Little Woods

Madison Premiere • narrative • USA • 2018 • DCP • 103 MIN

section: New Women Directors, America Visions

Tessa Thompson (Sorry to Bother You) and Lily James (Baby Driver) star as sisters on the edge of the law in a North Dakota oil town. Out on parole, Ollie is trying to go straight, but mounting foreclosure bills thrust her back into the criminal underworld of prescription drug dealing. Writer/director Nia DaCosta seamlessly incorporates several contemporary American crises into this realistic small-town thriller, illustrating the human-level fallout that results from larger social issues. DaCosta's preternatural filmmaking ability earned a high-profile admirer in Jordan Peele, who hailed her as a "bold new talent" and hired her to direct the upcoming Candyman reboot. "Exceptional. A rare and insightful look at the life of America's struggling working class" (The Playlist). "Affecting, sincere, and most importantly socially astute. DaCosta offers something much more valuable and exceptional than conventional thrills: women who are alive and authentic, whom we care about and believe in" (Film Threat). Nora Ephron Award, 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. (MK)