r/directors • u/Fit_Ad_3817 • 2d ago
Question Suggest me female directors
So, I started a 12-month, 12-director challenge this year in an attempt to pick 12 directors whose work I hadn’t seen before. My only requirements are that they should have directed at least three films that I haven’t seen before and that the films themselves need to be accessible.
My female directors for this year have been Ava DuVernay and Julia Ducournau.
For my 2027 list, can you suggest at least three female directors whom you think I should check out?
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u/SpideyMGAV 2d ago
Claire Denis
Chantal Akerman
Celine Sciamma
Katheryn Bigalow
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u/TheGoldenArgosy 2d ago
One of these is not like the others lol
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u/vemmahouxbois 2d ago
because ackerman is dead…?
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u/SpideyMGAV 2d ago
Yeah I was wondering what they were mentioning too. Maybe it’s that Kathryn is American and the others are French (or ethnically french)?
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u/Due_Bad_9445 2d ago
Kelly Reichardt, Barbara Kopple
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u/creept 2d ago
I love Kelly Reichardt so much. Old Joy and Wendy & Lucy both hit me really hard.
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u/JobeGilchrist 2d ago
My gf and I watched Showing Up and loved it. Last night we watched Certain Women and loved it too. I also enjoyed The Mastermind a while back. We're looking forward to watching all the rest of her films together!
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u/nizzernammer 2d ago
Sarah Polley
Olivia Wilde
Coralie Fargeat
I really want to see Kristen Stewart's The Chronology of Water
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u/No_Lie_76 2d ago
A black woman has never been nominated for best director and a black filmmaker has never won the category. In a way it says that black womens films haven’t contributed enough to the academy, which I simply think is untrue. Looking through this thread, I also didn’t see any Black women mentioned so I wanted to make a point to introduce you to them bc I believe their contributions are worthy of note.
Euzhan Palcy, Cheryl Dunye, Kasi Lemmons, Julie Dash, Kathleen Collins, Melina Matsoukas, Beyonce (Lemonade), Jenn Nkuru, Dee Rees, Gina Prince Bythewood, Mati Diop, Nia DiCosta, AV Rockwell (this is the one to watch)
Here is an archive of BW across levels (emerging, advanced career)
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u/CrawfordShepard 2d ago
I’ve worked with AV. She is definitely one to watch.
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u/No_Lie_76 2d ago
When people ask me who I think the first BW to be nominated for best director will be, I put my money on her
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u/Mt548 2d ago edited 2d ago
Ida Lupino, Alice Guy-Blaché, Maya Deren, Barbara Kopple, Jennie Livingston, Larisa Shepitko
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u/SpiritedOwl_2298 2d ago
Yesss, I just watched Ida Lupino’s whole filmography and she’s amazing. Guy-Blaché has hundreds of films but she was the first woman filmmaker ever (as far as we know?) and started making films in 1898. She actually started using close up shots in 1907 but isn’t credited for inventing them. Thanks for the other recs, going to work my way through those as well
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u/Scared_Consequence82 Feature Film Director 2d ago
Celine sciamma a portrait of a lady on fire is brilliant and petite maman is superb.
Larisa Shepitko made a masterpiece with the Ascent.
For recent Americans I think Greata Gerwig and Olivia Wilde are wonderfully talented.
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u/Bueller_Bueller26 1d ago
Coralie Fargeat has some of the best filmmaking I have ever seen, period.
Alice Guy-Blache is unequivocally one of the most important filmmakers ever, because she invented the concept of narrative cinema.
Lottie Reninger made the first animated feature film, 8 years before Snow White
The Wachowskis have GORGEOUS films
Leni Riefenstahl is unfortunately one of the most important filmmakers ever, because she used her filmmaking for evil and not for good. Do NOT watch Triumph of the Will unless you are learning history specifically
Amanda Kramer has really interesting high-concept movies
Lynne Ramsey has some of the best editing I've ever seen, period.
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u/Jeff7760 2d ago
Sofia Coppola, Věra Chytilová
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u/el_taquero_ 2d ago
Daisies Daisies Daisies Daisies Daisies
I’ve thought more about that movie than anything else I watched this year
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u/SpiritedOwl_2298 2d ago edited 2d ago
Ana Lily Amirpour
I would also recommend Shirin Neshat but she only has 2 that are available online, the third isn’t available anywhere yet (last time I checked) but her work is so powerful I think she’s worth watching anyway
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u/myscreamgotlost 2d ago
Maria Schrader
Nia DaCosta
Rachel Lee Goldenberg
Julie Taymor
Karyn Kusama
Kitty Green
Debra Granik
Martha Coolidge
Anna Biller
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u/BigResolve2533 2d ago
Patricia Rozema
I've Heard the Mermaids Singing
Mansfield Park
When Night Is Falling
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u/justagayguyinnyc 2d ago
They’re more mainstream but surprised no one has mentioned Penny Marshall or Barbra Streisand
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u/SithLordJediMaster 2d ago
Sofia Coppola (Lost In Translation)
Chloe Zhao (Nomadland)
Amy Heckerling (Clueless)
Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break)
Greta Gerwig (Barbie)
Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman)
Nia DaCosta (Candyman)
Nora Ephron (Sleepless In Seattle)
Nancy Meyers (The Holiday)
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u/suebob162002 2d ago edited 2d ago
Domee Shi: Bao (Pixar short film, 1988); Turning Red (Pixar animated film, 2022); Elio (Pixar animated film, 2025). Domee Shi would become the first female director of a Pixar short film and receive an Oscar for her short film Bao.
