Let's Watch Movies Directed By Women

On the eve of the awards season festival kick-off, over at Directed by Women the stage is well and truly set for the endorsement of what should be widespread and one of the most popular events of the year to anyone who is anyone that loves movies and has half a brain. I quote directly from the site:

“We’re bringing the global film community together for a powerful 15 day worldwide film viewing party rejoicing in the incredible diversity of films #DirectedbyWomen:

September 1-15, 2015.

During this exuberant celebration, film lovers will gather together in their communities around the world for film screenings & guest filmmaker visits designed to focus attention on and offer appreciation for women film directors and their work.”

The basic idea, I use the term basic to illustrate the obviousness of the venture which should have gained much, much more natural progression by now, is to raise awareness, awaken hunger, create cultural appreciation, expand opportunities, fall madly in love, and have fun.

Celebrating these women film-makers is easy. Trust me. In the latest project here, the 100 Films Made By Women, was a real eye-opener even for me. I was reminded of some great movies I had seen, and was given a humble opportunity to see some female-directed movies I had yet experienced – but was sure glad I did.

And now, with the fantastic resources and movement by #DirectedbyWomen (and many, many other outlets, that are there if you just look), I will attempt to dive into these 15 days as we get swallowed up by awards season, with the help of some of the movie nuts I know around the world (many of which have contributed on this site) to watch some of these films directed by women together while miles and miles apart. We’ll likely live Tweet our thoughts before, during, and after each experience, and I will strive to record it on the site. We don’t even have to literally watch the movies at the same time, perhaps watch it one night and talk about it in the morning. It’s not quite off the ground yet, but with that in mind, and I speak now to those very friends as well as all who want to participate, let’s get the ball rolling.

Having spent a couple of hours trawling through both the UK and US versions of Netflix (I am assuming this is one of the most accessible platforms), where no doubt I have missed loads of movies, here are a few strong suggestions from that platform alone. This is a rough list, not even cracking surface, of films available both sides of the water on Netflix unless mentioned otherwise:

— Sofia Coppola —

Lost in Translation (UK); The Virgin Suicides; Somewhere (US)

— Gabriela Cowperthwaite —

Blackfish

— Claire Denis —

Bastards

— Ava DuVernay —

Middle of Nowhere; I Will Follow

— Penelope Spheeris —

Wayne’s World

— Jennifer Kent —

The Babadook

— Amy Heckerling —

Clueless

— Gillian Robespierre —

Obvious Child (UK)

— Lynn Shelton —

Prince Avalanche; Touchy Feely

— Andrea Arnold —

Fish Tank

— Lena Dunham —

Tiny Furniture

— Nicole Holofcener —

Lovely and Amazing; Please Give (UK); Walking and Talking (US)

— Sarah Polley —

Stories We Tell

— Gia Coppola —

Palo Alto

— Kimberly Peirce —

Carrie

Given that there are so many other video streaming services now, not to mention I suspect many of you have DVD collections, perhaps your local cinema is running films directed by a woman – anyway, go look and find some of these films, let’s watch them together and talk about them. Flood the comments section with your ideas, when you’re available, how you would like to participate, which directors or films you want to see – even those you’ve seen before. Here are 10, just 10, off the top of my head that I highly recommend and bring to the table in the meantime – and would happily watch again and again. Let’s do this:

Niki Caro — Whale Rider

Maya Deren — Meshes of the Afternoon

Mary Harron — American Psycho

Lynne Ramsay — Ratcatcher

Torill Kove — The Danish Poet

Randa Haines — Children of a Lesser God

Ana Lily Amirpour — A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

Susanne Bier — In a Better World

Lucy Mulloy — Una noche

Debra Granik — Winter’s Bone