Why do holiday movies look and sound so similar?
The true heroine of the French New Wave, before Jean-Luc Godard or Éric Rohmer had made their mark on cinema, was the Queen of Cinema herself, Agnes Varda. During a career that spanned more than 50 years, in spite of constant commercial snubbing, Varda would direct and release more than 40 feature films, documentaries, and shorts, and act as a bridge between the cinema of old and contemporary cinema.
Best known for her narrative masterpiece, considered by many to be the crowning achievement of feminist cinema, ‘Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles,’ released in 1975, she also helped revolutionized the genres of documentary and autodocumentary with films like 1977’s immensely powerful ‘News From Home,’ which consists of long, static shots of New York City as Akerman reads letters from her mother in a voice-over. Akerman passed away in 2015.
Few people have done more for experimental filmmaking or feminism within cinema than Chantal Akerman. Born in Brussels in 1950, her powerful and unique brand of piercing intimacy and slow gentleness behind the camera would bring her widespread acclaim in both Europe and North America.
Denis’ films cover a wide range of topics, including the realities of French colonialism, critiques of French society, and the human condition at large. Her seminal 1999 film ‘Beau Travail’ is considered one of the finest films of the '90s, and she has recently received renewed attention from a new generation of movie goers after the success of her dark sci-fi film ‘High Life’ (2018).
For more than 30 years, Claire Denis has stayed on the cutting edge of cinema. She has more than 15 films under her belt and shows no sign of stopping any time soon.
‘Daughters of the Dust’ tells the story of a fictionalized family belonging to the frequently overlooked and forgotten Gullah culture that thrives on the coastal islands of the southern United States. The film was praised for its genuine and authentic portrayal of Gullah culture, and many parts of the dialogue were spoken in Gullah where it was appropriate. Dash helped pave the way into mainstream cinema for Black and female filmmakers without sacrificing her visions or principles.
Although she was overshadowed by her male counterparts in the sexist and male-dominated climate of mid-20th century cinema, she has in more recent years finally been recognized as the indispensable and revolutionary figure of filmmaking that she is. In 2018, she became the first woman to be awarded an Honorary Academy Award. Sadly, she passed away in 2019.
Julie Dash is an acclaimed filmmaker from New York City, well known, and deservedly so for her 1991 film ‘Daughters of the Dust.’ This film was not only significant for being the first film written and directed by a Black woman to receive a general nationwide theatrical release, but also for its unique visual style and non-linear method of storytelling.
It is very possible that French filmmaker Alice Guy-Blaché, born in 1873, single-handedly gave birth to narrative fiction on film. Her 1896 film, now unfortunately lost to the ages, ‘La Fée aux Choux,’ is the first film in the world known to be directed by a woman, and is almost (but not entirely) certain to be the first fictional story written for and applied to film.
This isn’t Guy-Blaché’s only claim to fame, though. She would go on to have a long and storied career in filmmaking both in France and the United States. In 1910, she would co-found Solax Studios in New York with her husband, Herbert Blaché.
A consistent favorite of the festival circuit, Lucrecia Martel’s name can be found on almost any list of the most important modern filmmakers. Martel kick-started the New Argentine Cinema movement with her adored directorial debut ‘La ciénaga’ (2001), and has stayed at the forefront of South American cinema ever since.
A pioneer of queer filmmaking, Cheryl Dunye deserves far more recognition than she usually receives for her work in testing the boundaries of filmmaking. Born in Liberia and now based in Oakland, Dunye’s films are exceptional for their honest portrayals of demographics that rarely receive their fair share of screen time, particularly the lives of Black lesbians.
One of the most consistently impressive filmmakers working today, Andrea Arnold has received three Jury Prizes from the Cannes Film Festival and one Academy Award for her short film ‘Wasp,’ in 2005.
Riddled with social and political critiques spurred by Argentina’s unrest in the late 20th century and Martel’s own experiences as a woman, her films are characterized by their clever use of allegory and surrealism to convey very real and urgent messages. Film scholar David Oubiña once called her body of work “a rare perfection.”
Dunye is most well known for her independent film ‘The Watermelon Woman,’ from 1996, in which a fictionalized version of Dunye investigates the identity of an unnamed Black actor in a silent film in between her experiences as a Black lesbian in Philadelphia. The film is part of the National Film Registry and is one of the most significant entries in the early queer cinema canon.
One of the most exciting and rambunctious personalities in Italian cinema was without a doubt Lina Wertmüller. In 1977, she became the first woman to be nominated for Best Director at the Oscars for her extraordinary film ‘Seven Beauties.’
Wertmüller’s films, many of which take place during or directly after World War II, are lauded for their seamless mixtures of comedy and tragedy, bringing sidesplitting humor and cleverness into films that depict some of the darkest and most serious aspects of wartime reality without stooping to farce, parody, or mockery.
Fatma Begum was an essential and influential figure in the early days of Indian cinema, and was the very first female film director in the country. Born in 1892, Begum wrote, filmed, and released her first movie, ‘Bulbul-e-Paristan,’ through her own production company, Fatma Films, in 1926.
After breaking out of obscurity with her unsettling and masterfully crafted film ‘Red Road’ in 2006, Arnold has always held the attention of the film community and has never disappointed. Her deeply moving and engaging American road trip film ‘American Honey,’ released in 2016, received widespread international acclaim.
