A Cut Of The Action: Top Ten Female Directors
October 4th 2008 07:36
It’s still a field very much dominated by the males of the movie world, but when it comes to the direction of films, the ladies are definitely turning a corner. Since Dorothy Arzner, many women have taken their place in the director’s chair, often exploring – among other things – politics, sexuality, identity and humour, and in the process have examined, deconstructed, and created their way into a whole new dimension of cinema.
Here are ten female directors who have shown us their view through the lens:
Patricia Rozema: She followed up quirky Canadian films White Room (1990) and When Night Is Falling (1995), a film about a woman’s sudden lesbian crush on a circus performer, with her own take on Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park (1999). She was widely criticized for her deviation from the text by incorporating parts of Austen’s own life into the film, but the result is a refreshingly modern and adult take on the story, with great performances by Frances O’Connor and Jonny Lee Miller.
Jacqueline Audry: The most notable woman director to first emerge from post-war France, Audry’s films were a strange mix of traditionalist and feminist ideas. Her first feature film, Les Malheurs De Sophie (1946) was censored for political reasons and no longer exists. She later made a trio of films based on the novels of Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, Gigi, Minne and Mitsou, the last of which was heavily censored due to scenes featuring extra-marital sex. In the middle of producing these films, Audry made Olivia, based on the life of Dorothy Bussy, which has been heralded as one of the earliest and most important cinematic depictions of lesbian desire.
Jane Campion: Backed up her earlier successes with The Piano in 1993, a huge triumph for NZ born Campion, who became the second woman ever to be nominated for the Best Director Academy Award (the first being Lina Wertmüller for Seven Beauties). By then known for her portrayal of erotic fantasies, Campion went on to make an adaptation of Henry James’ Portrait of a Lady (1996) and Holy Smoke! (1999). Her film Bright Star, based on the life of John Keats and starring Abbie Cornish, is due for release in 2009.
Nicole Holofcener: Had a victorious directing debut with Walking and Talking, a critically acclaimed cult-hit starring Catherine Keener, before moving on to direct a range of episodes from television series such as Sex and the City and Six Feet Under. In 2001, she enlisted the services of Catherine Keener once more for her semi-autobiographical Lovely and Amazing, and again in 2006 for Friends with Money, gaining both critical and commercial success. Holofcener is now known for her unsentimental style and sharp insight into the everyday lives and trials of women.
Kimberly Peirce: Debuted as a film director in 1999 with Boys Don’t Cry, a powerful portrayal of the tragic life of Brandon Teena, an FTM transgender trying to live as a male in a small town in Nebraska. It was almost a decade later that Peirce released her second feature, Stop-Loss, detailing upheaval in the lives of a group of soldiers forced by the US government to return to active duty in Iraq.
Sofia Coppola: Daddy’s little girl has made her own name in Hollywood, being the third and final woman to date to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. Coppola’s first feature, Lick the Star (1998) kicked off her reputation for themes such as adolescent isolation, introspection and fascination with the macabre, furthered by The Virgin Suicides which was released the following year. In 2003, Coppola hit the big time with Lost in Translation, before splitting audiences and critics alike with the decidedly stylised Marie Antoinette in 2006.
Chantal Akerman: Known primarily for her dark comedy and deconstruction of political-sexual ideas in French-language films such as Je, Tu, Il, Elle (1974) Akerman, a self-taught Belgian film-maker, also has a wide range of documentaries under her belt as well as several romances, including Nuit et Jour (1991) and A Couch in New York (1996), starring Juliette Binoche and William Hurt.
Patty Jenkins: Has three films on her CV, the most prominent of which is Monster (2003) starring Charlize Theron as real-life prostitute-turned-serial killer, Aileen Wuornos. Jenkins, who also penned the screenplay, has been praised for her humanist insight and ability to communicate the intricacies of complicated emotional relationships.
Gillian Armstrong: Was born in Melbourne and studied at the Australian Film and Television School before directing her first feature film – and the first Australian feature film to be directed by a woman in over forty-five years – an adaptation Miles Franklin’s My Brilliant Career in 1979, for which awards were won all round. In the nineties, Armstrong directed another AFI winning Aussie film, The Last Days of Chez Nous, and then two well-known adaptations, Little Women (1994) starring Susan Sarandon, Winona Rider, Clare Danes, Kirsten Dunst and Christian Bale, and Charlotte Gray (2001) starring Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup and Michael Gambon. Armstrong’s most recent film is Death Defying Acts (UK/AU 2008), based on the life of Harry Houdini and featuring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Guy Pearce.
Niki Caro: Another well-known female director hailing from New Zealand, Caro shot to fame in 2002 with Whale Rider, the story of a young Maori girl living her own legend as she struggles to find her place within her traditional, male-dominated tribe. Three years later, in a very different place but with a familiar theme of challenging gender roles, Caro directed Charlize Theron in North Country, the true story of Josey Aimes and her battle for sexual equality and a discrimination free workplace in the Minnesota iron mines. Her next film, The Vintner’s Luck, upcoming in 2009, will reportedly be a fantasy/romance, a marked departure from her previous work.
Which direction does your top ten take?
