A 2017 study conducted by UCLA’s social sciences department examining the top 250 highest-grossing films of the year found that women comprised a mere 11% of directing jobs in the American film industry.
While the tides, both nationwide and internationally, have been turning toward a more diverse and inclusive studio system, considerable progress still needs to be made toward equity in filmmaking.
These filmmakers and their respective movies stand as the bellwethers of change:
“Women Talking” (Directed by Sarah Polley, 2022)
“Women Talking,” which took the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 95th Academy Awards, is a remarkable turn for Canadian filmmaker Sarah Polley. The film weaves together a wondrous tapestry of great performances to tell a difficult but vital story of collective trauma. (Available to rent)
“Marvelous and the Black Hole” (Directed by Kate Tsang, 2021)
Kate Tsang’s directorial debut, which she showcased in Oxford in November 2021, is an equally generous and life-affirming coming-of-age tale and one ripe for the whole family. (Available to rent)
“Shiva Baby” (Directed by Emma Seligman, 2020)
Following the debut of her spectacular sophomore feature “Bottoms” at the SXSW Film Festival, Emma Seligman’s first (and hopefully one of many) collaborations with actress Rachel Sennott is a hilariously written high-anxiety comedy, perfect for any college student or college student at heart. (Available to stream on HBO Max)
“Bodies Bodies Bodies” (Directed by Halina Reijn, 2022)
Rachel Sennott also stars, alongside a committed ensemble, in this A24 whodunnit: a perfect Gen-Z parable, although the wonderfully invective characters in the movie would make fun of me for using the word “parable.” (Available to rent)
“Causeway” (Directed by Lila Neugebauer, 2022)
Jennifer Lawrence delivers her best performance in this tender and sensitive character study about a bewildered veteran returning to her hometown, forced to hit the restart button. (Available to stream on Apple TV+)
“Turning Red” (Directed by Domee Shi, 2022)
In equally tender territory, “Turning Red” marks the first film in Pixar’s near-30-year history to be solo-directed by a woman. The movie delivers Pixar’s signature pathos, while providing a glimpse into a uniquely specific, yet indelibly universal world. (Available to stream on Disney+)
“Till” (Directed by Chinonye Chukwu, 2022)
Following her 2019 Sundance-breakout “Clemency,” a true ripped-from-the-headlines tale, director Chinonye Chukwu sets her sights on the not-so-distant past, capturing the Emmett Till story with a haunting, poignant sensitivity. (Available to rent)
“The Power of the Dog” (Directed by Jane Campion, 2021)
Jane Campion became only the third woman to win the Oscar for Best Director, and the first to be nominated in the category twice for her 2021 Western masterpiece. A completely controlled, expertly observed take on the fragility of inter-generational masculinity. (Available to stream on Netflix)
“The Souvenir” & “The Souvenir Part II” (Directed by Joanna Hogg, 2019-2021)
For an individual studying film production, Joanna Hogg’s autobiographical bildungsroman, traversing her own turbulent youth as an aspiring filmmaker, hits particularly close to home. (Available to stream on Showtime)
“Titane” (Directed by Julia Ducournau, 2021)
I had the pleasure of hearing Julia Ducournau speak about her Palme D’or-winning film following a special screening at the Austin Film Society this month. After a consistently insightful Q&A, she concluded by discussing her film’s ending, specifically how, despite the film’s overall grisliness, she aims to leave audiences with a vital sense of hope and optimism. (Available to stream on Hulu)
While containing recommendations to a mere 10 is difficult, and perhaps an arbitrary number, these films and their respective filmmakers keep me hopeful and optimistic for the future of cinema.
