Femininity has long been defined by how successfully a woman fits into the idea of the word feminine. Delicate, soft. In music, a feminine cadence has a weak beat. Women on the Verge presents five films directed by women, that challenge gender norms, and liberate their female protagonists by putting them on the edge of (or obliterating) the world that has defined them as "good girls".

"One of the year's headiest, most dazzlingly assured moviegoing experiences." - Los Angeles Times

Madeline got the part! She's going to play the lead in a theatre pieces! Except the lead wears sweatpants like Madeline. And has a cat like Madeline's. And is holding a steaming hot iron next to her mother's face - like Madeline is. Madeline (Helena Howard) has become an integral part of a prestigious physical theatre troupe. When the workshop's ambitious director (Molly Parker) pushes the teenager to weave her rich interior world and troubled history with her mother (Miranda July) into their collective art, the lines between performance and reality begin to blur. The resulting battle between imagination and appropriation rips out of the rehearsal space and through all three women's lives.

Writer/director Josephine Decker utilizes a welcome expressionistic approach that imbues her subjects with a vibrant sense of urgency. Anchored by a virtuoso performance by Howard, whose powerful screen presence commands attention, Decker's film displays a rare sensitivity for capturing the messy struggles of discovering a sense of one's self that defies easy narrative categorization.

Now in its third year, FilmScene's Reel Representation has evolved from Women's March to become a year-round program that celebrates local, national and international female and gender non-binary artists. Reel Representation showcases new releases and film series from, special events with, and dialogues about this underrepresented perspective in the industry.