Just wanted to alert people to a post up on Alternet that really got me angry. My reaction with the link is here:

http://cruellablog.blogspot.com/2007/07/youporn-and-porntube-really.html

Kathryn Bigelow is my favorite female director.
Also the only one I really know of--there aren't that many, are there? *sigh*

i just graduated with my master's in media arts. i work in video production and i'm an aspiring writer-director. my two favorite female directors are
1. Jane Campion (The Piano, Portrait of a Lady) and
2. Kathryn Bigelow (Near Dark-best vampire movie evah!, Point Blank)

Gurinder Chadha, she directed Bend It Like Beckham. It's a great movie about not doing simply what your family or your culture wants but something you want. It is modeled after the director’s life. Not so much the soccer part but the defining the rules aspect.

lynn ramsey (rat catcher, morvern callar) is my favorite director, male or female. she rules.

13lesslee - Don't forget Strange Days!

Incidentally, does off-topic pimping of your own blog violate the commenting policy here?

Two great women directors are Deepa Mehta, and Sarah Polley. We all need to make an effort to seek out and support women directors.

Y'all know I rarely site pimp, but I had a discussion on female directors a few weeks ago here. I'd have to say Mira Nair, but I'm looking forward to the new film by Kasi Lemmons (Talk to Me starring Don Cheadle).

There's an interview with her here, as she discusses her life as an actress (she was Jodi Foster's roommate in Silence of the Lambs) and as a pioneering woman of color in the directorial field.

I'm a fan of Claire Denis.

Lots of great names in the previous comments. I'm a fan of Claire Denis too.

I have a soft spot in my heart for Sally Potter; her deconstruction of La Boheme, Thriller, is my favorite.

Sophia Copolla is a genius.

Catherine Breillat, of course.

oh and how could I forget Doris Wishman, a master of the b&w sexploitation genre??

Mine's probably Sally Potter, too. I fell in love with "Yes." The dialogue is all in iambic pentameter.

I also really like Claire Denis.

Sophie Muller. She doesn't do feature films but she's like my favourite music video director ever. Look her up on wikipedia and you'll probably recognise loads of her work. She's worked with Eurythmics, No Doubt (and Gwen Stefani), Mika, PJ Harvey, Jeff Buckley, Bjork, Hole, Blur, The Cure, The Manics, Radiohead, The Killers, Jamelia, Lily Allen...I could go on forever.

Another good female music video director is Floria Sigismondi. White Stripes, Marylin Manson, Christina Aguilera...a very original style.

Kathryn Bigelow, who won my heart with Near Dark and Point Break and even Strange Days. I like action films so she does it for me.

JaneMinty, I've seen several Catherine Breillat films and can't shake the feeling that she doesn't think to highly of men (i.e. Fat Girl and Anatomy of Hell) is that true or have I been missing something? While I like that in Fat Girl she basically shows to young girls and women that men will lie their asses off to get what they want from you I haven't seen a descent man in any of the films I've seen from her.

Excellent article! Thanks for posting it.

I'm interested in knowing about women of color directors, as well. Thanks to folks for pointing out Gurinder Chadha, and I enjoy Mira Nair's work, too. It's hard to find women of colors' directorial work within the already small number of women directors!

Slightly off topic, but related: Does anyone know names of women screenwriters, too? Directors are doing one (very) important job, and the screenwriters, who craft the words and create the story, are also very much "behind the scenes" and invisible to viewers.

Lina Wertmuller- Italian director kicking ass...best film "Love and Anarchy"

also Nora Ephron and Nancy Meyers need to be given props

Deepa Mehta, who directed Fire and Earth, as well as some other films. Those are my favorites out of her body of work, though.

Hi, I'm a writer/director living in Los Angeles right now - only short films so far, but I'm trying to break in. Like all aspiring directors, there's many obstacles, not the least of which is hugely financial and connections oriented. I've been here 5 years next month, and I will never quit working towards my goal.

Anyway, I go to the Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards every year, and it's this whole, "how do we present it" thing every year. Do you "complain" and point out the disparities? Or continue to accentuate the positives while the number of women directing television drops from it's already dismal level? (for example)

Anyway, often it seems like some of the honories are like, Oh, thank you for this award, but it's not like women need to band together in the industry, because everything's fine, and I'm fine, and I would never say anything strident or negative, tra la la...

