A shy and withdrawn fine arts student at a fictional Southern California university, Noelle (played by Clint Eastwood’s daughter, Francesca) has problems socializing and expressing herself. One day a handsome and popular guy from her class invites her to a party; he ends up sexually assaulting her despite her saying “no” more than once. The next morning Noelle wants to report the incident to the school authorities, but she’s met with disbelief and indifference. So she decides to face her oppressor on her own, but as a result of their argument, he’s accidentally killed. Noelle is suddenly transformed into a revenge-hungry social justice warrior. As her drawings get better and better, a group of campus alpha males catches her attention… Director Natalia Leite plays with the aesthetics of revenge thrillers, making the central character a woman who’s fed up with toxic masculinity and patriarchal norms. Considering the events of recent months and rape culture itself, M. F. A. serves as the perfect feminist manifesto for our times. And it keeps viewers on the edge of their seats until the very last minute.