News

"What is this, a mid-life crisis?" An early trailer has debuted for an Italian indie film titled Zoe, which is premiering at the 2025 Miami Film Festival next week. The film is co-directed by actress Emanuela Galliussi & filmmaker Dean Ronalds. It's the creation of Galliussi, an Italian actress who wrote the screenplay, stars in the film, and also co-produced it with Dean. It also sounds a bit like an autobiographical tale. Zoe seems to have everything she could ever want but still isn't happy. On Mardi Gras, she meets a wizard who grants her three chances to live the life she's always yearned for. On returning home from her magical adventure of “what if”, this Zoe begins to live anew. She, once again, meets the little wizard only to discover his magic was much more than she could've imagined. Starring Emanuela Galliussi, Michel Rodriguez Carmona, Jaspal Binning, Chanel Victor, Daniele Natali,...

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Tyler Perry’s Acrimony [IMDb]

Taraji P. Henson stars as a woman fed up with her devious husband. (male writer-director)

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All I Wish [my review]

Susan Walter writes and directs this dramedy about a woman who has sworn off marriage. Starring Sharon Stone.

Outside In [IMDb] pictured

Lynn Shelton cowrites and directs this drama about a schoolteacher and activist (Edie Falco) who strikes up a relationship with one of her former students. Costarring Kaitlyn Dever.

Finding Your Feet [my review]

Imelda Staunton and Celia Imrie star as sisters who reconnect after one of their husbands has an affair. Cowritten by Meg Leonard. (male director)

FourPlay [IMDb]

Tammy Blanchard and Emanuela Galliussi costar in an ensemble romantic dramedy. Cowritten by Galliussi. (male director)

Gemini [my review]

Lola Kirke stars as a woman who must solve a murder of which she has been accused. Costarring Zoë Kravitz. (male writer-director)

Birthmarked [IMDb]

Toni Collette costars in this comedy about researchers raising their children scientifically.

It starts with the mixture of excitement and fear the result of a positive pregnancy test delivers before quickly moving into an impromptu hallway dance that ends with a crash of glass and a smack across the face. I’m not sure a better beginning to Dean Matthew Ronalds’ Fourplay would be possible as this sort of escalation of emotion and temper courses through the whole like a live wire of volatility threatening to derail what should be a joyous brunch between friends. In one moment these two couples consisting of hosts Tom (Bryan Greenberg) and Anna (Tammy Blanchard) opposite guests Joe (Dominic Fumusa) and Susan (Emanuela Galliussi) are in a celebratory mood and the next sees them frowning in silence, wondering how they’ve ever stayed together this long.

And at the center of this afternoon is the fact that Anna pregnant — news she doesn’t share with her husband.

Tagline: "When You Hear the Scream, It's Already Too Late..." Dread Central Presents and Epic Pictures are set to release the pseudo-doc' #Screamers. In the film, a cast of characters track down Francis Tumblety, a man suspected of being Jack the Ripper. What they actually find is truly terrifying. #Screamers is set to show in a few U.S. theatres this April 5th and on Digital platforms, shortly thereafter. The film was directed by Dean Matthew Ronalds. The film stars: Chris Bannow (Not Fade Away, 2012), Griffin Matthews ("Torchwood"), Emanuela Galliussi, Abbi Snee, and Theodora Miranne. A preview of the film's upcoming launch is hosted here. The trailer for #Screamers, which was released last year, shows a film crew. They are hunting down the source of a series of #Screamers videos. Once they find the source of the videos, they unleash an ancient killer! #Screamers has won a couple of awards.

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The 15:17 to Paris [my review]

Dorothy Blyskal wrote the script for this docudrama about three young American men who thwarted a terrorist attack on a European train. (male director)

Fifty Shades Freed [my review]

Dakota Johnson costars as a newly married woman whose husband uses his fear over her stalker as an excuse to control her every move. (male writer and director)

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The Female Brain [IMDb]

Whitney Cummings directs, costars, and cowrites with Louann Brizendine (and another male cowriter) a ensemble romantic comedy about why women trip themselves up with men. Also costarring Sofia Vergara, Jane Seymour, and Beanie Feldstein.

Becks [IMDb] pictured

Lena Hall stars in a musical drama about a singer/songwriter who moves back to her hometown after a bad breakup. Codirected by Elizabeth Rohrbaugh, and cowritten by Rohrbaugh and Rebecca Drysdale (and another male cowriter).

FourPlay [IMDb]

Tammy Blanchard and Emanuela Galliussi costar in an ensemble romantic dramedy. Cowritten by Galliussi.

Parade Deck Films has acquired North American and UK rights to Fourplay, a black-and-white indie romantic dramedy co-written and directed by Dean Ronalds (Screamers). The four-hander — presented in one continuous, unedited shot — stars Tammy Blanchard, Dominic Fumusa, Bryan Greenberg and Emanuela Galliussi as two couples whose secrets and lies bubble up during a Sunday brunch. The pic will open March 30 in New York and Los Angeles before expanding in April. Ronalds…...

Exclusive: Tammy Blanchard, Dominic Fumusa, Bryan Greenberg and Emanuela Galliussi are set to star in Fourever, an indie dramedy to be directed by Dean Ronalds. Ronalds and Galliussi are producing, and they co-wrote the film with Francesco Plazza. Production is set to start this month in New York City. The pic revolves around friendship, love, secrets and lies between two couples in one New York apartment that will disrupt their lives forever. Falling Up Films is…...