Staff Picks: Our Favorite Films Directed by Women
In celebration of Women's History Month and International Women's Day, the staff at IMDb has compiled a list of their favorite films directed by women.
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- DirectorSian HederStarsEmilia JonesMarlee MatlinTroy KotsurWhen the family's fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her musical passion and her fear of abandoning her deaf parents.Sian Heder's funny, feel-good family drama won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award after its virtual premiere at Sundance in 2021, and went on to delight audiences via streaming after a major Apple TV+ purchase. I was thrilled to see it win Best Picture at the 2022 Oscars, plus bring home a Best Adapted Screenplay award for Heder and historic Best Actor win for deaf actor Troy Kotsur. Warm, fuzzy feelings all around – prepare to laugh AND cry! — Hannah P.
- DirectorJustine TrietStarsSandra HüllerSwann ArlaudMilo Machado-GranerA woman is suspected of murder after her husband's death; their half-blind son faces a moral dilemma as the main witness.I picked a list of films directed by women ('Anatomy of a Fall,' 'Past Lives,' 'Lady Bird,' and 'The Lost Daughter') which have stayed with me. In all the following cases, the stories and writing were able to appeal to an emotion so deep that I hadn’t found a way verbalize it, until these films helped me do it. I just noticed that for all these films the directors were also the writers and I’m not surprised. — Neha G.
- DirectorA.V. RockwellStarsTeyana TaylorAaron Kingsley AdetolaAven CourtneyAfter unapologetic and fiercely loyal Inez kidnaps her son Terry from the foster care system, mother and son set out to reclaim their sense of home, identity, and stability, in a rapidly changing New York City.This is a very special film by writer/director A.V. Rockwell and we saw it at its world premiere at The Sundance Film Festival where it received a much-deserved rave response. It has much to say about family and love, along with some unexpected turns along the way. I am looking forward to whatever she does next. — Col N.
- DirectorDaisy von Scherler MayerStarsParker PoseyOmar TownsendThe Lady BunnyA 20-something, irresponsible party girl is bailed out of jail by her librarian godmother. To repay the loan, she starts working at the library and gradually turns her life around.Did you know 'Party Girl' was the first movie ever to stream online? It's also quintessential '90s NYC and the first movie I think of when someone mentions Parker Posey. It was also director Daisy von Scherler Mayer's debut. Pair with 'Paris Is Burning' for an NYC double feature from two female directors. — Arno K.
- DirectorChanning Godfrey PeoplesStarsNicole BeharieLiz MikelMarcus M. MauldinA former beauty queen and single mom prepares her rebellious teenage daughter for the "Miss Juneteenth" pageant.'Miss Juneteenth' is an independent coming-of-age film directed by Channing Godfrey Peoples. The film centers on a former pageant queen who was the most popular person in her small southern town, who’s now preparing her daughter for the competition she once won back in the day. It debuted at Sundance in 2020 and features lovely performances from Nicole Beharie and Kendrick Sampson as well. — Tre W.
- DirectorPenelope SpheerisStarsMike MyersDana CarveyRob LoweTwo slacker friends try to promote their public-access cable show.Party time! Excellent! (Weeeoooeeooeeeooo) Director Penelope Spheeris has such a prolific resume of depicting the renegade world of punk, metal, and general rock and roll shenanigan-ery, that I would be remised not to mention other stand out content such as: 'The Decline of Western Civilization,' 'Black Sheep,' and every music video you actually enjoyed in the '90s (Megadeth, Night Ranger, Queen, etc.) — Crystal S.
- DirectorJennifer KentStarsEssie DavisNoah WisemanDaniel HenshallA single mother and her child fall into a deep well of paranoia when an eerie children's book titled "Mister Babadook" manifests in their home.William Friedkin famously said that this was the most terrifying film he had ever seen, and he directed 'The Exorcist' so he knew a thing or two about horror movies. I don’t know if I would go that far, but it is a disturbing, unnerving watch (especially if you are the parent of a small child) that works on many different levels. — Giancarlo C.
