Female directors

It's a well known fact that the film industry is dominated by male directors, as last year only 5% of the most successful films were directed by women. However, female directors are renowned for sharing a different perspective on the world than male directors. Female directors often direct films containing a heroin, but their films can be just as gritty as The Lovely Bones or Inception (both directed by men).


Catherine Hardwicke:


Most recently, she directed Red Riding Hood (2011), starring Amanda Seyfried and Gary Oldman, and Twilight in 2008; but the most interesting of her films, in my opinion, is Thirteen (2003). It's a story about a thirteen-year-old girl's relationship with her mother that is put to the test as she discovers drugs, sex, and petty crime in the company of her cool but troubled best friend. It shows how the wrong choices, made through peer pressure, ruin your life, or leave you with nothing. It's an insight into the pressures of growing up, not even in a worst-case scenario, which is what makes this drama so frightening.


Lone Scherfig:


She is renowned for mastering the art of 'subtle characterisation', which she captures beautifully in An Education (2009). This film shows a talented, intelligent (yet niave) young girl follow her heart rather than her head and ends up heart broken. It's an insight for women not to wear their hearts on their sleeves and to be cautious of what men really want, no matter how flattering they are. Lone Scherfig tells the story in a way that makes us understand Jenny's decisions and feel exactly what Jenny feels, so we follow her 'coming-of-age' journey.

Sofia Coppola:



Arguably most famous for directing Lost In Translation (2003) she also directed The Virgin Suicides (1999) which covers a range of sensitive subjects such as; sucide, religion, upbringing and virginity. It's a dark comedy with hints of drama that 'explores the emotional underpinnings of a family starting to come apart at the seams'. She sheds a unique insight into sisterly bonds, family life and also teenage heartache.

I picked these directors and these films because they are similar to my project. They cover sensitive subjects, like my project, and also they involve teenage girls. As a first time female director, this was interesting research to do because of a women's view on film, and what should be emphasised within a film, and how that differs from male views.