Friday, February 9 brings a slate of premieres and festival buzz. Audiences can expect a mix of award contenders, dramatic storytelling, and family-friendly fare as new titles debut across screens in Canada and the United States. The week looks set to deliver powerful performances, striking visual narratives, and the kind of momentum that keeps awards conversations alive well into the season. Several films are drawing early attention for their craftsmanship and emotional depth, offering something for cinephiles and casual viewers alike.
The Color Purple reimagined as a modern musical
A fresh musical adaptation of the landmark novel has arrived, guided by Blitz Bazawule with production support from industry titans Oprah Winfrey, Scott Sanders, Quincy Jones, and Steven Spielberg. The original 1985 film, which chronicles the resilience of an African American woman facing oppression in the early 20th century Deep South, remains the core inspiration for this reimagining. The new production foregrounds sisterhood among three women who share a formidable bond and shared fate. Taraji P. Henson embodies Shug Avery, Danielle Brooks takes on Sofia, and a new generation voices Squeak, while Halle Bailey portrays Nettie in youth and Fantasia Barrino steps into Celie. The project aims to honor the text while offering a contemporary musical experience that resonates with today’s audiences.
Ferrari: racing, fortune, and Enzo’s double life
Michael Mann directs a biopic centered on Enzo Ferrari, the legendary founder of the legendary automobile marque and racing team. The narrative concentrates on the pivotal year 1957, a period marked by intense professional breakthroughs and personal strain. Adam Driver stars as the iconic figure who also navigates a complicated personal life. Laura, the wife who endures a personal tragedy, discovers that the family business faces grave financial risk. A secret lineage unfolds as another partner and a hidden child threaten to upend the life they built together. The film invites viewers into the high-stakes world where passion for speed intersects with the fragility of family ties.
Four Girls: the heartbreak of losing daughters to extremism
Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania returns to a project that placed her country on the Oscar map with a documentary that patiently unpacks a mother’s unbearable loss. Four daughters face unimaginable danger as two of them become entangled with ISIS, leaving Olfa to witness the consequences from a distance that grows increasingly painful. The director crafts a cinematic language that blends the voices of the women with the real-life family, deploying the performers to mirror the sisters and enabling a stark dialogue between fiction and lived experience. The result is a raw portrait of motherhood, fear, and resilience amid global crisis.
The theme of trauma and dissociation
Veerle Baetens, a Belgian actor and writer, makes her feature debut with a tense drama adapted from Lize Spit’s novel. The story follows Eve as she confronts memories that threaten to overwhelm her, exploring how trauma fragments perception and memory. The film earned a special recognition from Sundance’s jury for its stark portrayal and for the breakout performance by Rosa Marchant, who embodies the central character with a quiet, unsettling intensity.
As long as you are: a love story spanning decades
After half a century in the performing arts, Carme Elías faces a personal health crisis that sheds light on aging and memory. With the collaboration of a steadfast director and a close friend, she stages a journey that blends reality with fiction, letting the lines blur in a way that mirrors the human experience. The ensemble navigates a delicate balance between narrative and lived truth, offering a poignant meditation on friendship, time, and the search for meaning in later life.
Peppa Pig turns 20 as China’s Tiger roars into the realm of family cinema
Andrea Tran creates a feature celebrating Peppa Pig’s two-decade journey, presenting Peppa’s Cinema Party as a special anniversary event. The collection pairs new animation with live-action sequences in which Peppa steps into the real world, delighting a new generation of youngsters and nostalgic fans alike. In parallel, Tiger, a family-focused feature, has earned a nomination for Best Animated Feature, spotlighting a story of learning, courage, and perseverance set against exotic landscapes that captivate children and adults alike. The film emphasizes emotional growth through adventures that resonate across cultures.
A terrifying premiere: Pool
Blumhouse unveils a gripping horror feature directed by Bryce McGuire. The film follows Ray Waller, a former baseball star who retires due to a degenerative condition and relocates with his family to a new home. Trapped in a claustrophobic setting—an ominous pool and the surrounding surroundings—the family confronts fear, vulnerability, and the strain of adapting to a changing body and shifting dreams. The tension escalates as past traumas surface, forcing them to contend with what lurks beneath the surface of ordinary life.
Germany: a coming-of-age journey with strong female leads
Argentine filmmaker Maria Zanetti directs a coming-of-age odyssey that places powerful women at the center of a transformative travel story. Lola, a young student, embarks on a study trip that becomes a quest for freedom and personal experience. Supported by Vicky Peña, Miranda de La Serna, and María Úcedo, the story tracks family dynamics and the pursuit of self-discovery against a backdrop of shifting identities and cultural encounters.
Two reissues: Dune and The Munekata Sisters, restored in 4K
Numerous cinemas in the region showcase 4K restorations as part of a retrospective push. Dune: Part I returns ahead of the eagerly anticipated Part II, both directed by Canadian auteur Denis Villeneuve. At the same time, Yasuhiro Ozu’s The Munekata Sisters receives a 4K restoration, inviting new audiences to experience the classic with pristine clarity and renewed appreciation for its quiet, intimate storytelling.