10 Films Directed by Women

Since March is women’s history month, I thought I would recommend 10 films by female directors. I tried to spread my recommendations over decades and different genres. Hollywood has come a long way it diversifying who is making films.

There is still a ton of work to be done, but each year more and more films are made by non-white cis-gendered males. Seeing the world from different viewpoints is one way for people to come together, so we should celebrate diversity in filmmaking.

The Hitch-Hiker Directed by Ida Lupino – 1953

Actors have been turning to directing for a long time. Ida started directing B-Movies in the late 1940s. In 1953 she directed her fourth film, which she helped co-write. The Hitch-Hiker is the first mainstream film noir directed by a woman.

The film follows a serial killer hitchhiker who robs and kills the people who pick him up. Two friends pick him up on their way to a fishing trip in Mexico and have to deal with the killer. It doesn’t break new ground, but there are some cool visual flares. Plus, it’s only 70 minutes, you can’t beat that runtime.

You can stream The Hitch-Hiker currently on Amazon Prime.

 Trailer Here

Mikey and Nicky Directed by Elaine May – 1976

A longtime collaborator of Warren Beatty’s and a titan for women in the industry. Elaine May started her career writing plays and acting on TV before moving to film in the late 60s. By the early 70’s she was directing films.

Beatty gave a lot of credit to her for helping get his film Reds made, which she co-wrote. Beatty got Columbia Pictures to give Elaine a blank check for any project she wanted and she chose Ishtar.

In my opinion, her crowning achievement is Mikey and Nicky. A story of two lowly organized crime goons, one of which has a hit put out on him because, well when you watch you’ll understand.

It might be the best film about friendship put to screen. Elaine had to fight for this film because the studio wanted to take control and she was worried they would butcher her film.

So she hid two reels in a friend’s garage which Paramount had no jurisdiction. She is a fascinating figure in Hollywood and deserved far better.

You can stream Mikey and Nicky currently on HBOMax.

Trailer Here 

Smooth Talk Directed by Joyce Chopra - 1985

Smooth Talk was adapted from the short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates. It was adapted by Tom Cole who was Joyce Chopra’s husband. Joyce was mainly known for documentaries and some TV programming for PBS.

1985 was a big year for Laura Dern. She had Mask and this in the same year. She wasn’t cast until two weeks before filming but knocked it out of the park. Dern has always looked 35, partly because of the 80’s fashion and probably her height.

It plays an integral part in her character in Smooth Talk. Laura plays a teenager who is no longer a kid but not quite an adult. One day while pushing that adult envelope and going to a bar she should not be hanging out at, she encounters Treat Williams.

Treat is menacing in this film and it all shows in a scene when he shows up at her house when her family is out. The film could’ve been a melodramatic after-school special. Instead, it is far more complex portraying that age where you do not fit in anywhere.

Smooth Talk is currently only streaming on the Criterion Channel. You can also get their Blu-ray of the film which is a great restoration.

Trailer Here 

Near Dark Directed by Kathryn Bigelow - 1987

A somewhat obvious female director to have on this list. She’s probably the biggest director name for females outside of maybe Patty Jenkins. She was the first woman to win Best Director at the Oscars for her harrowing war film The Hurt Locker.

She made one of my personal favorite films and a film I believe to be one of the best of the 21st Century with Zero Dark Thirty. As much as I love that film and would recommend anyone watch it, I wanted to recommend one of her lesser-known films Near Dark.

It’s clear Kathryn wanted to make a western but no studio was giving money for those as they were not profitable, not until Clint revived them with Unforgiven. Near Dark is about a guy who encounters a young lady one night and she turns him into a vampire.

Instead of killing him she only turns him and brings him into their gang to try and help him survive life as a vampire. It is my favorite vampire film and features Bill Paxton at possibly his best. The bar scene alone is worth this watch.

You can currently stream Near Dark on Amazon Prime Video.

 Trailer Here

Mississippi Masala Directed by Mira Nair - 1991

Mira Nair grew up in India, eventually, at 19 she started going to Dehli University but wanted to get the best education possible, so she transferred to Harvard on a full ride. She wanted to be an actor before becoming a filmmaker.

She begins her film career with documentaries. She made documentaries focusing on Indian social issues. Then in 1988, she made her first feature film Salaam Bombay! which was nominated at the Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film.

She followed that up with Mississippi Masala. It follows an Indian family living in Uganda under the rule of Idi Amin. They move to London, then to Mississippi. The film jumps forward almost 20 years when it reaches Mississippi.

There, our main character Mina meets and falls for Demetrius played by Denzel Washington. It’s a microcosmic look at the experience of immigrants in America. It didn’t accumulate the accolades her previous film did, but it did get a Criterion release, which is an honor.

Mississippi Masala is currently only streaming on the Criterion Channel. You can also get their Blu-ray of the film!