But the most striking thing in the Hollywood Reporter this year was that the last thing they asked Renee Zellweger was what directors would she most like to work with in the future, and NOT BLOODY ONE OF THEM WAS A WOMAN.

I think a small piece of my soul died as I read her list.

I believe that the fact that there are so few female directors IS partly because of the "Hollywood problem".

I believe it when they say about a third of the directors in Europe are female. Also, have you noticed that in most european films the actors look like real people? When they need a supermodel, or beautiful young person they cast one... but when US films they need a Virginia Woolf we give Nicole Kidman a big nose. (No disrespect to Kidman, she kicks ass and deserved the Oscar)...but I am just making a point that average women can't make it in Hollywood even if they kick ass....The same goes for directors. Hollywood goes not wnat to see an aging director on the red carpet..

But then why are there not young hot directors? I think the article touched on this nicely...

I'll second Sarah Polley, even though I think "Away From Her" is her 1st & only full-length feature so far. Amy Heckerling, definitely, definitely! I also like Nicole Holofcener.

First of all, my favorite directors:

I love Penny Marshall. I know she's not as indie-cool as some others, but "A League of Their Own" is one of my favoritie movies--and I'm a sci-fi/horror fan.
Of course, I love Gurinder Chadha. I played soccer in high school--plus "Beckham" is just a damn good movie.

Kasi Lemmons is awesome, too. I loved "Eve's Bayou."

Jane Campion, Mimi Leder, and Penelope Spheeris.

I'm of mixed feelings about Amy Heckerling's stuff. Some of her work is great, but some of it employs gender stereotypes that I can't stomach.

In answer to E. Clarissa's question, Delia Ephron, Nora's sister, wrote "You've Got Mail" and "Bewitched." They try to work together as often as they can. Melissa Mathison wrote "E.T." Oh, and Emma Thompson is not only a fabulous actor, she wrote "Nanny McPhee," "Pride and Prejudice" (she's uncredited on that one), and "Sense and Sensibility."

Women who are writers face the same issues as the directors in the piece. Mainly, women are pigeonholed as romantic comedy or drama writers--all things touchy-feely, deep and emotional. My little impromptu list above reinforces that.
Melissa Mathison is one of the exceptions.

I write suspense and have horror ideas as well as historical drama ideas. Most of my stuff has female leads, but one has a male lead. It's frustrating to know that my dramas will probably get more attention.
Television is definitely easier for female writers than film, but by no means a paradise.
Ann Donahue is the show-runner (head writer) for "CSI: New York," and we all know about Shonda Rimes. Those are all that I can think of now since Amy Sherman-Palladino left "Gilmore Girls" after the 6th season.

I'm so glad Feministing keeps bringing up this issue. It's not getting near the amount of press it should, but it's now getting press. Even "Creative Screenwriting" had a full-length article about female screenwriters about 2 years ago.

Everyone here can help too, by finding the "First Weekenders" website and email list. If you sign up, you'll get a list of women-directed features opening on the current weekend. Then, you buy a ticket to the show, whether you can go or not. It helps jack up the box office of these films so that they can get wider distribution and recognition.

Maria Luisa Bemberg from Argentina, two of my favorite films are hers - Camila and Yo la peor de todas, both of which deal with historical women's lives.

Alicia Scherson from Chile. I loved her film Play.

Depressingly I can't think of any other women directors off the top of my head.

BTW, has anyone said Catherine Hardwick? 13, Lords of Dogtown, Nativity. She is just at the beginning of her directing career and has a really strong eye and sense of character.

Also Julie Taymor - I just LOVE Julie Taymor.

Niki Caro.

I work for a production company in development. Recently I was given a project to compile a list of female directors. I was given a list made by a past employee, and told to check on the names already on the list. Many of them were writers, and some even actors--but not directors. Sadly, a few of them were dead. (The list was compiled in about 2001)

I am having a hard time believing that women do not want to be directors! The industry (while still male-dominated) is full of lots of wonderful, smart, creative women.

Why aren't these women seated in the director's chair then? Because I think that we are discouraged. Women tend to stay in assistant or other less powerful positions, and I think it is because women who want to move up the ladder must act cold and sacrifice a lot more than the men who want the similar positions.

There are people who are willing to help. There are organiziations dedicated to the production and distrubution of films made by women (Women Make Movies is a good example), and networking groups open to young women in the industry (www.NextGenFemmes.com)

That being said, I think that Sophia Coppola is fantastic. And I am deeply saddened by Adrinne Shelley's death. Waitress was a fantastic film.

lizriz nailed one of my favorites...Julie Taymor.

