Promising Young Women

Female filmmakers seem to be on the rise. Some of the better films of 2020 have been made by women, as evidenced in this year's award season, among them Emerald Fennell's Promising Young Woman. These films show a clarity of vision, a fresh perspective, and turn the social paradigm on its head. But where have all these female auteurs been? This past year in lockdown, I set out to research the history of women filmmakers. If you're jonesing for more films by female filmmakers like I was, below are a few films I discovered from promising young women of the past. This is by no means a comprehensive list, just a few highlights of the many films I found, and doesn't include more well-known films that I have already seen (ex: Tiny Furniture, Hurt Locker, The Piano). Also, just to note, there were many films made by women at the early stages of film's history (we're talking 1890's-1930's), but many of them are difficult to find or no longer available.

1. Le bonheur (1965)

Agnes Varda, arguably the founder of French New Wave, shows a seemingly happy couple who ultimately deal with an affair the husband has, that results in serious consequences. Varda had a very long career and I would recommend seeing the rest of her filmography if you liked this film.

2. Daisies (1966)

Vera Chytilova's searing comedy Daisies follows two young women through a series of psychedelic scenes. Chytilova, the "First Lady of Czech Cinema," was the only woman who was part of the Czech New Wave of the 1960's. Her rebellious film was banned in Czechoslavakia when it was released, primarily due to a spectacular food fight scene (the country was in the midst of a food shortage). The two women are hilarious in their recklessness, and sharp in their perspective that still seems incredibly relevant today.

3. A New Leaf (1971)

Elaine May's comic portrayal of Henrietta Lowell, the clumsy botanist and heiress, manages to even outshine the charisma of her co-star, Walter Mathau. Mathau plays a bankrupt trust fund idler who conspires to marry May to gain her fortune and then plans to murder her. May's ability to play such a charming character while simultaneously directing the dark comedy (which she also wrote) is a testament to her talent. The ending is a bit lacking which could possibly be attributed to the studio taking over the final cut. Having a homicidal man as a husband isn't exactly a happy ending, but May has this line, "I know things didn't worked out as you planned..." If you interpret this as her actually knowing what he had planned, she becomes much smarter than she appears, revising the last twenty minutes as a test of his murderous tendencies and her willingness to die if they prove true.

4. News from Home (1976)

Chantal Akerman made this love letter to New York City after immigrating to the city from France. The film is a series of images documenting 1970's New York while Akerman reads letters between her and her mother. This is not her most famous film (see Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, a three hour study of a widow going about her domestic duties with the occasional rendezvous with a "john" and a shocking ending), but the film has a relevance in an increasingly isolated world.

5. My Brilliant Career (1979)

Based on a novel published in 1901, Gillian Armstrong's feature follows the independent Sybylla Melvyn (Judy Davis), as she struggles to find her place in the world. She doesn't want to be married, despite falling in love with the handsome Harry Beecham (Sam Neill). The film is a fun exploration of independence and liberation and reveals tremendous performances by both Davis and Neill.

6. Boat People (1982)

Ann Hui's award-winning film from the Hong Kong New Wave explores post-war communist Vietnam. Her unique perspective allows us to see the effects of war on the family, and the continuing cycle of violence and oppression as a result. The film follows a Japanese photojournalist on assignment who meets a young woman and her family whom he ultimately tries to help escape.

7. Daughters of the Dust (1991)

Julie Dash's masterpiece explores black womanhood and the Gullah community at the turn of the century. The film was incredibly moving as the characters search for a sense of home both outside themselves and within.

8. American Psycho (2000)

I'm a little late to the game on this one. I had been afraid to see this one because horror films are not really my jam, especially ones with a misogynistic lead character. But Mary Harron's film, based on Bret Easton Ellis' novel, actually reveals a kind of toxic masculinity in its dark humor and relates it directly to the darker sides of capitalism.

9. The Headless Woman (2008)

The Headless Woman is Lucretia Martel's chilling film about a woman who may or may not have hit a person with her car and the lengths people go to in order to protect her. Set in Argentina, the film explores, primarily, social class in the country. The unique editing style of events also allows us to experience the way memory works in traumatic events. I would also recommend seeing her first (and award-winning) film, La Cienaga, about an Argentinian family told in her uniquely visual style.

10. Fish Tank (2009)

Andrea Arnold's Fish Tank somehow missed my film radar when it was released in 2009 and won the Cannes Jury Prize, but I'm so glad I found it. If you missed the boat like me, the film tells a coming-of-age story about a fifteen-year-old girl named Mia who is living in the projects of Essex. Arnold has a way of capturing this kind of life that is gritty and real, as seen in this film, and her previous shorts (currently available on Criterion). This story has a bittersweet end that reveals some truths about relationships between mothers and daughters.