This semester, I took an introduction to film course, which allowed me to see a lot of movies this semester I never would have seen were it not for this class. I have also gotten to learn a little bit about the film industry and I was surprised to learn that women have been directors of films since the very first films were being made way back in the 1890s. Sadly, they are often overlooked and today, only seven percent of films in Hollywood are made by female directors. And this is unfortunate because there are definitely more female directors working than are represented by Hollywood and women have been a part of the industry for a long time. This week, I wanted to celebrate some gems directed by women that often may get overlooked but that you should make sure to check out! The films that I chose for this list are ones that have been awarded and recognized within the “film community” as masterpieces. My hope is that it should be easier to find more information about these films and others works by their directors should you decide to seek them out.
1. Daughters of the Dust – directed by Julie Dash
This film is about a family of slave descendants who have lived on an island off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia for generations who are about to move to the mainland. Daughters of the Dust is emotionally gripping and has a whimsical feel to it that comes from its cinematography, color, and music. It was written, directed, and produced by Julie Dash and is based on her own family’s history. Daughters of the Dust was also the first feature film by an African American woman to be distributed in the United States in 1991.
2. Mustang – directed by Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Mustang is about five sisters from a conservative family who live in a small village in Turkey. I won’t give too much away about the story because I think you need to see everything for yourself in order to get the full experience of this movie. This was Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s directorial debut and it was hugely successful at the Cannes film festival in 2015. The film won multiple international awards and was nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars and Golden Globes in the 2015.
3. Cleo From 5 to 7 – directed by Agnès Varda
Cleo From 5 to 7, or Cléo de 5 à 7, is about a singer who is waiting to receive a test result to see if she has cancer. This film was directed by Agnès Varda, one of the many filmmakers who took the American techniques of filmmaking and subverted them during the French New Wave movement in the 50s and 60s. This period of filmmaking was very influential and Varda made many films during and after the New Wave. She still makes films to this day and last September she was awarded an honorary Oscar by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which are rarely given to filmmakers who have not made English-speaking films.
4. The Hurt Locker – directed by Kathryn Bigelow
The Hurt Locker is about an army bomb squad tasked with disabling bombs during the Iraq War. This film was directed by Kathryn Bigelow and is probably the most mainstream movie on the list. Bigelow won the Oscar for Best Director for The Hurt Locker in 2008, making her the first and, thus far, the only female director to win Best Director. The film also won Best Picture that year, as well as four other Oscars. Bigelow definitely made her mark with this film.
Obviously there are more films that I could recommend, but I decided to start with these four because I think they cover a wide variety of styles and stories. I hope you enjoy these films and let’s hope that these women and many more continue to direct great films and be acknowledged for their works!
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