France has always been a country that has welcomed and nutured the careers of their female directors.  The first female director in the world was Alice Guy-Blaché, who created the first narrative film.  Fast-forward to today where you have directors like Anne Fontaine, Catherine Corsini, and Catherine Breillat whose output is consistent.  Here is a list of French women who have directed a movie:
                
Mona Achache ( MUBI  )     
             
Shirel Amitay

Jacqueline Audry ( Auteurs )

Pascale Bailly ( Auteurs )

Josiane Balasko ( Auteurs ) 
Actress/director

Sylvie Ballyot ( Auteurs )

Laurence Ferreira Barbosa  ( Auteurs )

Emmanuelle Bercot ( Auteurs )
Actress/director

Sandrine Bonnaire ( Auteurs )
Actress/director

Catherine Breillat  

Zabou Breitman ( Auteurs )
Actress/director

Marie Caldera

Sophie Calle
Sophie Calle is an artist who experiments with many formats including film, murals, and writings.

Christine Carrière

Catherine Corsini ( Auteurs )

Delphine Coulin, Muriel Coulin
Sisters who are a directing team

Isabelle Czajka

Josée Dayan ( Auteurs )

Liliane de Kermadec 

Emilie Deleuze

Julie Delpy ( Auteurs )
Actress/director

Claire Denis ( Auteurs )

Elsa Diringer

Virginie Despentes  ( Auteurs )

Marina de Van ( Auteurs )

Claire Devers

Jennifer Devoldère ( Auteurs )

Lola Doillon

Valérie Donzelli
Actress turned director

Martine Dugowson ( Auteurs )

Germaine Dulac ( Auteurs )

Caroline du Potet

Marguerite Duras  ( Auteurs )
Novelist/director/muse

Audrey Estrougo

Pascale Ferran ( Auteurs ) 

Anne Fontaine  ( Auteurs )

Nicole Garcia ( Auteurs )
Actress/director

Julie Gavras ( Auteurs )
Daughter of Costa-Gavras

Aurélia Georges

Anne Giafferi

Valérie Guignabodet


Alice Guy-Blaché  
First female director in the world and the first director who made a narrative film.

Lucile Hadzihalilovic ( Auteurs )
Wife of Gaspar Noe.

Geneviève Hamon
Documentarian that worked extensively with Jean Painlevé.

Mia Hansen-Løve ( Auteurs )

Eva Husson

Jeanne Herry

Danièle Huillet ( Auteurs )
Born and died in France, she is most famous for her work in Germany and Italy.

Agnès Jaoui ( Auteurs )
Actress/director

Valérie Jouve ( Auteurs ) 

Sabrina B. Karine

Diane Kurys ( Auteurs )

Jeanne Labrune ( Auteurs )

Sophie Laloy ( Auteurs )
 
Mélanie Laurent
Actress/director

Isild Le Besco ( Auteurs )
Actress/director

Sophie Lellouche

Valérie Lemercier ( Auteurs )
Actress/director/singer/Cesars host

Nolwenn Lemesle ( Auteurs )

Anne Le Ny

Sophie Letourneur  ( Auteurs )

Anne Lévy-Morelle ( Auteurs )

Elisabeth Löchen

Julie Lopes-Curval ( Auteurs )

Emma Luchini  ( Auteurs )

Noémie Lvovsky  ( Auteurs ) 

Nawell Madani

Maïwenn  ( Auteurs )
Actress/director/sister of Isild Le Besco

Tonie Marshall ( Auteurs ) 

Laetitia Masson ( Auteurs )

Patricia Mazuy ( Auteurs ) 

Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar

Agnès Merlet ( Auteurs)

Jeanne Moreau ( Auteurs )
Actress/director

Yolande Moreau ( Auteurs )
Actress/director

Élodie Namer

Claudine Natkin

Clémence Poésy

Béatrice Plumet ( Auteurs )

Katell Quillévéré ( Auteurs )
Born in Côte d’Ivoire.

Jackie Raynal ( Auteurs )
Editor/director

Madeleine Riffaud

Sandrine Rinaldi

Françoise Romand ( Auteurs )
Critic Jonathan Rosenbaum has championed her film, Meli-melo/Mix-Up.

Noémie Saglio


Céline Sciamma  ( Auteurs )
New director who has the chance of being one of the greats.

Léonor Serraille

Coline Serreau ( Auteurs )
Three Men and a Baby was based on her original film.

