In a world dominated by male film directors, it is often overlooked that there have been some fine female directors during the history of film. This question is not often addressed or discussed.
That is why we at A World Of Film would like to know – who is your favourite female director? Which has had the biggest impact in a male dominated world?
Last week I posted my favourite films of all time list, of which two where directed by females. I was saddened to see that almost no one else included a film by a woman. Why might this be?
Let us know what your thinking.
A World of Film 
I think Sofia Coppola. I’ve liked all of her films apart from The Bling Ring.
Yes. She was one of the only directors to come up in our favourite films. Mostly from Lost In Translation. Interesting choice.
I guess the other big one is Kathryn Bigelow. Point Break, Near Dark and The Hurt Locker are all decent films
I thought of Bigelow too, but will have to go with Jane Campion, if only for ‘An Angel At My Table’ (1990), though ‘The Piano’ (1993) is up there too, along with ‘Sweetie’ (1989) and ‘Portrait Of A Lady’ (1996). So, even though I cannot stand ‘Holy Smoke’ (1999), my vote goes to Jane.
Regards from Norfolk, Pete.
Sofia Coppola for me as well!! Since Tom already mentioned her, I’ll also mention Catherine Breillat.
Lynne Ramsay would be on that list for sure, We Need To Talk About Kevin is a stunningly beautiful film and Morvern Callar and Ratcatcher are fantastic too!
Claire Denis! Beau Travail is simply one of the greatest films ever made, and all the others that I’ve seen so far (Nenette et Boni, Bastards, Chocolat, 35 Shots of Rum, US Go Home) are at least good and usually fantastic. She is so good at taking the everyday and making it heroic and terrifying and sublime and difficult to watch without ever using gestures that are too grand or forced. She very quietly draws out everything important from little events.
I watched Chocolat most recently, and it is amazing in this regard. The setting is a world full of injustice, yet not once does Denis draw explicit attention to this in a way that says: Look! Injustice! Feel outraged! Instead, she quietly takes it for granted, much as, in the film, all the characters take it for granted—and that makes it incredibly painful and powerful, without ever having to resort cheaply to the invocation of moral outrage in the viewer. Masterful.
I love Claire Denis.
Vera Chytilova! Whom is on your list, and cheers for that.
Sofia Coppola is mine 🙂 I love every single one of her films. I also love Jane Campion 🙂
Watched Beau Travail the other day and I wasn’t really feeling it until that ending came along 🙂 Fantastic! Absolutely spectacular.
I have to say I felt exactly the same when I saw it. The only thing I remember is the ending, but I remember it so clearly, despite the fact I have only seen it once and this was years ago.
Beau Travail is, for the record, one of those films that gets better with every viewing. Yes, the ending exists in a realm for which we haven’t yet invented adjectives that are anywhere near appropriate to its majesty, but the rest of the film is really just as good.
No, you are completely right. It is great. I was just saying that the ending has more vividly remained it my mind, but that’s mainly because I need to re-watch the film. I really like your enthusiasm for the film.
Wow, it would be hard to pick just one!
At the top of my list would probably be Agnes Varda, the godmother of the French New Wave! As famous as Varda is at this point, I would still say she’s underrated. Definitely not discussed as much as her colleagues, and that’s not fair. She’s still making great films.
Chantal Akerman’s Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles is a masterpiece that absolutely everyone should see.
As for more contemporary female directors, I really enjoy Kelly Reichardt, Nicole Holofcener, and Kathryn Bigelow, of course.
Maya Deren 🙂 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Deren
By the way… Do you listen to Battleship Pretension? I’m a fan too.
Hell yea I do 😀 How did you know? Also nice to meet you 🙂
I saw one of your comments on there website and remembered your photo from here. That’s great, I have never meet another listener.
Are you American? If you don’t mind me asking.
Hold on. Are you the person that Tyler met in Switzerland?
It really is awesome 🙂 And I guess we were both inspired by them (or other podcasts) to blog right? I’m Italian, but I lived in Switzerland all my life. I actually got to meet Tyler this summer 😀 You’re American?
Yess! 🙂
That is amazing. How was he? I think I was in Switzerland myself at about the same time. I am British, from London. And yes podcasts like theirs inspired my greatly.
He’s super nice. A bit different from what I imagined, very “American”, I don’t mean that as a bad thing it’s just different from what I’m used to you know 🙂 I wanted to talk about movies, but he was more interested in life and stuff, which was surprising, but interesting. Do you like his other podcast?
More Than One Lesson, yes I do. I find it very interesting. and a very unique way to look at film.