6 Excellent Films Directed By Women That Every Film Buff Needs To See!

Recently, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie became the highest-grossing film directed by a woman, making hundreds of millions of dollars (and breaking $1 billion worldwide!). The success of this film has demonstrated the importance of female directors and that they can make a hugely beloved film. Plenty of female directors have helped pave this way with their own stories. While they may not be Barbie, they also show strong female leads. While men dominate the film industry, there are plenty of fantastic films made by women that should be watched as soon as possible!

1. The Edge of Seventeen - Dir: Kelly Fremon Craig

Being an outcast is often not a fun time. However, it helps to have a friend by your side. That is, until the friendship deteriorates. Kelly Fremon Craig’s The Edge of Seventeen shows the ups and downs of a female friendship. Nadine’s (Hailee Steinfeld) only friend is Krista (Haley Lu Richardson). They have always stuck together, until Krista starts dating Nadine’s brother, Darian (Blake Jenner). The once-strong friendship weakens, and Nadine feels she does not know who she is anymore. She then has to go on her own journey to figure out what she wants. High school is often a stressful time, and this film displays that unique angst in a thought-provoking way. Rent on Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV.

2. The Intern - Dir: Nancy Meyers

Growing old does not mean you have to let go of your enjoyment of life. You can still work hard, make friends, and have fun. Nancy Meyers’s The Intern plays this theme well. The film is about 70-year-old Ben (Robert De Niro), who joins a senior internship program at a clothing website run by Jules (Anne Hathaway). This duo forms an unlikely friendship that teaches both of them to stand strong against whatever they face in this world. While Meyers typically directs romance films, The Intern is a film about friendship. It can come from anywhere, and those who find it should cherish its importance. Rent on Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV.

3. Across the Universe - Dir: Julie Taymor

There is nothing like the energy of a movie musical. What if the musical was a love story, and the music was all by The Beatles? That is the basis of Julie Taymor’s Across the Universe. The film is about Jude (Jim Sturgess), who comes to America during the Vietnam War to make a connection with his father. While things do not go as planned, he ends up with a good friend in Max (Joe Alexander) and a love interest in Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood). However, the war is causing stress and fear for almost everyone, and that stress and anxiety looms over the characters’ heads every day. They need to stick together as much as they can, even when it becomes tough. The songs tie the whole story together for a film that is both fun and emotional. Stream on Max.

4. Good Luck To You, Leo Grande - Dir: Sophie Hyde

It is not often that films show the sexuality of older women. Sophie Hyde’s Good Luck To You, Leo Grande breaks this idea. The film centers around school teacher Nancy Stokes (Emma Thompson), who decides to hire sex worker Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack). Along the way, the two learn more about each other and build a connection through sex and beyond. The film has a message of sex positivity and female empowerment while also demonstrating the importance of sharing emotions. This female-forward film will cause viewers to think deeply about their own struggles and how to break through the walls they have set up for themselves. Stream on Hulu.

5. Blockers - Dir: Kay Cannon

The end of high school is an exciting time for everyone, but it might also bring up some anxiety. That is true not only for the graduates but also for their parents. That is the focus of Kay Cannon’s Blockers. This film centers around three graduating teens (Kathryn Newton, Geraldine Viswanathan, Gideon Adlon) who decide to make a pact to lose their virginities on prom night. Their parents (Leslie Mann, John Cena, Ike Barinholtz) find out about this plan and set out to stop them. While the plot may sound a little wild, and there are a lot of zany moments throughout the film, it is still a film with a lot of heart. It demonstrates the importance of familial connections and what it is like to enter a scary new chapter in life. Blockers also shows the importance of female friendship, which is an excellent theme for a film to have. This movie is a silly comedy, but it is also more than that. Rent on Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV.

6. Thirteen - Dir: Catherine Hardwicke

When it comes to films about adolescence, they are often about cheerful and easy times until the time of high school. However, plenty of girls go through rough times in their early teens before high school. That is what Catherine Hardwicke’s Thirteen wants to prove. The film is about Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood), who befriends cool girl Evie (Nikki Reed). She thinks this will make her cool too, but the two girls go on a path of dark turns and wild decisions. It is not that uplifting of a film, but it shows that girls will do anything to fit in. It may be extreme, but there is some realism and relatable feelings inside. Rent on Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV.