This film is part of Rentals

Monica
Trace Lysette is captivating in this beautifully understated drama, playing a woman belatedly seeking to rekindle a relationship with her estranged mother.
Overview
Monica left her Midwestern hometown to transition so many years ago that she feels like a stranger returning. Her mother, Eugenia, banished her the moment she came out and there has been no attempt at reconciliation during the intervening years. But now Eugenia has dementia and is close to death. When the family are reunited, there are no sentimental speeches to kickstart the healing process. The film triumphs in capturing the notion that actions speak louder than words, as Monica gradually finds her place in the family and learns how to live in small-town American again. Patricia Clarkson is magnificent as Eugenia, but Lysette dominates – the actor finally cast in a feature role worthy of her prodigious talent.
Related

Rafiki Rafiki
Drama 2018 83 mins Director: Wanuri Kahiu
Romantic sparks fly between the daughters of two opposing politicians in Wanuri Kahiu’s neon-bright story of forbidden love in Kenya.

Who We Love Who We Love
Drama 2021 94 mins Director: Graham Cantwell
Bullied for her sexuality, Dublin schoolgirl Lily turns to her gay best friend for support in this vibrant coming-out, coming-of-age drama.

2073 2073
Documentary 2024 83 mins Director: Asif Kapadia
Oscar-winning director Asif Kapadia's unsettling drama-documentary delivers a powerful commentary on the state of the world today… and tomorrow.

Only the River Flows Only the River Flows
Crime 2023 102 mins Director: Shujun Wei
Shujun Wei's slow-burn noir draws us inexorably into its mysterious psychological journey.

The Critic The Critic
Period drama 2023 101 mins Director: Anand Tucker
Ian McKellen is in delicious form as London's most vicious critic, who strikes a Faustian pact with a struggling actor (Gemma Arterton).

Special People Special People
Comedy 2008 74 mins Director: Justin Edgar
Justin Edgar's pioneering feature comedy about a neurotic filmmaker enlisted to make a film with a class of wheelchair-users.

Out of Blue Out of Blue
Crime 2019 109 mins Director: Carol Morley
Carol Morley (Dreams of a Life, The Falling) returns with a wonderfully stylised, offbeat noir thriller about a murder investigation and multiple realities.

The Bookshop The Bookshop
Drama 2017 113 mins Director: Isabel Coixet
Words run riot when a free-spirited bookseller (Emily Mortimer) introduces a sleepy town to a host of provocative literature

The Party The Party
Comedy 2017 71 mins Director: Sally Potter
Following some unexpected revelations, a celebration quickly takes a turn for the worse in Sally Potter's razor-sharp comedy.

Rafiki Rafiki
Drama 2018 83 mins Director: Wanuri Kahiu
Romantic sparks fly between the daughters of two opposing politicians in Wanuri Kahiu’s neon-bright story of forbidden love in Kenya.

Luxor Luxor
Romance 2020 86 mins Director: Zeina Durra
Andrea Riseborough stars as an aid worker processing the trauma of working on the frontline on the Jordanian-Syrian border.

Who We Love Who We Love
Drama 2021 94 mins Director: Graham Cantwell
Bullied for her sexuality, Dublin schoolgirl Lily turns to her gay best friend for support in this vibrant coming-out, coming-of-age drama.

2073 2073
Documentary 2024 83 mins Director: Asif Kapadia
Oscar-winning director Asif Kapadia's unsettling drama-documentary delivers a powerful commentary on the state of the world today… and tomorrow.

Kathleen Is Here Kathleen Is Here
Thriller 2023 95 mins Director: Eva Birthistle
Riveting debut from acclaimed Irish actor Eva Birthistle, about a young care leaver on a destructive path to find a new mother figure.

Black Dog Black Dog
Thriller 2024 110 mins Director: Guan Hu
An ex-con is sent to catch stray dogs in the Gobi Desert in Guan Hu’s picturesque, Cannes prize-winning, canine caper.