Agnes Varda is probably my favorite.
Oh i hadn’t realised my list omitted Lina W, this was entirely accidental although possibly caused by a sub-conscious desire, as the only film i’ve seen by her, Swept Away didn’t exactly sweep me away in ecstasy, i jumped ship. Seven Beauties is probably her most famous and admired one isn’t it? I’m not in a rush but will see it when it comes along. She seems better known in the US than UK and probably many other countries. My Brilliant Career is certainly a goodie, and was on my list (not sure if you think i missed it)
Julie Taymor: Titus, Frida
Kenji: Look at the title for the Gillian Armstrong film in your original post (‘Beautiful’) – that’s what I was referring to in my post. Since your list was so comprehensive, and others might use it, just wanted to get the title right, thanks.
Wertmuller is a bit intense, and I found her films a bit hard to take, but once I thought about them, I thought her vision original and thought-provoking. Seven Beauties is even more stark than Swept Away, but definitely worth a look. I have no idea what she has been doing in films since the 70’s. She is an eternal pessimist, you might say. It would be interesting to see what people think of these landmark films today, esp. on this site.
Ah, well spotted, absent-minded me, damn it’s hard changing these posts after the event. Perhaps i was thinking of the wonderful beautiful life of Chntal Brejchova
http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/top_tens/womens.html
Lone Scherfig (Italian for Beginners, Wilbur (wants to kill himself))
Jan Dunn (Gypo)
Sandra Nettelbeck (Mostly Martha)
Sarah Polley (Away From Her)
Doris Dorrie (How to Cook Your Life; Cherry Blossoms)
So Yong Kim (In Between Days)
Alice Wu (Saving Face)
Nadine Labaki (Caramel)
Her name has shown up here already on a few lists, but thanks to a reminder on a post on another thread, I would like to highlight the Czech director Vera Chytilova. She has a film called Daisies (1966) that I would recommend to anyone looking for something different. It may be hard to get, but worth the effort if you can find it. This would make an excellent Criterion release!
i think the starting point of this topic is slightly wrong, it’s like asking if there are any good male directors – there are so many it’s strange to be trying to narrow them down to their gender, although it’s certainly interesting to see your lists. directors should be acknowledged for their talent, and nothing else. and this is where the problem really lies, female directors are, in my opinion, more often overlooked. we’ve been talking about it here, if it interests you http://www.theauteurs.com/topics/1634/comments?page=4
My Favorite Feamale directors!
Gilliam Armstrong- Who made several moving films, some of which are my favorites. My Brilliant Carreer and her remake of Little Women are both masterpieces.
Leni Renfenstalh- Not only a facinating woman, but a great filmmaker who unfortunetly has the stigma of being associated with the natzi party. However you personally feel about Triumph Of The Will or Olimpia, you can’t deny the beauty or technical gace or those films. She was an inovator who is now overlooked due to the aforementioned affiliation to the natzis, check out The Wonderful/Horrible Life of Leni Renfenstal (a documentary on her life) to see the brilliant side of an amazing woman.
Adrienne Shelly- whose life was tragically cut short, however Waitress is good enough to put her on this list.
Dorothy Arzner- A lesbian film director, the sole woman directing films in hollywoods golden age of the 40s. Dance Girl Dance is now a feminist classic, a cult classic, and a camp gem, in my opinion her best film. Joan Crawford said someting along the lines of “I think all my directors fell in love with me, I know Dorothy Arzner did!”
Jane Campion- Sweetie, Angel At My Table, are great, but The Piano is her masterpiece. She has yet to top or equal that film, or make anything half as good since then.
Agnes Varda-The world’s greatest living female director. Any of her films speak for themselves. Vagabond and Cleo from 5 to 7 are favorites.
Maya Deren- created Meshes In The Afternoon, which deserves its place as a classic in the history of the greatest avant garde films ever made along side Un Chien Andalou and Lucifer Rising.
Perhaps she doesn’t quite fit here because her films are mostly viewed in museum-spaces rather than in theatres, but I love the work of Shirin Neshat. I think her installation video and film pieces are incredibly lyrical and the ways she explores topics like gender, language, ethnicity, politics, religion and culture are really inventive. Something her work is very akin to Maya Deren’s.
yeah, Alley, good call.
Not out of place at all.
Lina Wertmuller
Dorothy Arzner
Elaine May
Jane Campion
Claire Denis
Agniezka Holland
and of course Doris Wishman, who gets the “female director with the biggest balls award” for fully exploiting Chesty Morgan in Deadly Weapons
I think what this thread (and the many others on the same subject) prove is that the world of film is an incredibly sexist one. Hollywood in particular. Look at the current roster of films playing around the world and the upcoming ones and you’ll see that the male to female ratio is probably around 10 to 1. Why is that? I certainly don’t think that it’s the subject matter of female filmmakers as someone posted earlier in a very sexist tone in itself. I think it’s the establishment of the film world. I used to think it was Hollywood. That the independent world of film was different but it really isn’t. Again, look at the current roster of movies. If you took all the names listed above, I think you could easily come up with 50 males for every 1 female. That is a horrible statement on the film world and I fear that it wont change anytime soon.
Just for kicks, I looked at the current movies on the release schedule of IMDB and counted the female directors. I got up to 30 movies and quit counting. Didn’t find 1. Call it what you want- establishment or glass ceiling, but I call it sexist. There’s something wrong with that.
Yes, it’s certainly sexist and Hollywood is as guilty as anywhere- as i’ve said, Iran has a better record. Maybe Hollywood would say male directors will make them money, with all this macho testosterone-filled rollercoaster violent entertainment that seems mainly aimed at teenage boys and young men, but female directors have had hits too when given the chance,and there’s more than enough room for extra variety and viewpoints. In fact it’s urgently needed. Films have an important influence on how audiences perceive the world.
Strawdawg, I agree that this thread proves that the world of film is an incredibly sexist one. But I also think that the fact that this topic keeps getting brought up in the forums signals that we all want (and I think general audiences want) to hear from more diverse voices, including women. I just hope that this inspires filmmakers on The Auteurs to get to work (check out Garage)!
Lina Wertmuller and Agnes Varda, are in my tops.
Among the women filmmaker I admire, I have a special love for the work of begali director Aparna Sen, for my side the best living indian director at all. Even though a work relatively small in quantity and the fact that she is more famous as an actress, she is very unique. Mr. and Mrs. Iyr is probably her masterpiece, but as interesting are her early films which are quite dark portraits of different women:
an old angloindian lady´s loneliness, an exploited girl in Bengal in the 1900s etc.
Bob Stutsman
We need to raise the profile of a female director that is being forgotten on these lists by most: Lina Wertmuller. Her two films Seven Beauties and Swept Away were must see films by cinephiles in the mid-1970’s and there was all sorts of debate around them at the time. Perhaps the auteurs needs to draw attention to her work, which now looks neglected. She is still making films.
By the way Kenji: You have a great list (minus poor ol’ Lina W.) but Gilliam Armstrong made My Brilliant Career – one of my favourite films.