 Trailer Here

The Watermelon Woman Directed by Cheryl Dunye - 1996

This was the first feature film by an out-black lesbian and is considered a landmark film in New Queer Cinema. New Queer Cinema was a term coined in the early 1990s to describe the “movement” of new queer-themed cinema.

Cheryl’s first feature film The Watermelon Woman is a major inspiration to many filmmakers now. From queer to black, to any artist, Cheryl remains an important figure in modern cinema.

The Watermelon Woman follows a documentary filmmaker who decides to find “The Watermelon Woman”. The name of a character in a 1930’s film who is supposed to begin the “Mammy” stereotype.

 The film ends with a card stating: “Sometimes you have to create your own history. The Watermelon Woman is fiction.” Her film is a blend of imaginative history grounded in realism. It is clear this was a huge inspiration for Donald Glover for Atlanta.

During this film and that show, there are times I am not sure what is real and what is not. This is as much an indictment on me as it is on school and pop culture, not giving proper credit or credence to black art.

You can watch The Watermelon Woman currently anywhere you can get Showtime or Paramount.

 Trailer Here Less a trailer and more of a clip.

Beau Travail Direct by Claire Denis - 1999

One of the more obvious films to appear on this list. But, any chance to recommend this film and I will jump at the chance. Claire Denis is one of the great filmmakers of her time and is one of the most widely respected directors.

This is reflected in the 2022 Sight and Sound list which ranked Beau Travail as the 7th greatest film of all time. I don’t know if it should be that high, but I would place it in a list of the 100 greatest films of all time.

It’s told through flashbacks as Adjudant-Chef Galoup thinks about his time as a section leader of the French Foreign Legion in Djibouti. It is slowly revealed why he is no longer there and where he is reflecting on this time specifically.

Denis deconstructs masculinity by showing their training as a synchronized dance rather than what you would think the training would look like, plus there are undertones of homoeroticism that boil to the surface.

Plus, it has one of the greatest endings of all time.

 You can stream Beau Travail on HBOMax or Amazon Prime Video as well as The Criterion Channel.

Trailer Here 

Meek’s Cutoff Directed by Kelly Reichardt - 2011

This will be a shorter entry simply because Kelly Reichardt is one of my favorite filmmakers and when I thought about writing this list I knew one of her movies would be included. It came down between this or Certain Women.

Meek’s Cutoff won out because it is a lesser-known Reichardt, and its theme fits well into the theme of this write-up. The film follows four couples who are traveling along the Oregon Trail with a guide Stephen Meeks. As their rations become dangerously low they begin to question whether Meek has gotten them lost.

Things only become complicated when they capture a native and decide to see if he will lead them to water. Reichardt makes a choice to tell this story through the view of the wives who are essentially along for the ride.

As the film goes along you’re painfully aware of how not in control women were during this time. Even when they were certain their husband was leading them towards certain death they didn’t/couldn’t act with autonomy. It’s subtly terrifying to watch.

 You can watch Meek’s Cutoff currently anywhere you can get Showtime or Paramount.

Trailer Here 

You Were Never Really Here Directed by Lynne Ramsay - 2018

Another filmmaker I really like who I wish would work more. Lynne is a Scottish filmmaker and has only made four feature-length films. Her films are dark and atmospheric, and usually tackle issues of mental illness.

Here Joaquin Phoenix is an ex-FBI agent and veteran who is suffering from PTSD. He works underground, getting girls back who have been stolen and sold into the sex trafficking business. He is able to take his rage out this way.

I’ve never seen any other film so adequately depict PTSD on screen. Lynne puts us in the headspace of the main character. Making us understand what is going through his mind and what triggers him into an episode.

 It’s a masterwork of a film if you can get past the subject matter. Lynne pulls zero punches while going into this disgusting world. All anchored by Joaquin’s greatest performance.

You can watch You Were Never Really Here currently on Amazon Prime Video.

 Trailer Here

Portrait of a Lady on Fire Directed by Celine Sciamma – 2019

This film is almost too self-explanatory. So much so that I almost did not put it on here. However, when I thought about it, this film has to be on this list. Because if you have seen it, watch it again, and if you have not seen it, then this is your reminder to go watch this film.

The second this film ended I knew it would be on my 100 greatest films list. It is an absolute masterpiece by one of our great modern filmmakers. In the 1700’s a painter (Marianne) is commissioned to paint Heloise, a woman who has left a convent and is to be married.

As Marianne begins to learn about Heloise deeper feelings arise between the two of them. That’s as far as I want to go into the plot, but suffice it to say that the last 20 minutes will destroy you and you understand why this film is held in such high regard.

If you’d like some lighter fare, her film Petite Maman from 2021. It is only 75 minutes and is like a cinematic warm blanket that wraps you up to you can go to sleep.

You can watch Portrait of a Lady on Fire on Hulu.

Trailer Here

There you have it! I’ll probably do another one next year because there is such deep pool to pick from.