Just in case you haven’t already heard about it, there’s a project currently taking place on Twitter called #52FilmsByWomen where you pledge to watch one film a week directed by a woman. That’s not too tough of a challenge in a media landscape where the female voices seem to dwindle rather than shine, and as an audience and as fans the way to lend our voices to the fight is by watching and supporting.
While we’re already a month into the year playing some catch-up never hurts, so here are 52 films directed by women to help get you started. They hardly touch the surface of the history of women in cinema and for the most part I’ve kept the choices mostly modern, but there’s no need to stop here. Seek out Lotte Reiniger’s 1926 animated masterpiece The Adventures of Prince Achmed or anything by Alice Guy Blaché who is regarded as a pioneer, the first documented female director. There is such a wealth of stories awaiting you if you choose to seek them out, whether they be on streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu or Amazon, available elsewhere on the public domain, on VOD, available to purchase or in theaters, they’re there. Spend 2016 not only getting to educate yourselves on female directors and storytellers but also supporting an easy and fun project that helps celebrate female voices.
For some recommendations for films directed by women of color go here.
For more about the project go here.
To read about someone who only watched films directed by women in 2015 and their experiences, go here.
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