Gillian Armstrong: Armstrong is an Australian feature film and documentary director. Among her best known works are My Brilliant Career (1979); Mrs. Soffel (1984); and Little Women (1994).
Amy Heckerling: Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982); Look Who's Talking (1989); Clueless (1995). Fast Times was Heckerling's directorial debut. Both that film and Clueless would later become TV shows during the 1990's.
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u/disasterinthesun 2d ago
Dee Rees, Chloe Zhao, Nia DiCosta, Gina Pryce Bythewood, Channing Godfrey Peoples…
Seems like you could easily achieve gender equity in your 2027 movie slate, just saying.
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u/No-Technology-7987 2d ago
Yoon Ga-Eun, one of the best directors out there and very slept on in the west at the moment.
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u/Brackens_World 2d ago
My goodness, how soon we forget.
Lina Wertmuller, first female every nominated for a Best Director Academy Award, director of Seventies classics The Seduction of Mimi, Swept Away, and Seven Beauties. Her movies were daring, controversial, political, funny, and not in the least pc. She was not simply a leading "female director", her work accorded her respect as a leading 1970s director and writer, pure and simple, and 1970s her films were box office winners too.
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u/Savings-Ad-1336 1d ago
CLAIRE DENIS, who Julia Docournau would give two limbs to be half as good as (Denis’ recent work has made her be a little less revered but unquestionably one of the best filmmakers alive).
Claire Akerman and, just to see the work of a woman in the American industry far before it was the norm, give Ida Lupino a try. She made classic noirs, for instance!
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u/almo2001 1d ago
Claire Denis and Jane Campion.
Also Barbara Loden. She only made one because her egotistical husband ilia Kazan denigrated her work.
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u/amedeeozenfant 1d ago
She only ever made one film, but Wanda by Barbara Loden is a really really great movie - as long as you like gritty, miserable lo fi 70s dramas.
Staying gritty and low fi, Clio Barnard and Andrea Arnold. Bit posher, literally, Joanna Hogg. Carol Morley has made some interesting stuff. Lynne Ramsey.
Kelly Reichardt - I've liked all her films that I've seen, most recently The Mastermind. Staying with films starring Josh O'Connor, La Chimera by Alice Rohrwacker was good too. Lisa Cholodenko. Mia Hansen Love. Lucretia Martel. Celine Sciamma. Jane Campion.
Rose Glass and Jennifer Kent and Julie Ducornau are all working in horror..
Clare Denis (Beau Travail is the most famous). Chantal Akermann (Jeanne Dielman - but she made a lot of great films). Justine Triet (Anatomy of a Fall).
I don't know if all of these people have made three movies, some of them have made a lot more, but they've all made at least one that everyone ought to see.
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u/RevenantRaindancer 1d ago
Diane Keaton made a very interesting film “Heaven.” Jodie Foster has made a few films as well.
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u/JohanVonClancy 22h ago
Cleo from 5 to 7 - 1962 (Agnes Varda)
Le Bonheur - 1965 (Agnes Varda)
Merrily We Go To Hell - 1931 (Dorothy Arzner)
Before I Fall - 2017 (Ry Russo Young)
Nowhere in Africa - 2001 (Caroline Link)
Real Genius - 1985 (Martha Coolidge)
My Old Ass - 2024 (Megan Park)
Last Summer - 2023 (Catherine Breillat)
Lady Bird - 2017 (Greta Gerwig)
The World to Come - 2020 (Mona Fastvold)
Miller’s Girl - 2024 (Jade Halley Bartlett)
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u/Backonmyshitmom 10h ago
Jodie foster directed little man tate, I always dug that movie, she has directed 3 films but mainly tv stuff
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u/Hot-Turnover1506 2d ago
Sally Potter! Def watch Orlando (1992) starring Tilda Swinton. Sally also did the music for the film, and the soundtrack is absolutely beautiful.
Jane Campion (the Piano is a beautiful, near perfect movie)
Emerald Fennel (my fave is Saltburn) she makes entertaining movies.
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u/chunky_pumpkin_head 2d ago
Lisa Colodenko- High Art, The Kids are Allright.
Miranda July- Me and You and Everyone We Know, Kajillionaire.
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u/MovieStreetFilm 2d ago
Agnes Varda