Alice Guy Blaché

Alice Guy-Blaché was the first female director. She reportedly directed over 1000 films (all silents) and most are lost. At the time of her death, she thought that only three of her films had survived. Today, perhaps up to 300 of her films have survived.

Here is a brief biography:
July 1, 1873 – Alice Ida Antoinette Guy is born in Saint-Mande, a suburb of Paris, France
1894 – She is hired by Léon Gaumont.
July 7, 1985 – Léon Gaumont starts his film company and Alice Guy becomes...