Claire Simon ( Auteurs )

Carine Tardieu ( Auteurs )

Andra Tévy

Danièle Thompson ( Auteurs )

Justine Triet

Stéphanie Valloatto

Sabrina Van Tassel

Agnès Varda ( Auteurs / UBUWeb )
Born in Belgium, Varda’s career started and continues in France.  She has her own production/distribution company, Ciné-Tamaris, to keep alive not only her films, but those of her late husband, Jacques Demy.

Sylvie Verheyde ( Auteurs )

Marion Vernoux
 
Sandrine Veysset ( Auteurs )

Alice Vial

Marie-Garel Weiss

Alice Winocour  ( Auteurs )

Paule Zajdermann 

Hélène Zimmer

Rebecca Zlotowsky 

Notes: 
Chantal Akerman is Belgian, but is famous for some work in France.

Additional Links:
Films Directed By Women
A Female Director a Day.
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Visit my site: Cinema Becomes Her

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France has always been a country that has welcomed and nutured the careers of their female directors. The first female director in the world was Alice Guy-Blaché, who created the first narrative film. Fast-forward to today where you have directors like Anne Fontaine, Catherine Corsini, and Catherine Breillat whose output is consistent. Here is a list of French women who have directed a movie:
Mona Achache ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/92327">MUBI</a> )
Shirel Amitay
Jacqueline Audry ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/165854">Auteurs</a> )
Pascale Bailly ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/50077">Auteurs</a> )
Josiane Balasko ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/17697">Auteurs</a> ) 
Actress/director
Sylvie Ballyot ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/105937">Auteurs</a> )
<a href="http://mubi.com/lists/18200">Laurence Ferreira Barbosa</a> ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/13696">Auteurs</a> )
Emmanuelle Bercot ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/35795">Auteurs</a> ) 
Actress/director
Sandrine Bonnaire ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/3350">Auteurs</a> ) 
Actress/director
<a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/lists/7351">Catherine Breillat</a>
Zabou Breitman ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/394">Auteurs</a> ) 
Actress/director
Marie Caldera
<a href="http://www.ubu.com/film/calle.html">Sophie Calle</a> 
Sophie Calle is an artist who experiments with many formats including film, murals, and writings.
Christine Carrière
<a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/lists/8755">Catherine Corsini</a> ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/20140">Auteurs</a> )
Delphine Coulin, Muriel Coulin 
Sisters who are a directing team
Isabelle Czajka
Josée Dayan ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/22753">Auteurs</a> )
Liliane de Kermadec
Emilie Deleuze
Julie Delpy ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/72625">Auteurs</a> ) 
Actress/director
<a href="http://mubi.com/lists/march-24th-claire-denis">Claire Denis</a> ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/463">Auteurs</a> )
Elsa Diringer
Virginie Despentes ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/16331">Auteurs</a> )
Marina de Van ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/4569">Auteurs</a> )
Claire Devers
Jennifer Devoldère ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/195470">Auteurs</a> )
Lola Doillon
Valérie Donzelli 
Actress turned director
Martine Dugowson ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/114935">Auteurs</a> )
Germaine Dulac ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/69611">Auteurs</a> )
Caroline du Potet
<a href="http://mubi.com/lists/marguerite-duras--3">Marguerite Duras</a> ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/1636">Auteurs</a> ) 
Novelist/director/muse
Audrey Estrougo
Pascale Ferran ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/921">Auteurs</a> )
<a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/lists/7202">Anne Fontaine</a> ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/17521">Auteurs</a> )
Nicole Garcia ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/19218">Auteurs</a> ) 
Actress/director
Julie Gavras ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/98947">Auteurs</a> ) 
Daughter of Costa-Gavras
Aurélia Georges
Anne Giafferi
Valérie Guignabodet
<img src="http://i1025.photobucket.com/albums/y320/groobimubi/dirAGB-292.jpg" alt="" /> 
<a href="http://mubi.com/lists/alice-guy-blache">Alice Guy-Blaché</a> 
First female director in the world and the first director who made a narrative film.
Lucile Hadzihalilovic ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/14890">Auteurs</a> ) 
Wife of Gaspar Noe.
Geneviève Hamon 
Documentarian that worked extensively with Jean Painlevé.
Mia Hansen-Løve ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/19519">Auteurs</a> )
Eva Husson
Jeanne Herry
Danièle Huillet ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/4600">Auteurs</a> ) 
