Women Directors Where Art Thou?

[Black Narcissus]

Are we seeing a change or just a band-aid?





Kathryn Bigelow

Angelina Jolie

Michelle MacLaren- Will carry the flag for the ultimate Female lead franchise.

Debra Granik- Can't get a feature finance after Winter's Bone, she recently made a doc.

 

[Snow Queen]

To toss another name in there: Jennifer Kent, director of The Babadook, has been speaking to WB (rumoured to be for a DC project, so we may get another female directed blockbuster in the near future).

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Kathryn Bigelow is one of my favorite directors working today. I loved both 'Hurt Locker' and 'Zero Dark Thirty.'

I'd also like to add a shout out to Sofia Coppola (Francis Ford Coppola's daughter) who made one of my all-time favorite films in 'Lost in Translation.'

Angelina Jolie has yet to impress me, whether it's her acting or directing. I just find her overrated. I did see Unbroken and I thought it was an overwrought mess.

Don't know the other two directors.

 

[Pink Ranger]

We know we would have reached true equality when we see a woman director become a soulless hack like Bret Ratner, McG or Michael Bay. That should be the end goal of feminism, seriously.

 

[green]

What's going on with Coppola's The Little Mermaid? Haven't heard anything lately.

I wish Jane Campion would do more features.

 

[kvz5]

There's a lot of them who can shine if only they are given the right opportunities. But sadly, they aren't...

Patty Jenkins (Monster) was attached to Thor 2 but dropped out and I don't think we've heard of her since then.

I haven't seen it but reviews say that Sam Taylor-Johnson was hugely responsible for making 50 Shades better than the turd it really is and with it doing so well B.O. wise, I'm hoping that this leads to more projects for her.

Another one that I find underrated and deserves more projects is Lisa Cholodenko. She did Laurel Canyon and The Kids Are Alright which got both Annette Bening and Mark Ruffalo Oscar nominations. She also got a screenwriting Oscar nomination for that.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Patty Jenkins (Monster) was attached to Thor 2 but dropped out and I don't think we've heard of her since then.

I wonder why female directors don't do more of these worker-bee kind of movies, like the Thor movies, the F&F movies, etc. It's not like they're grand artistic achievements, it's really just like doing a bunch of commercials for two hours.

Maybe its because of industry sexism, or maybe the few female directors are "art first" types who won't do the commercialized stuff.

 

[Black Narcissus]

I totally forgot about Ava DuVernay ( Selma).

Ana Lily Amirpour is someone to look out for. She made a really good film called A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night . An Iranian vampire film. She is doing another follow up film with Megan Ellison.

There are a lot of awful male directors who get to make more films after they bomb, more women directors should get more chances to make those action adventure flicks.

Lexi Alexander talks about not being able to get in the door for Hunger Games and The Fighter.

 

[chamber-music]

More female directors

Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen, Lords of Dogtown, Twilight)

Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham, Bride and Prejudice, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging)

Lone Scherfig (An Education, One Day, The Riot Club)

Drew Barrymore (Whip It)

Sally Potter (Orlando, Rage, Ginger & Rosa)

Martha Coolidge (Material Girls, Real Genius, The Prince & Me)

Julie Taymor (Frida, Across the Universe, The Tempest)

 

[Snow Queen]

Sarah Polley's also got a solid track record.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Julie Taymor for Marvel's Spider-Man

 

[Black Narcissus]

I just hope they get to bat at the same average as males do.

Most of the female directors on here don't get that benefit of doubt.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Yeah, the fact that Debra Granik can't get funding royally pisses me off. Winter's Bone was brilliant and disturbing and it's pretty much what put Jennifer Lawrence on the map.

 

[kvz5]

I wonder why female directors don't do more of these worker-bee kind of movies, like the Thor movies, the F&F movies, etc. It's not like they're grand artistic achievements, it's really just like doing a bunch of commercials for two hours.

Maybe its because of industry sexism, or maybe the few female directors are "art first" types who won't do the commercialized stuff.

I don't think it's because they don't do it but rather they are not given the opportunity to do it. And in the rare cases that they are given that opportunity, they are not given any freedom and are expected to just be puppets for the studio.

 

[Black Narcissus]

Yeah, the fact that Debra Granik can't get funding royally pisses me off. Winter's Bone was brilliant and disturbing and it's pretty much what put Jennifer Lawrence on the map.

I hear her doc is pretty damn good.

She also wrote a column about struggling to get finance. I know Jlaw is obsessed with DOR, but throw yo girl a bone. No pun intended.

 

[Octoberist]

ON NPR, a female producer said that studios are weary of having female directors leading their bigger projects for whatever reason, but would give a dude like Len Wiseman or Paul WS Anderson (Especially his last two movies) projects left and right even after a few bombs.

It's a boys club. That's why you'll see more female producers, like Kathy Kennedy. At least that's something but Hollywood needs to stop it with the idea that directing is the masculine while producing is feminine. That's absurd.

 

[Pink Ranger]

ON NPR, a female producer said that studios are weary of having female directors leading their bigger projects for whatever reason, but would give a dude like Len Wiseman or Paul WS Anderson (Especially his last two movies) projects left and right even after a few bombs.

We just need a female director who can walk into a producer's office and state out loud, "I will do whatever it takes to produce some mediocre crap that will make you at least a small profit. I will make a movie with whatever ****ty videogame, action figure or boardgame property that ponies up the cash. I have no personal or artistic integrity. I will cast whatever 19-year-old fresh-faced podunk girl who just got off the bus from Iowa with a community college acting certificate and who is ****ing your **** right now, and do what I can to make her into the next Megan Fox. I will work with whatever talentless, volatile male lead your company is totally high on right now. I will simplify the script to the point where there won't be a single person in China who won't want to see this."

Seriously, that woman would be like Jackie Robinson.

 

[Octoberist]

That's the only way to do it, and screw the internet too. I realize that with opinions online is often no-win: "Oh why can't just get talented people" (Unrealistic) or 'Oh they're pandering. Look it's the PC police!" (Dismissive)

 

[Pink Ranger]

Julie Taymor for Marvel's Spider-Man

Fancast actors you hate in that movie, because some of them will inevitably be killed during the filming.

 

[queendarkness12]

I'm happy Warner Bros. choose Michelle McLaren to do Wonder Woman based on her background in different genres and doing them well.

It could be a step forward for female directors.

 

[Octoberist]

Yeah it takes stepping stones to change things.

That's why I hate when the internet asks 'Shouldn't it be the best fit for the job?" Hey Internet, you DO know that you're dealing with Hollywood right? The most political and ignorant machine in existence.

 

[jmc]

It's not like the question isn't valid.

 

[Red Mask]

I think they should improve the pay for women first.

 

[jmc]

I think the bigger question should be why do women make up only about 10% of movie directors in Hollywood.

 

[Rocketman]

Maybe only 10% of women in the industry want to be directors?