Just admit it, you don’t. Okay, maybe you know Sofia Coppola. But honestly, can you name three female filmmakers and at least three of their films? You probably can”t. And you know what? It’s not your fault.
We don’t talk about them. And by “we”, I mean the media, audiences, ads, even Hollywood. We’ll sell a film with Christopher Nolan or James Cameron’s name on it, but not a woman’s. Now that it’s become trendy to be a feminist, blogs and magazines have started to praise them. Don’t get us wrong, it’s a great thing. But it has to be more than a trend. It has to be seen as an essential part of film history – as it is.
So here’s our challenge to you. We present five cool and important women in film today, and you get to know them. Watch their films, talk about them, give them the attention they deserve.
Ava Duvernay
Let me break down her level of coolness for you. A woman director who actually got attention this year – 50 points. Her film Selma got nominated at the Oscars in 2014 – 100 points. She’s a woman of color! – 500 points. Her films are on Netflix!!!!! – 1000 points. But seriously, she’s big.
Watch : Selma (2014), 13th (2016), This is the Life (2008)
Andrea Arnold
The sunglasses say it all: she’s an artist. Winner of three Jury Prizes at Cannes and an Academy Award for Best Short, that’s more than a lot of men can brag about. Her American Honey is one of the most talked-about films of the year. It’s still in theatres. Go.
Watch : American Honey (2016), Fish Tank (2009), Wasp (2003)
Sarah Polley
You might recognize her, as she’s started her film career as an actress. She added filmmaking to her curriculum in 1999 with her short The Best Day of My Life, and can now count 8 films at her credit, at only 37 years of age. We’re pretty confident this Canadian star will continue to shine.
Watch : Stories We Tell (2012), Take This Waltz (2011), Away From Her (2006)
Kathryn Bigelow
She’s the FIRST and ONLY woman to ever win an Academy Award for Best Director. That’s gotta mean something. Her films are ambitious, topical, complex and super entertaining. She tackles political, military and social issues with wiseness and precision. We continue to expect great things from her.
Watch : The Hurt Locker (2008), Zero Dark Thirty (2012), Strange Days (1995)
Lynne Ramsay
Did you know she was once replaced by Peter Jackson on a film the producers thought she couldn’t handle? The film went on to be badly received. Take that for firing a woman who’s been a judge at Cannes and Venise, and considered “one of the leading lights in […] British cinema” by the Los Angeles Times.
Watch : We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011), Ratcatcher (1999), Morvern Callar (2002)
So here you go, now you can name five. Practice what you preach, spread the word, enlarge your list, make them known. Soon enough, their names will grow on the movie posters and trailers. Before you know it, they’ll get to be hired on blockbusters! Who knew it was that simple???