Originally by Jeff MooreList RulesOnly women who have directed major motion pictures or shorts
The best female directors include an Academy Award winner, members of Hollywood's royal families, and a whole bunch of ladies who make beautiful things happen when they're behind the camera. Though women might be the minority among the greatest directors in movie history, they are not any less talented than male directors, and are behind the best movies directed by women. Who is the best female director?
It's hard to argue against Kathryn Bigelow as a top pick for the best female director of all time. For her work on The Hurt Locker in 2009, she became the first woman to take home the prized Oscar for Best Director. Bigelow proved herself as no one-trick pony in 2012 when she received numerous accolades for her direction of Zero Dark Thirty.
Bigelow's Oscar buzz was easily the most mainstream of any female director in the recent past, but she surely isn't the first female director to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director. In 1976, Lina Wertmuller received a nomination for Seven Beauties; in 1993, Jane Champion was nominated for The Piano; and in 2003, Sofia Coppola, daughter of the great Francis Ford Coppola, was up for the award for Lost in Translation.
But for every Oscar-nominated female director, there are dozens right behind also creating great movies. Isa Lupino, Patty Jenkins, Penny Marshall, Nora Ephron, Nancy Meyers, and Amy Heckerling are just a few of those names and each directing poignant and quality films on a regular basis. Including American female film directors and more, this list of great women in directing has them all.
Vote for the best woman directors in Hollywood. Feel free to add any good female directors missing from the list. Only women who directed movies are qualified.
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286150Sofia Coppola
Lost in Translation, The Virgin SuicidesBirthplace: New York City, New York, United States of America
Age: 49
Sofia Carmina Coppola (; born May 14, 1971) is an American screenwriter, director, producer,... more2
19291Penny Marshall
Big, A League of Their OwnBirthplace: The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA
Age: 76
Carole Penny Marshall (October 15, 1943 – December 17, 2018) was an American actress,... more3
18187Patty Jenkins
Wonder Woman, MonsterBirthplace: George Air Force Base, Victorville, California, United States of America
Age: 49
Patricia Lea Jenkins (born July 24, 1971) is an American film and television director and... more4
286131Kathryn Bigelow
Zero Dark Thirty, The Hurt LockerBirthplace: San Carlos, California, United States of America
Age: 68
Kathryn Ann Bigelow (; born November 27, 1951) is an American film director, producer, and... more5
10723Greta Gerwig
Lady BirdBirthplace: Sacramento, California, United States of America
Age: 37
Greta Celeste Gerwig (born August 4, 1983) is an American actress, screenwriter and film... more6
11050Lynne Ramsay
We Need to Talk About Kevin, Morvern CallarBirthplace: Glasgow, United Kingdom
Age: 51
Lynne Ramsay (born 5 December 1969) is a Scottish film director, writer, producer, and... more7
11980Jodie Foster
Little Man Tate, Home for the HolidaysBirthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States of America
Age: 58
Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster (born November 19, 1962) is an American actress, director, and... more8
11881Amy Heckerling
Fast Times at Ridgemont High, CluelessBirthplace: The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA
Age: 66
Amy Heckerling (born May 7, 1954) is an American film director. An alumna of both New York... more9
15875Jane Campion
The Piano, The Portrait of a LadyBirthplace: Wellington, New Zealand
Age: 65
Dame Elizabeth Jane Campion (born 30 April 1954) is a New Zealand screenwriter, producer, and... more10
11354Agnès Varda
Jacquot de Nantes, Jane B. for Agnes V.Birthplace: Brussels, Eurasia, Belgium
Age: 91
Agnès Varda (French: [aɲɛs vaʁda]; 30 May 1928 – 29 March 2019) was a Belgian-born French film... more11
7547Kimberly Peirce
Boys Don't Cry, CarrieBirthplace: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Age: 52
Kimberly Ane Peirce (born September 8, 1967) is an American filmmaker best known for her debut... more12
6647Debra Granik
Winter’s Bone, Down to the BoneBirthplace: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Age: 57
Debra Granik (born February 6, 1963) is an American filmmaker. She is most known for 2004's... more13
13069Mary Harron
American Psycho, The Notorious Bettie PageBirthplace: Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada
Age: 66
Mary Harron is a Canadian filmmaker and screenwriter. She gained recognition for her role in... more14
8467Sarah Polley
Stories We Tell, Take This WaltzBirthplace: Toronto, Canada
Age: 41
Sarah Ellen Polley (born January 8, 1979) is a Canadian actress, writer, director, producer... more15
5335Kelly Reichardt
Certain Women, Night MovesBirthplace: Miami, Florida, United States of America
Age: 51
Kelly Reichardt (; born March 3, 1964) is an American screenwriter and film director. She is... more16
4927Gillian Armstrong
Little Women, Charlotte GrayBirthplace: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Age: 69
Gillian May Armstrong (born 18 December 1950) is an award-winning Australian feature film and... more17
14999Nora Ephron
Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got MailBirthplace: New York City, New York, United States of America
Age: Dec. at 71 (1941-2012)
Nora Ephron ( EF-rən; May 19, 1941 – June 26, 2012) was an American journalist, writer, and... more18
9163Julie Taymor
Frida, Across the UniverseBirthplace: Newton, Massachusetts, United States of America
Age: 67
Julie Taymor (born December 15, 1952) is an American director and writer of theater, opera and... more19
6553Andrea Arnold
Fish Tank, Wuthering HeightsBirthplace: Dartford, United Kingdom
Age: 59
Andrea Arnold, OBE (born 5 April 1961) is an English filmmaker and former actress. She won an... more20
8336Ava DuVernay
A Wrinkle in Time, SelmaBirthplace: Long Beach, California
Age: 48
Ava Marie DuVernay (; born August 24, 1972) is an American filmmaker and film distributor. She... more21
6351Claire Denis
Bastards, White MaterialBirthplace: Paris, France
Age: 72
Claire Denis (born 21 April 1946) is a French film director and writer. Her feature film Beau... more22
5356Lisa Cholodenko
The Kids Are All Right, Laurel CanyonBirthplace: San Fernando Valley, California
Age: 55
Lisa Cholodenko is an American director and screenwriter who has worked in film and... more
2311014Yeşim Ustaoğlu
Pandora's Box, Pandora's BoxBirthplace: Çaykara, Turkey
Age: 59
Yeşim Ustaoğlu is a Turkish filmmaker and screenwriter.... more24
5129Ida Lupino
The Trouble with Angels, The BigamistBirthplace: Camberwell, London, United Kingdom
Age: Dec. at 77 (1918-1995)
Ida Lupino (4 February 1918 – 3 August 1995) was an English-American actress, singer,... more25
3836Niki Caro
Whale Rider, The Zookeeper's WifeBirthplace: Wellington, New Zealand
Age: 53
Nikola Jean Caro (born 1967) is a New Zealand film director and screenwriter. Her 2002 film... more
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