In the process of saving their families, they rediscover why they fell in love in the first place.