- DirectorGina Prince-BythewoodStarsCharlize TheronKiKi LayneMatthias SchoenaertsA covert group of tight-knit mercenaries with an inability to die have fought to protect the world for centuries. But when their abilities are suddenly exposed, they need to eliminate the threat of those who seek to replicate their power.Action/thrillers are not usually my go-to genre, but the strong female character played by Charlize Theron really drew me in! — Maiwenn L.
- DirectorGina Prince-BythewoodStarsViola DavisThuso MbeduLashana LynchA historical epic inspired by true events that took place in The Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries.Not only does 'The Woman King' have an amazing cast of lead women featuring Viola Davis but it’s an inspiring portrayal of a woman’s journey, shedding a light on the resilience of women throughout history. — Myra T.
- DirectorKelly Fremon CraigStarsAbby Ryder FortsonRachel McAdamsKathy BatesEleven-year-old Margaret moves from the city to the suburbs and starts to contemplate everything about life, friendship and adolescence. She relies on her mother, Barbara, who offers loving support, and her grandmother, Sylvia.Writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig captured the essence of Judy Bloom’s book so perfectly, and she brought what was in so many of our heads right to the screen. The direction and the performances particularly by Abby Ryder Fortson and Rachel McAdams are so keyed into such rich and authentic emotions of these stages from girlhood to womanhood. It’s truly so lovely, go laugh, go cry, and have a fun time doing it. — Hannah R.
- DirectorCéline SciammaStarsNoémie MerlantAdèle HaenelLuàna BajramiOn an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the eighteenth century, a female painter is obliged to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman.Beautiful, haunting, and isolating. Made me want to stand still indefinitely, consumed in flame. — Crystal S.
Captivating film from start to finish. Will definitely be checking out some of Céline Sciamma's other films. — Matthew R. - DirectorPenelope SpheerisStarsEugene TatuAlice Bag BandBlack FlagA look into the Los Angeles punk rock scene, that was largely ignored by the rock music press of the time.Penelope Spheeris has a lot to pick from, but 'The Decline of Western Civilization', 'Suburbia', and 'Wayne's World' are stand-outs. — Aaron W.
- DirectorChantal AkermanStarsDelphine SeyrigJan DecorteHenri StorckA lonely widowed housewife does her daily chores, takes care of her apartment where she lives with her teenage son, and turns the occasional trick to make ends meet, but something happens that changes her safe routine.The current #1 film in the 10-year "Sight & Sound" poll is indeed a classic from Chantal Akerman. — Col N.
- DirectorAnne FletcherStarsSandra BullockRyan ReynoldsMary SteenburgenWhen New York editor Margaret faces deportation, she convinces her assistant Andrew to marry her in return for a promotion. However, when she visits his hometown, it changes her in many ways.Honestly, I watch it for the dog. — Jennifer T.
- DirectorEmerald FennellStarsBarry KeoghanJacob ElordiRosamund PikeA student at Oxford University finds himself drawn into the world of a charming and aristocratic classmate, who invites him to his eccentric family's sprawling estate for a summer never to be forgotten.Emerald Fennell has crafted another deliciously wicked script and brought it to life with same directorial skill as her debut feature. I will never be able to hear Pulp’s “Common People” again without thinking of Rosamund Pike's character. — Col N.
- DirectorMaria SchraderStarsZoe KazanCarey MulliganPatricia ClarksonJodi Kantor and Megan Twohey's quest to break the Harvey Weinstein scandal.Based on the true story of New York Times reporters who broke the Harvey Weinstein story and directed by Maria Schrader. Incredibly powerful storytelling that casts a spell as you’re watching. Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan give amazing performances but it’s Ashley Judd playing herself that made this truly unforgettable. — Lindsay C.
- DirectorsPippa EhrlichJames ReedStarsCraig FosterTom FosterA filmmaker forges an unusual friendship with an octopus living in a South African kelp forest, learning as the animal shares the mysteries of her world.One of the strongest memories of a film I enjoyed during the UK’s (final) lockdown in 2021. Co-directed by a woman, and the octopus is actually female! It won the Oscar for Best Documentary that year. — Maiwenn L.
