It probably is worth mentioning Nora Ephron, the late great figure in American culture, adored for her writing and filmmaking ability and influential for many rising female filmmakers like Lena Dunham, who ought to be mentioned alongside these other women. She changed the rom-com game whether we’re into it or not, and her final effort as director, writer and producer, Julie & Julia, was a delightful end to a hugely successful career.
It’s noticeable that many of the filmmakers on this list are relative newcomers. I tried to focus on those working today, but there aren’t many women making the type of relatively large-scale films, that is, large enough for them to be discussed at much length by film savvy web buffs. This is either because women were lousy filmmakers for decades and only recently got good, or else it’s a male-driven industry dominated by bravado and the type of work environment that tends to favor men and dismiss women’s contributions, particularly in leadership roles. But the wave of relatively new talent from female filmmakers is encouraging, and hopefully leads to more parity and diversity when it comes to stories that get told on screen. Because diversity always leads to a richer sample of all the perspectives the world has to offer. It’s about time that this half of the population had a cinematic voice that was proportionally representative. It will mean more terrific movies.
Do you have any female filmmakers that you like who are missing from this list? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.