Prince-bythewood has made a name for herself by depicting the beautiful moments of the Black experience in America, not just the painful ones. Her light and dreamy romances have developed a cult following over the past two decades and have cemented Prince-bythewood as an important and adored modern filmmaker.
While none of her films have survived, she was known to film glorious fantasy films, with special effects that bordered on the miraculous for the time. She was beloved throughout India during her life as one of the only female figures in Indian cinema, behind or in front of the camera, in an era where it was still commonplace for men to portray women on the screen.
Gina Prince-bythewood broke onto the filmmaking scene with her largely adored film from 2000, ‘Love and Basketball.’ Prince-bythewood says the film was semi-autobiographical, based on her own experiences growing up.
Born in Kyiv in 1917, Maya Deren would come to the United States and go on to become one of the most influential figures in the history of American avant-garde cinema. As a bona fide polymath, Deren synthesized her knowledge and expertise from the fields of dance, psychology, poetry, and the occult into a singular cinematic personality that has never been matched or mimicked.
Deren’s first film, ‘Meshes of the Afternoon’ (1943), remains her most famous. The film’s disorienting circular plot and shocking imagery has been the focus of many analyses and is considered one of the most important films of the avant-garde. Most of Deren’s films were made in solitude, with only occasional help from her husbands or friends.
Her works, although almost always very gentle visually, are often told in cryptic and non-linear narratives and often leave newcomers flabbergasted, but underneath this protective armor almost always lives a deeply intimate and vulnerable study of the most fragile aspects of human nature, frequently inspired by Kawase’s own troubled childhood.
Another mainstay in the international festival circuit is Japanese auteur Naomi Kawase. Kawase has been making films for over 30 years and has made a name for herself as a subversive and intriguing filmmaker.
Samira Makhmalbaf was born in Tehran into a family of filmmakers. Her father, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, is one of the most famous Iranian directors of all time. Despite being born into a privileged dynasty of filmmakers, Samira Makhmalbaf has time and time again made it clear that she is a creative force to be reckoned with in her own right and requires little help. In 1998, she became the youngest director included in competition at Cannes with her film ‘The Apple,’ at the age of 17.
An outspoken women’s rights activist, Makhmalbaf and her family’s frequent critiques of the Iranian government and of the Taliban in Afghanistan have placed her in harm’s way numerous times. During the filming of her critically-acclaimed ‘Two Legged Horse,’ in 2007, an extra threw a smuggled grenade onto the set, injuring numerous members of the crew, with Samira and her father being the expected targets.
Twomey’s films, and most of Cartoon Saloon’s films in general, are all illustrated by hand, breaking from most modern studios’ dependence on CGI, to craft wonderfully beautiful and soulful animations, paired with warm and intriguing stories commonly rooted in folklore, such as Twomey’s 2009 film ‘The Book of Kells.’
Irish illustrator, animator, and director Nora Twomey is a pioneering figure of animated film in the 21st century. She is the co-founder of the independent animation Cartoon Saloon, based in Kilkenny, Ireland, which is responsible for some of the best animated features in recent years.
Dorothy Arzner was a trailblazing filmmaker during the silent era and all the way up into the 1940s. During the course of her career, which lasted more than a decade, Arzner was the only woman making films in Hollywood.
Arzner directed 20 films during her lifetime, including 'Merrily We Go to Hell' (1932), 'Honor Among Lovers' (1931), and 'Dance, Girl, Dance' (1940). Arzner was also the first woman to join the Director's Guild of America.
Greta Gerwig made box-office history as 'Barbie' smashed through expectations and came out in 2023 on top, opening to US$155 million, the biggest ever for a female director. The previous film directed solely by a woman to set the record was Patty Jenkins' 'Wonder Woman' in 2017 which opened to US$103 million, reports Variety.
Sources: (IndieWire) (High on Films) (The Guardian)
It's no secret that filmmaking has been a male-dominated, often sexist, industry for most of its history. Thankfully, that's been changing in recent years, with systemic changes being made that are making the industry more transparent, more inclusive, and safer. There is still a long way to go, but as incredible filmmakers, screenwriters, producers, and directors like Greta Gerwig, Sofia Coppola, and Chloé Zhao continue to receive the power and attention they deserve, the future is beginning to look bright.
Of course, women have a long history in film, and although the due credit was rarely given at the time, women have nearly always been on the cutting edge of the art form. Some of the greatest pioneers in filmmaking have been women, and knowing their stories and bodies of work doesn't shed light on just the history of women in film, but the history of film in general.
Read on to learn about some of the most influential and wonderful women to have ever gotten behind the camera.
The incredible female directors who changed cinema
Greta Gerwig made history when 'Barbie' scored biggest opening weekend ever for female director
MOVIES Film
It's no secret that filmmaking has been a male-dominated, often sexist, industry for most of its history. Thankfully, that's been changing in recent years, with systemic changes being made that are making the industry more transparent, more inclusive, and safer. There is still a long way to go, but as incredible filmmakers, screenwriters, producers, and directors like Greta Gerwig, Sofia Coppola, and Chloé Zhao continue to receive the power and attention they deserve, the future is beginning to look bright.
Of course, women have a long history in film, and although the due credit was rarely given at the time, women have nearly always been on the cutting edge of the art form. Some of the greatest pioneers in filmmaking have been women, and knowing their stories and bodies of work doesn't shed light on just the history of women in film, but the history of film in general.
Read on to learn about some of the most influential and wonderful women to have ever gotten behind the camera.