Kelly Reichardt's 'Showing Up' Follows a Ceramic Sculptor's Pre-Exhibition Chaos

At the 75th Cannes Film Festival, Kelly Reichardt's 'Showing Up' premiered in official competition to positive international press. The film marks the fourth collaboration between Reichardt and Michelle Williams, following 'Wendy and Lucy' (2008), 'Meek's Cutoff' (2010), and 'Certain Women' (2016). The story centers on Lizzy, a sculptor frantically preparing for a career-defining exhibition at a Portland gallery while juggling work as a college secretary and navigating distractions from family and friends. Set at a small college in the Pacific Northwest, the film portrays the comic, tender, and discrete challenges of being a visual artist outside the commercial mainstream. The ceramic sculptures featured in the film are by Portland artist Cynthia Lahti. The title plays on the dual meanings of 'showing up' (being present) and 'show' (art exhibition or spectacle). The film is currently available on major streaming platforms.