- DirectorPilar PalomeroStarsAndrea FandosNatalia de MolinaZoé ArnaoCelia, an 11-year-old girl, studies at a convent school and lives with her mum, a 30-year-old widow. The arrival of a new classmate hurls Celia into adolescence.Another lockdown watch via the online Amplify Film Festival in 2020. I loved how they captured the contrasts between the traditional Catholic values of Spain and the modern ideas of women in Spanish society. — Maiwenn L.
- DirectorsBrenda ChapmanSteve HicknerSimon WellsStarsVal KilmerRalph FiennesMichelle PfeifferEgyptian Prince Moses learns of his identity as a Hebrew and his destiny to become the chosen deliverer of his people.'The Prince of Egypt' and 'Brave' are good on their own, but also if you have a child fixate on either they are re-watchable multiple times. — Aaron W.
- DirectorAmy HeckerlingStarsAlicia SilverstoneStacey DashBrittany MurphyShallow, rich and socially successful Cher is at the top of her Beverly Hills high school's pecking scale. Seeing herself as a matchmaker, Cher first coaxes two teachers into dating each other.One of my fave movies is the classic 'Clueless' (1995). A random (and ridiculous) fact about me: I was the ranked #1 across NY state in 'Clueless' trivia category in popular QuizUp mobile gaming app (discontinued in 2021) for a little over a year LOL! — Tara B.
Pure nostalgia – the soundtrack of this movie was the background of many teenage years. — Jennifer T. - DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsAdrian PasdarJenny WrightLance HenriksenA small-town farmer's son reluctantly joins a traveling group of vampires after he is bitten by a beautiful drifter.Bigelow made several films that are more popular ('Point Break') or critically acclaimed ('The Hurt Locker', 'Zero-Dark-Thirty'), but this is her best one as far as I’m concerned. If you can think of a better modern western/vampire film, let me know. The scene in the dive bar set to The Cramps’ version of "Fever" is a classic and worth the price of admission by itself. Also, this film features my favorite performance by the late, great Bill Paxton. “It’s finger-licking good.” — Giancarlo C.
'Near Dark' is near perfect, 'Strange Days' and 'Point Break' are nothing to sneeze at. — Aaron W. - DirectorRegina KingStarsKingsley Ben-AdirEli GoreeAldis HodgeA fictional account of one incredible night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown gathered discussing their roles in the Civil Rights Movement and cultural upheaval of the 60s.'One Night in Miami…' (2020), directed by Regina King, is one of my favorites. With an all-star cast featuring Aldis Hodge, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Leslie Odom Jr., and more, you can’t go wrong with this title. — Tre W.
Loved this, and love Regina King! — Matthew R. - DirectorPenny MarshallStarsTom HanksGeena DavisLori PettyDuring World War II, sisters Dottie and Kit join the first female professional baseball league and struggle to help it succeed amid their own growing rivalry.Even though I am not particularly a huge fan of baseball, the all star cast with amazing one liners and comedic timing makes this movie top of my list. — Jennifer T.
It's the reason I played softball. — Tara B. - DirectorsJimmy ChinElizabeth Chai VasarhelyiStarsBancha DuriyapuntApakorn YoukongkaewAnan SurawanA chronicle of the enthralling, against-all-odds story that transfixed the world in 2018: the daring rescue of twelve boys and their coach from deep inside a flooded cave in Northern Thailand.A nail biting documentary about the rescue of 12 boys and their soccer coach trapped in a flooded Thailand cave system, saved by a group of dedicated civilian scuba divers. Imagine your weekend hobby was the only chance of survival for 13 people. — Crystal S.
- DirectorsDK WelchmanHugh WelchmanStarsDouglas BoothJerome FlynnRobert GulaczykIn a story depicted in oil painted animation, a young man comes to the last hometown of painter Vincent van Gogh to deliver the troubled artist's final letter and ends up investigating his final days there.Never miss a chance to mention this film. Animated with actual oil paintings. A beautiful film. A wife and husband directing team of DK Welchman and Hugh Welchman. — Roger K.
