Still from La Pointe Courte by Agnès Varda
There was a bit of controversy bouncing around the internet last week when Spike Lee wrote a list of “essential” films stating,
“I’ve Been A Professor At The NYU Graduate Film For The Past 15 Years.The 1st Day Of Every Class I Hand Out My List Of Films That I Feel You Must See If You Want To Make Films. Please Look At This List And See What You Might Have Missed. As I Tell My Students If You Want Your Film "Game” To Be Tight You Must Have Seen Great Movies, World Cinema, It Just Can’t Be Hollywood Films. Educate Yourself. Learn. Grow. Evolve. Make Great Films.“
and only included one woman directed film on the list – City of God – co-directed by Katia Lund (who ironically, wasn’t even credited originally for directing City of God when Oscar time rolled around).
There are certainly many female film directors who’s work should be essential viewing in understanding the history and language of film, especially outside of Hollywood, as Spike Lee mentions above.
Here’s a few list of female directors to get Spike and anyone else interested in film started:
The Silent Directors: Female Directors of Silent Film
Great American Female Directors: A Response to American Film Institute’s List
Women Direct in Many Languages: Latin American Female Film Directors
Female Directors Ranked: Female Film Directors Make Box Office Hits too
Yes, Women Direct Horror Films: Ladies Ladeling out the Gore
Wikipedia Dedicates an Entry to Women’s Cinema
Have a great list of female directors we left off? Let us know on our Facebook page!
nywift
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Tara Morrison
Welcome to NYWIFT Tara Morrison! Tara "Penk" Morrison is a visionary from Brooklyn now based in Jamaica, Queens, NY. She's a determined self-starter with a unique creative style, inspiring others with her confidence and passion for storytelling. Tara found her niche in film and TV behind the scenes, launching Sweet Penk Films in 2020 to produce her own projects and support fellow creatives. From writing screenplays on her stoop to directing her debut project, Faith Tribulation, Tara's journey reflects her resourcefulness and community spirit. With multiple screenplays and a docuseries treatment in the works, she advocates for finishing what you start and believing in yourself.
READ MOREWitnessing the Excellence of Jennifer Esposito: Fresh Kills
Stephanie Okun offers a recap of the entertaining and inspirational NYWIFT Member Screening of Fresh Kills and talkback with filmmaker Jennifer Esposito, who discussed overcoming hurdles in Hollywood and finding distribution for her passion project.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Sara Robin
Welcome to NYWIFT, Sara Robin! Sara is a German filmmaker bringing her stories of humane futures to New York. She directed and wrote the award-winning short coming-of-age film Cranberry Nights starring Inde Navarrette (13 Reasons Why, Superman & Louis). Her script Switch explores virtual relationships and won the 2023 HollyShorts screenwriting contest. She is in production on feature documentary Your Attention Please, investigating how to overcome the addictive pull of the attention economy. She has also brought her talents into commercial work, directing and producing for clients including Netflix, Jordan Brand, and Dunkin’ Donuts. Sara tells us about her exciting works in progress here!
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: China L. Colston
Welcome to NYWIFT, China L. Colston! China is a SAG-AFTRA actress and award-winning filmmaker. As an actress, she has embodied emotional women, from the guilt-ridden mother in Strings Attached to the dealer in Sweet Thang. China’s unwavering dedication as the star, writer, director, and producer of Dark Seed led the film to acclaim from the Validate Yourself Film Festival, African American Arts Alliance of Chicago, and the Dramatist’s Guild Success In The Arts Award aka SITA. She is the recipient of a 2021 NYFA grant for her script To Cook or Not to Cook, which follows a chef in Harlem repairing his relationship with his family through food. She is the recipient of a 2021 NYFA grant for her script To Cook or Not to Cook, which follows a chef in Harlem repairing his relationship with his family through food. China brings us through her incredible journey as a creator here!
READ MORE