Michaelie Clark
Here are ten female directors who have shown us their view through the lens:
Patricia Rozema: She followed up quirky Canadian films White Room (1990) and When Night Is Falling (1995), a film about a woman’s sudden lesbian crush on a circus performer, with her own take on Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park (1999). She was widely criticized for her deviation from the text by incorporating parts of Austen’s own life into the film, but the result is a refreshingly modern and adult take on the story, with great performances by Frances O’Connor and Jonny Lee Miller.
When Night is Falling - Image courtesy of lovecanadianfilm.com
Jacqueline Audry: The most notable woman director to first emerge from post-war France, Audry’s films were a strange mix of traditionalist and feminist ideas. Her first feature film, Les Malheurs De Sophie (1946) was censored for political reasons and no longer exists. She later made a trio of films based on the novels of Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, Gigi, Minne and Mitsou, the last of which was heavily censored due to scenes featuring extra-marital sex. In the middle of producing these films, Audry made Olivia, based on the life of Dorothy Bussy, which has been heralded as one of the earliest and most important cinematic depictions of lesbian desire.
Crossdressing in Le Secret du Chevalier d'Eon - Image courtesy of notrecinema.com
Jane Campion: Backed up her earlier successes with The Piano in 1993, a huge triumph for NZ born Campion, who became the second woman ever to be nominated for the Best Director Academy Award (the first being Lina Wertmüller for Seven Beauties). By then known for her portrayal of erotic fantasies, Campion went on to make an adaptation of Henry James’ Portrait of a Lady (1996) and Holy Smoke! (1999). Her film Bright Star, based on the life of John Keats and starring Abbie Cornish, is due for release in 2009.
Hunter and Paquin in The Piano - Image courtesy of altfg.com
Nicole Holofcener: Had a victorious directing debut with Walking and Talking, a critically acclaimed cult-hit starring Catherine Keener, before moving on to direct a range of episodes from television series such as Sex and the City and Six Feet Under. In 2001, she enlisted the services of Catherine Keener once more for her semi-autobiographical Lovely and Amazing, and again in 2006 for Friends with Money, gaining both critical and commercial success. Holofcener is now known for her unsentimental style and sharp insight into the everyday lives and trials of women.
Friends with Money - Image courtesy of wsj.com
Kimberly Peirce: Debuted as a film director in 1999 with Boys Don’t Cry, a powerful portrayal of the tragic life of Brandon Teena, an FTM transgender trying to live as a male in a small town in Nebraska. It was almost a decade later that Peirce released her second feature, Stop-Loss, detailing upheaval in the lives of a group of soldiers forced by the US government to return to active duty in Iraq.
Hillary Swank as Brandon - Image courtesy of virginmedia.com
Sofia Coppola: Daddy’s little girl has made her own name in Hollywood, being the third and final woman to date to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. Coppola’s first feature, Lick the Star (1998) kicked off her reputation for themes such as adolescent isolation, introspection and fascination with the macabre, furthered by The Virgin Suicides which was released the following year. In 2003, Coppola hit the big time with Lost in Translation, before splitting audiences and critics alike with the decidedly stylised Marie Antoinette in 2006.
Marie Antoinette - Image courtesy of guardian.co.uk
Chantal Akerman: Known primarily for her dark comedy and deconstruction of political-sexual ideas in French-language films such as Je, Tu, Il, Elle (1974) Akerman, a self-taught Belgian film-maker, also has a wide range of documentaries under her belt as well as several romances, including Nuit et Jour (1991) and A Couch in New York (1996), starring Juliette Binoche and William Hurt.
From 'Jeanne Dielman...' - Image courtesy of thelifecinematic.com
Patty Jenkins: Has three films on her CV, the most prominent of which is Monster (2003) starring Charlize Theron as real-life prostitute-turned-serial killer, Aileen Wuornos. Jenkins, who also penned the screenplay, has been praised for her humanist insight and ability to communicate the intricacies of complicated emotional relationships.
Charlize Theron in Monster - Image courtesy of dailymail.co.uk
Gillian Armstrong: Was born in Melbourne and studied at the Australian Film and Television School before directing her first feature film – and the first Australian feature film to be directed by a woman in over forty-five years – an adaptation Miles Franklin’s My Brilliant Career in 1979, for which awards were won all round. In the nineties, Armstrong directed another AFI winning Aussie film, The Last Days of Chez Nous, and then two well-known adaptations, Little Women (1994) starring Susan Sarandon, Winona Rider, Clare Danes, Kirsten Dunst and Christian Bale, and Charlotte Gray (2001) starring Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup and Michael Gambon. Armstrong’s most recent film is Death Defying Acts (UK/AU 2008), based on the life of Harry Houdini and featuring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Guy Pearce.
My Brilliant Career - Image courtesy of alsolikelife.com
Niki Caro: Another well-known female director hailing from New Zealand, Caro shot to fame in 2002 with Whale Rider, the story of a young Maori girl living her own legend as she struggles to find her place within her traditional, male-dominated tribe. Three years later, in a very different place but with a familiar theme of challenging gender roles, Caro directed Charlize Theron in North Country, the true story of Josey Aimes and her battle for sexual equality and a discrimination free workplace in the Minnesota iron mines. Her next film, The Vintner’s Luck, upcoming in 2009, will reportedly be a fantasy/romance, a marked departure from her previous work.
Whale Rider - Image courtesy of salisbury.edu
Which direction does your top ten take?
Michaelie Clark
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