Born and died in France, she is most famous for her work in Germany and Italy.
Agnès Jaoui ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/19757">Auteurs</a> ) 
Actress/director
Valérie Jouve ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/167845">Auteurs</a> )
Sabrina B. Karine
<a href="http://mubi.com/lists/10755">Diane Kurys</a> ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/17839">Auteurs</a> )
Jeanne Labrune ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/22952">Auteurs</a> )
Sophie Laloy ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/90557">Auteurs</a> )
Mélanie Laurent 
Actress/director
Isild Le Besco ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/478">Auteurs</a> ) 
Actress/director
Sophie Lellouche
<a href="http://mubi.com/lists/valerie-lemercier">Valérie Lemercier</a> ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/17236">Auteurs</a> ) 
Actress/director/singer/Cesars host
Nolwenn Lemesle ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/421795">Auteurs</a> )
Anne Le Ny
Sophie Letourneur ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/79170">Auteurs</a> )
Anne Lévy-Morelle ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/164415">Auteurs</a> )
Elisabeth Löchen
Julie Lopes-Curval ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/23022">Auteurs</a> )
Emma Luchini ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/390731">Auteurs</a> )
Noémie Lvovsky ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/12477">Auteurs</a> )
Nawell Madani
Maïwenn ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/12350">Auteurs</a> ) 
Actress/director/sister of Isild Le Besco
Tonie Marshall ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/67739">Auteurs</a> )
Laetitia Masson ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/126949">Auteurs</a> )
Patricia Mazuy ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/5473">Auteurs</a> )
Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0580982/">Agnès Merlet</a> ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/95662">Auteurs</a>)
Jeanne Moreau ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/3164">Auteurs</a> ) 
Actress/director
Yolande Moreau ( <a href="http://mubi.com/films/32796">Auteurs</a> ) 
Actress/director
Élodie Namer
Claudine Natkin
Clémence Poésy
Béatrice Plumet ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/86254">Auteurs</a> )
Katell Quillévéré ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/116159">Auteurs</a> ) 
Born in Côte d&#8217;Ivoire.
Jackie Raynal ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/9614">Auteurs</a> ) 
Editor/director
Madeleine Riffaud
Sandrine Rinaldi
Françoise Romand ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/70803">Auteurs</a> ) 
Critic Jonathan Rosenbaum has championed her film, Meli-melo/Mix-Up.
Noémie Saglio
<img src="http://i1025.photobucket.com/albums/y320/groobimubi/Lists/celine_sciamma2-1.jpg" alt="" /> 
<a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/lists/7451">Céline Sciamma</a> ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/15198">Auteurs</a> ) 
New director who has the chance of being one of the greats.
Léonor Serraille
Coline Serreau ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/17831">Auteurs</a> ) 
Three Men and a Baby was based on her original film.
Claire Simon ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/13361">Auteurs</a> )
Carine Tardieu ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/21139">Auteurs</a> )
Andra Tévy
Danièle Thompson ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/14038">Auteurs</a> )
Justine Triet
Stéphanie Valloatto
Sabrina Van Tassel
<a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/lists/7924">Agnès Varda</a> ( <a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/1807">Auteurs</a> / <a href="http://ubu.com/film/varda.html">UBUWeb</a> ) 
Born in Belgium, Varda&#8217;s career started and continues in France. She has her own production/distribution company, Ciné-Tamaris, to keep alive not only her films, but those of her late husband, Jacques Demy.
Sylvie Verheyde ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/15562">Auteurs</a> )
Marion Vernoux
Sandrine Veysset ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/127665">Auteurs</a> )
Alice Vial
Marie-Garel Weiss
Alice Winocour ( <a href="http://mubi.com/cast_members/70787">Auteurs</a> )
Paule Zajdermann
Hélène Zimmer
Rebecca Zlotowsky
Notes: 
<a href="http://www.theauteurs.com/cast_members/2681">Chantal Akerman</a> is Belgian, but is famous for some work in France.
Additional Links: 
<a href="http://mubi.com/lists/5110">Films Directed By Women</a> 
<a href="http://mubi.com/lists/20664">A Female Director a Day.</a> 
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<a href="http://www.cinemabecomesher.com">Visit my site: Cinema Becomes Her			 
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Films Directed by French Women