In honor of “The Hurt Locker’s” Kathryn Bigelow, who became the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Director last night, and International Women’s Day, here’s a list of pioneering women movie directors.
1. Penny Marshall, who started as an actress (“Laverne and Shirley”), went on to direct films that included “Awakenings,” “Big,” and “A League of Their Own.”
2. Amy Heckerling is the director of “Clueless” and the neglected gem “I Could Never Be Your Woman.”
3. Betty Thomas also started as an actress (“Hill Street Blues”) and went on to direct “The Brady Bunch” and “28 Days.”
4. Nora Ephron, the daughter of successful screenwriters, began as a writer and then went on to direct films like “Julie & Julia,” and “You’ve Got Mail.”
5. Gurinder Chadha directed the international hit “Bend it Like Beckham” as well as “What’s Cooking” and “Bride and Prejudice.”
6. Nancy Meyers also began as a writer and has gone on to direct some of the most successful movies of the last 10 years including “It’s Complicated,” “The Holiday,” and “Something’s Gotta Give.”
7. Penelope Speeris made a successful documentary about a topic considered very male — punk music — in “The Decline of Western Civilization.” That led to her directing the wildly successful “Wayne’s World.”
8. Kasi Lemmons is another actress turned director with “Eve’s Bayou” and “The Caveman’s Valentine,” starring Samuel L. Jackson.
9. Mabel Normand was one of the most gifted comic actors of the silent era and one of the first female film directors. She often worked with Charlie Chaplin.
10. Mira Nair directed “Monsoon Wedding” and the recent biopic “Amelia,” starring Hillary Swank.
posted March 8, 2010 at 10:57 am
Some more great women who directed some of my favorite movies:
Allison Anders http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allison_Anders
Catherine Breillat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Breillat
Sofia Coppola http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofia_Coppola
Marleen Goriss http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marleen_Gorris
Amy Heckerling http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Heckerling
Agniezka Hollandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnieszka_Holland
Agnes Varda http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnès_Varda
Lina Wertmuller http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lina_Wertmuller
posted March 8, 2010 at 11:42 am
A great list, Francine! Some of my favorites. (We both listed Amy Heckerling.) I also thought of Dorothy Arzner and Ida Lupino. It was good to see Bigelow win the Oscar. And very nice to see that she had the support of her competition and former husband, James Cameron.
posted March 8, 2010 at 12:53 pm
I like all of yours, plus. How did I miss your mention of Amy Heckerling????
Also Nora Ephron!
fm
posted March 8, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Don’t forget Ida Lupino.
posted March 8, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Oops, I just saw that you mentioned Ida Lupino, Nell.
posted March 8, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Gillian Armstrong and Jane Campion.
posted March 8, 2010 at 7:44 pm
Sarah Watt, the director of Look Both Ways.
posted March 8, 2010 at 7:54 pm
I’m not sure you can call her pioneering, but Darnell Martin is quickly rising on my list, due entirely to Cadillac Records, which just keeps getting better and better with age
posted March 8, 2010 at 9:19 pm
May I suggest Deepa Mehta?
posted March 9, 2010 at 5:44 pm
Thanks for a GREAT list of women directors! I am truly delighted.