Female Directors Pick Their Favorite Films Made by Women
Founded in 2013 by “I Believe in Unicorns” director Leah Meyerhoff, Film Fatales is a bicoastal collective of women filmmakers who mentor and collaborate in an indie space that’s far removed from the sexist world of Hollywood—and therefore all the more likely to make impact.
“At a time when audiences are hungry for a diversity of stories on screen, we’ve compiled a list of recent films directed by women that everyone should see, as well as a selection of older titles which continue to inspire us,” said Film Fatales founder Leah Meyerhoff, who shared the following list with Bitch Media.
Film Fatales in NY and LA include Meyerhoff, Eliza Hittman, Ry Russo Young, Stewart Thorndike, Marielle Heller, Leslye Headland, Sasha Gordon, Jess Weixler and Josephine Decker. Here are their picks for the best films made by women, including “Appropriate Behavior,” “Diary of a Teenage Girl,” “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night,” “Pariah,” “Selma,” and classics from Agnes Varda, Claire Denis, Kathryn Bigelow and Lynne Ramsay.
READ MORE: Pressure Mounts for Female Superheroes, Will Women Directors Get a Boost?
If you’re following #AYearwithWomen on Twitter, cinephile Marya E. Gates’ quest to watch a female-made movie every day for a year, this is a great jumpstart for your curriculum.
Recent Women-Directed Films That Everyone Should See:
A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night by Ana Lily Amirpour
A Teacher by Hannah Fidell
Advantageous by Jennifer Phang
Apartment Troubles by Jess Weixler & Jennifer Prediger
Appropriate Behavior by Desiree Akhavan
Belle by Amma Asante
Beyond the Lights by Gina Prince-Bythewood
Caught by Maggie Kiley
Concussion by Stacie Passon
Diary of a Teenage Girl by Marielle Heller
Honeytrap by Rebecca Johnson
I Believe in Unicorns by Leah Meyerhoff
It Felt Like Love by Eliza Hittman
Kelly & Cal by Jen McGowan
Little Accidents by Sara Colangelo
Lucky Them by Megan Griffiths
Obvious Child by Gillian Robespierre
Pariah by Dee Rees
Selma by Ava Duvernay
She’s Lost Control by Anja Marquardt
Sleeping with Other People by Leslye Headland
Stray Dog by Debra Granik
The Midnight Swim by Sarah Adina Smith
There Is A New World Somewhere by Li Lu
Vessel by Diana Whitten
Your Sister’s Sister by Lynn Shelton
READ MORE: Claire Denis and Zadie Smith Team for Sci-Fi Movie
Women-Directed Films That Inspired the Work of Film Fatales:
American Psycho by Mary Harron
Beau Travail by Claire Denis
Boys Don’t Cry by Kimberly Peirce
But I’m a Cheerleader by Jamie Babbit
Cleo from 5 to 7 by Agnes Varda
Daisies by Vera Chytilova
Daughters of the Dust by Julie Dash
Down to the Bone by Debra Granik
Fat Girl by Catherine Breillat
Fish Tank by Andrea Arnold
Gas Food Lodging by Allison Anders
Go Fish by Rose Troche
High Art by Lisa Cholodenko
In A Better World by Susanne Bier
Jesus Son by Alison Maclean
La Cienega by Lucrecia Martel
Me and You and Everyone You Know by Miranda July
Monsoon Wedding by Mira Nair
Monster by Patty Jenkins
Near Dark by Kathryn Bigelow
Ratcatcher by Lynne Ramsay
Salaam Bombay by Mira Nair
Stories We Tell by Sarah Polley
Suburbia by Penelope Spheeris
Sweetie by Jane Campion
The Arbor by Clio Barnard
Thirteen by Catherine Hardwicke
Vagabond by Agnes Varda
Variety by Bette Gordon
Virgin Suicides by Sofia Coppola
Wadjda by Haifaa al-Mansour
Wendy and Lucy by Kelly Reichardt