Also...Jodie Foster.

MY FAVORITE TOPIC!!

Speaking of Julie Taymor, have any of you read about how she is currently clashing with Joe Roth about the final cut of Across the Universe? He, head of Revolution studios and director of such masterpieces as Christmas with the Kranks, thinks she doesn't know what she's doing and he wants to edit it. She is fighting him. AND THIS IS TYPICAL BULLSHIT. If she were, say, Spike Jonze or Noah Baumbach? It'd be all about, oh, let his creative genius loose, let his revolutionary vision flow! Instead we've got, Well, you know how ladies are!

Love to everyone already mentioned in this thread, and for FirstWeekenders, I love their work as well. And big ups to mentioning Catherine Breillat, JaneMinty, you just made my skin crawl! :) I'd also like to add my recent discoveries>: Karen Moncrieff, (The Dead Girl) Debra Granik, (Down to the Bone)
Susanne Bier, Andrea Arnold (Red Road), and(Brothers) Cate Shortland (Somersault). Less indie is Sanaa Hamri (Something New) and I can't forget the AWESOME Angela Robinson (D.E.B.S.). As well as my girl, Elaine May, who got a lot more shit for directing Ishtar than Kevin Costner got for Waterworld. And, of course, Kimberly Pierce, who finally has another movie coming out. (Sill waiting for another from Patty Jenkins, while we're on women who directed actresses to Oscars.)

And you know, I saw plenty of coverage of the AFI list in the media and I saw NOTHING until this article that mentioned that not only were there no women included but that only 4.5 (!) were directed by women. Guess that's unremarkable to the mainstream media. Girls don't direct great movies, duh! Besides the fact women were PIONEERS in early cinema (like Alice Guy-Blache, who many consider to be the first person to direct a narrative fiction short.) until men realized you could make money off the "trifle" of movies and took over. But forget about them, let's talk more about how AWESOME it is John Wayne wants to kill his niece for the crime of touching a Native American in the "brilliant" Searchers!

Also, I must mention that in documentary, both short and long subject, women are often more visible. (Jesus Camp in the house!) Ditto with independent movies. Just check out the nominees at the Independent Spirit Awards or entries in Sundance and Slamdance and you'll see the difference.

Typo! Susanne Bier, who is from Denmark, directed the wonderful Brothers and the Oscar nominated After the Wedding. Andrea Arnold, who is English directed the haunting Red Road and won an Oscar for the short Wasp.

And, when last I went to the movies I felt good that out of the four trailers, two were for upcoming films directed by women: Cherie Nowlan's Introducing the Dwights and Tamara Jenkins's The Savages, which she wrote and directed.

allison anders is one of my fav female directors: "gas food lodging," "mi vida loca," and "things behind the sun," plus some episodic tv shows.

most have already been mentioned but some of my faves are gurinder chandha (bend it, and also bride and prejudice), deepa mehta (water was by far the best of the series)

miranda july although she's could be considered more of a video artist, but me you and everyone we know is excellent.

what about all those female cinematographers and editors? that's where it's at. (i need to do some research on that)

Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, the directors of Jesus Camp, are absolute geniuses. (They had to follow and become intimate with the lives of their real-world subjects, too, which puts them in a whole other class of awesome.)

I am a director at one of my local TV stations, and this really hit home for me. I am the only female in a sea of males. When you extend over to include the production aspect of commercials and advertising, I am one of two females. We have probably 10 female emplyees altogether. Other than us two production workers, the rest of the women are receptionisits and sales. My mother is also a local television producer, and my sister-in-law is a producer for Dateline. Once again, they are working with almost all men. I've been told that, "Women are more interested in things like being in front of the camera than they are production." Right. That's why my senior year in high school it was three women and no men interning in production at a local televeision studio. Thanks for posting this Vanessa. I'm gald someone other than me has noticed.

I am a director at one of my local TV stations, and this really hit home for me. I am the only female in a sea of males. When you extend over to include the production aspect of commercials and advertising, I am one of two females. We have probably 10 female emplyees altogether. Other than us two production workers, the rest of the women are receptionisits and sales. My mother is also a local television producer, and my sister-in-law is a producer for Dateline. Once again, they are working with almost all men. I've been told that, "Women are more interested in things like being in front of the camera than they are production." Right. That's why my senior year in high school it was three women and no men interning in production at a local televeision studio. Thanks for posting this Vanessa. I'm gald someone other than me has noticed.

