By: Emma Best, Peak Associate
In the history of the Academy Awards, only seven women have received a nomination for Best Director. Of course, the Oscars are merely a flashy awards show and accolades don’t always equate to skill. But it would still be nice to see women receiving the same amount of praise for directing as men so often do. Especially since, in recent years, “more women than ever” are directing feature films. In celebration of Women’s History Month, here are six woman-directed films to check out.
Zola
Directed by: Janicza Bravo
[image credit: Killer Films]
Based on the iconic 2015 Twitter thread by A’Ziah “Zola” King, this film follows part-time waitress, part-time stripper Zola (Taylour Paige) after she befriends fellow dancer, Stefani (Riley Keough). Zola joins her on a weekend getaway to dance in Florida. However, upon arriving, things are not as they seem. The person Stefani introduced as her “roommate” is actually her pimp, and he has plans for her and Zola that go far beyond dancing in a club. Between the enthralling story and Bravo’s directing, this film is an enjoyable and thrilling ride.
Directed by: Chloé Zhao
[image credit: Caviar]
Brady Blackburn (Brady Jandreau) is a Lakota Sioux cowboy who was once a rodeo star. But, after suffering a traumatic head injury, he now suffers from severe seizures and has been advised to stop riding. This film is based loosely on the true story of the main actor, with the entire cast being made up of his actual family and friends. Zhao spent about a year getting to know Jandreau before filming, and their genuine, collaborative working relationship clearly enhances the storytelling. Much like she did in her Oscar-winning film, Nomadland, Zhao does an amazing job at working with and directing non-actors. The end result is an inherently real, authentic, and cinematic tale.
Directed by: Isabel Sandoval
[image credit: 7107 Entertainment]
Olivia (Isabel Sandoval), an undocumented Filipina trans woman, works as a caretaker for an elderly woman named Olga (Lynn Cohen). She falls into a relationship with Olga’s grandson, Alex (Eamon Farren), in pursuit of a marriage-based green card. However, things get complicated when she starts to develop real feelings for him, and he learns more about her. Though not autobiographical, Sandoval’s own experiences as a trans Filipina immigrant mold this film into a stunning and honest story about identity.
The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open
Directed by: Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Kathleen Hepburn
[image credit: Experimental Forest Films]
Content warning: mentions of domestic abuse in the following paragraph
Taking place over the course of one evening, this film follows two Indigenous women — Áila (Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers) and Rosie (Violet Nelson). When Áila happens upon Rosie — pregnant, barefoot, and crying in the rain — she offers refuge at her apartment. She soon discovers that Rosie has fled from her abusive boyfriend, and the two embark on a journey to get Rosie to a women’s shelter. Directed by Tailfeathers and SFU instructor and alum Kathleen Hepburn, this movie was filmed to appear as one continuous shot (having 12 hidden cuts throughout its entirety). This technique creates a film that unravels in real time, giving an earnest exploration of Indigenous women’s experiences, particularly around domestic abuse.
Directed by: Domee Shi
[image credit: Pixar Animation Studios]
13 year old Chinese Canadian, Meilin “Mei” Lee (Rosalie Chiang), is starting to go through all the changes that happen when you’re a teenager. It definitely doesn’t help that she also turns into a giant red panda any time she feels strong emotions. Set in Toronto in 2002, Mei is forced to grapple with puberty, her mother’s expectations, and her panda problem. After a historic Oscar win for her animated short Bao, Shi is the first Chinese Canadian woman to helm a feature length Pixar film. By drawing inspiration from her own experiences in Toronto, Shi crafts an immensely relatable, universal, and entertaining film about figuring out who you are.
Directed by: Emma Seligman
[image credit: Dumbo Pictures]
For college student Danielle (Rachel Sennott), family gatherings are already stressful enough. However, when she and her parents attend a shiva — a Jewish memorial service — things immediately get out of hand. There, Danielle finds herself face to face with her sugar daddy and his family, as well as her ex-girlfriend who is far more successful than her. Despite mostly taking place in one setting, Seligman’s writing and directing (and Ariel Marx’s horror-esque score) create a thriller out of a mundane experience. As Seligman’s feature length debut, this film is near agonizing to watch, yet so entertaining you can’t look away.
