“And here are the all-male nominees,“Natalie Portmansaid before announcing the contenders for Best Director at 2018’s Golden Globes. Whether it’s the Golden Globes or theAcademy Awards, women directors have always struggled for recognition. Throughout its 94 years, the Academy Awards have only seen seven women nominated for Best Director.
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WithJane Campion’shistoric win withThe Power of the Dogat 2022’s Academy Awards, she becomes the third woman to win Best Director, joining the likes ofKathryn BigelowandChloé Zhaowho took home the prestigious award in 2009 and 2021, respectively. With the Academy’s ongoing issue with diversity, countless groundbreaking films slip under their radar. These films directed by incredibly talented women deserve recognition for their innovations in cinema and for pushing the boundaries of the medium.
Kelly Reichardt -First Cow(2020)
Before Campion’s critique of toxic masculinity inThe Power of the Dog, there was another film belonging to therevisionist Western genrethat reframed the romantic myths of the West.Kelly Reichardt’sFirst Cowis a tender tale of friendship set in the 1820s Northwest.
Reichardt challenges the antagonistic image of the cowboy in favor of showing two outsiders who find support in each other. Between the timid chef Cookie (John Magaro) and a Chinese immigrant on the run named King-Lu (Orion Lee), the protagonists ofFirst Cowsubvert our typical perceptions of characters chasing the American dream on the frontier. With Reichardt’s thoughtful direction,First Cowdepicts a strength that isn’t merely found in hypermasculine power but instead a strength that is nourished through emotion and friendship.
Celine Sciamma -Portrait of a Lady on Fire(2019)
Celine Sciamma’sentire filmography foregrounds her as a key figure and influence in representing the female gaze. Sciamma’s 2019 filmPortrait of a Lady on Firein particular gained acclaim for its portrayal of passion and female pleasure without a patriarchal gaze and became the first film directed by a woman to win the Queer Palm at Cannes.
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Set in 18th century France, an artist, Marianne (Noémie Merlant), is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse (Adèle Haenel). While Héloïse is reluctant to marry and refuses to be painted, the film itself is self-aware by challenging the predominant structures of seeing and focusing on this notion of the gaze.
Agnès Varda -Cléo From 5 to 7(1962)
Before receiving her first-ever nomination at the 90th Academy Awards for the documentaryFaces Places, Agnès Varda was an influential figure pioneeringthe French New Wavefilm movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Her filmography is a uniquely personal blend of documentary and fiction capable of blurring the lines of reality.
The film follows Cléo (Corinne Marchand) when awaiting her results from a cancer screening, she reflects on her existence, the idea of mortality and the notion of leading a meaningful life. With Varda’s feminist viewpoint,Cléo From 5 to 7is a masterful film by the auteur filmmaker reflecting on how women are perceived in society.
Joanna Hogg -The Souvenir(2019)
While it’s not unfamiliar for a director to create an autobiographical film about their own lives - such as 2022’s Academy Award-nominatedHand of GodbyPaolo Sorrentino- there is a certain intimacy inJoanna Hogg’sThe Souvenir.
The film acts as a self-portrait depicting a volatile time in a young film student’s life as Julie (Honor Swinton Byrne) navigates the tumultuous relationship with the older Anthony (Tom Burke). With Julie standing in for Joanna, there is a strong sense of self-reflection as Julie fumbles through and is enlightened by the world around her, allowing her to find her voice through film.
Patty Jenkins -Monster(2003)
With the rise oftrue-crime stories, serial killer films have gained popularity in recent years. BeforeWonder Woman,Patty Jenkinsdirected what is considered the most human of serial killer stories in her 2003 filmMonster.
WithCharlize Theron’sradical transformation winning her the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2004,Monsterfollows the real-life story ofAileen Wournos(Theron). Wournos was a sex worker who endured abuse at the hands of many of her male clients. Here, she yearns for love and a sense of belonging as Jenkins crafts a sympathetic portrait of a woman seeking justice in an unjust world.
Lynne Ramsay -You Were Never Really Here(2017)
Considered one of the most culturally-significant movies of all time,Martin Scorsese’s1976 filmTaxi Driveris a violent tale of corruption, revenge, and vigilantism. Nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actress at the 49th Academy Awards,Taxi Driverhas a legacy as one of the greatest films ever made despite its graphic portrayals of violence on screen.
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Updating the classic film for the modern era,Lynne Ramsay’sYou Were Never Really HerecastsJoaquin Phoenixbefore his Oscar-winning performance inThe Jokeras a traumatized mercenary hired by a politician to rescue his daughter from a human trafficking network. UnlikeTaxi Driver, Ramsay’s creative direction leaves a lot of the physical violence off-screen, instead opting for achieving emotional torture achieved through thoughtful editing and allusion.
Penny Marshall -A League of Their Own(1992)
AlthoughPenny Marshallmay better be known as Laverne from the 70s sitcomLaverne & Shirley,Marshall also had a successful career as a groundbreaking director in the 80s and 90s.
Set during World War II,A League of Their Ownshows a time when women could start to build their own lives and careers outside of men’s shadows. Following two sisters, Dottie (Geena Davis) and Kit (Lori Petty), who are scouted to play professional baseball in an all-female league,A League of Their Ownportrays headstrong women forging their own path - much like Marshall herself.
Cheryl Dunye -The Watermelon Woman(1996)
What has been referred to as an era of “New Queer Cinema,” theradical LGBT+ representationin the 90s owes many thanks to one of its founding figuresCheryl Dunye.
The Watermelon Womanwas history-making, as Dunye was the first Black lesbian to ever direct a feature film. Through her unique perspective,The Watermelon Womanexplores the history of Black women and lesbians in cinema. It’s self-reflexive as Dunye plays the protagonist Cheryl, an aspiring lesbian filmmaker who looks to the past to fuel her passion of wanting to represent her own story.
Greta Gerwig -Lady Bird(2017)
Greta Gerwig’s first solo directorial debutLady Birdwas a transcendent addition to the familiar coming-of-age genre. It received several nominations at the 90th Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actress, Best Director, and the coveted Best Picture.
Written and directed with a unique earnestness, Gerwig meticulously captures such a pivotal moment in ta teenager’s life- a time of change, growth, rebellion, and discovery. With the emotional performances fromSaoirse RonanandLaurie Metcalfcombined with Gerwig’s sharp script,Lady Birdhas a familiar sincerity that reinvented the classiccoming-of-age storyfor a new generation.
Chantal Akerman -Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles(1975)
In the span of 201 minutes, Jeanne Dielman (Delphine Seyrig) peels potatoes, cooks a meatloaf and murders one of her clients. An essential film part of the slow cinema movement,Chantal Akermanuses slowness to capture the mundane repetitiveness of the life of Jeanne. Through its visceral depiction of a woman’s home life, Akerman captures a certain feminine domestic malaise stretched throughout the three days of observing Jeanne.
Although the film reached great success in Europe after premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, this masterpiece of woman’s cinema wasn’t released in the United States until 1983. WithParasitebeing the first non-English language film to win Best Picture at the 92nd Academy Awards, it’s apparent that the rich history of not just woman-directed films but also international cinema deserves much more recognition.