I am a director at one of my local TV stations, and this really hit home for me. I am the only female in a sea of males. When you extend over to include the production aspect of commercials and advertising, I am one of two females. We have probably 10 female emplyees altogether. Other than us two production workers, the rest of the women are receptionisits and sales. My mother is also a local television producer, and my sister-in-law is a producer for Dateline. Once again, they are working with almost all men. I've been told that, "Women are more interested in things like being in front of the camera than they are production." Right. That's why my senior year in high school it was three women and no men interning in production at a local televeision studio. Thanks for posting this Vanessa. I'm gald someone other than me has noticed.

I am a director at one of my local TV stations, and this really hit home for me. I am the only female in a sea of males. When you extend over to include the production aspect of commercials and advertising, I am one of two females. We have probably 10 female emplyees altogether. Other than us two production workers, the rest of the women are receptionisits and sales. My mother is also a local television producer, and my sister-in-law is a producer for Dateline. Once again, they are working with almost all men. I've been told that, "Women are more interested in things like being in front of the camera than they are production." Right. That's why my senior year in high school it was three women and no men interning in production at a local televeision studio. Thanks for posting this Vanessa. I'm gald someone other than me has noticed.

I am a director at one of my local TV stations, and this really hit home for me. I am the only female in a sea of males. When you extend over to include the production aspect of commercials and advertising, I am one of two females. We have probably 10 female emplyees altogether. Other than us two production workers, the rest of the women are receptionisits and sales. My mother is also a local television producer, and my sister-in-law is a producer for Dateline. Once again, they are working with almost all men. I've been told that, "Women are more interested in things like being in front of the camera than they are production." Right. That's why my senior year in high school it was three women and no men interning in production at a local televeision studio. Thanks for posting this Vanessa. I'm gald someone other than me has noticed.

sophia coppola and miranda july both seconded (i think thirded for sophia coppola actually) and also asia aregento as a director (the heart is deceitful above all things)and as an actress.

Mary Harron (American Psycho, I Shot Andy Warhol, The Notorious Bettie Page, etc.)

Mary Harron (American Psycho, I Shot Andy Warhol, The Notorious Bettie Page, etc.)

I'm also trying to break into directing and editing, and currently work in tv production. I found what SIUCarbondale10 said totally struck a chord with me. When I was at university there was a huge majority of women in my class, with a few men studying production. As soon as I got into the industry it was completely, shockingly reversed. Companies i've worked in with a 50/50ish male/female split always have all male directors/editors and all female secretaries/researchers. What the hell happens between university and work? I can only hope that the situation will improve as increasing amounts of women reach more senior levels.

One difference in male and female graduates I noticed is that my male classmates were very keen to immediately call themselves "Directooors" while many women would distance themselves from such senior labels, claiming they would like more experience before they announced such things. I thought the men who said it sounded like arrogant idiots, but it seems to pay off for them.

I must say that the internet is creating a lot of opportunities for women interested in video production. I work with internet tv and so far, apart from our management (all male of course), there are more women making films. It seems less macho... so far.

"What the hell happens between university and work?" - nervous_aesthete

I worked in production for awhile. Many of the successful people I knew had worked through what would otherwise be one's college years. On the job experience as a head start seemed to be valued much more than college education. College, in fact, seemed in many cases to be nothing more than a four year road to free internships. Does this match your experience?

First must point out that I live and work in the UK.

I'd say plenty of people I work with have degrees, although not necessarily in production related subjects. On the job experience is definitely valued more than a degree, but I think a degree before you got all that valuable work ex. is considered to be the norm.

My problem is that I was in a class full of women, but when I entered the real world of work, I couldn't find many of them in positions of power.

I second Catherine Breillat. I agree that men are not frequently portrayed in a positive light, but in the 7 of her films I have seen, women are often portrayed brutally as well. What I admire her for is her willingness to the gender breakdown as well as her straightforward treatment of sexuality and sexual aberration. Most of her DVDs feature commentary and interviews, it is fascinating to listen to her talk about her films.

Also, Agnes Varda, the grandmother of the French New Wave. Her films are experimental, gorgeous and have a beautiful feminine flair and she treats feminist issues with delicacy and dignity.

And Marzieh Meshkini who directed the beautiful The Day I Became a Woman and has worked with her husband Mohsen Makhmalbaf as assistant director on several of his brilliant projects.