Women Filmmakers

There is a great deal written about women film makers that started as long ago as 1920. Women were very influential in silent films (writer, directors, film makers)...some using their own names, some using pseudo names. Some were also actresses, such as Lillian Gish, Mabel Normand, Lois Weber and Nazimova that became very influential in films. The women I just mentioned were born in the late 1880's-90's.......I love some of those old movies. There have been many biographies written about these women and other women from the 30's, 40's and 50's. The women from those times always fascinated me, they struck out and became successful probably in a much less monetary way than their male contemporaries, but achieved success in ways we never thought women could. There were also a lot of women who made waves in political ways, it could be an Alice Roosevelt or Eleanor Roosevelt, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis.......they achieved a success that was extremely rare in their times.

There was also Leni Riefenstahl, talented, clever, hard working,but definitely on the wrong side of history.

Leni was the first woman filmmaker who came to my mind when I saw the title of this thread. Must have something to do with age!

Was it the first film you remember going to see at the cinema?

There were so many documentaries available after WWII and so many veterans and their wives watched them intently. As a child I remember my mother speaking bitterly about the friends and family that were lost during the war, when those films were on, my mother would curse under her breath......point out various war criminals and curse louder.

Never have seen any of her films...just a few snippets that are shown from time to time. But she apparently was good at what she did. And there was a day where her name was front and center...which is why I thought of her.

The first film I remember seeing (it may not be the first one I ever saw, but it is the first I remember) was a film starring Gary Cooper...The Story Of Dr. Wassell. (Just discovered it was directed by Cecil B. DeMille.)

Made quite an impression on me.

The actresses Ida Lupino and Hedi Lamarr both directed and produced movies. I think Jodi Foster has, as well.

It was a joke.

I always thought Ida Lupino was one of the most beautiful women on the screen. I vaguely remember how she wound up directing her first film, I think a director was fired and she managed to convince the ownership to let her direct.

When I was a very young girl I remember my parents took me to see 'Lady and the Tramp'. After the film I asked my grandmother if she had seen the movie, she said "Sweetheart, the last movie I saw was Birth of a Nation". The whole room broke up laughing, and after that I became very interested in finding out about the entire 'old' movie setup.

Yes! Definitely one of my favorites.

I think the first film I saw at the cinema was Snow White.

I wonder if Yalow got bored?

*snores*

So, I could have just answered YES, and avoided all the chatter about things you have no interest in......cool.

Why? Are you asking about quality? Quantity isn't necessarily going to be the strongest suit in these decks.

There are many woman filmmakers. Are you asking about directors, editors, writers, or others?

A shortlist of famous female directors.
Marjane Satrapi
Kathryn Bigelow
Chloé Zhao
Kelly Reichardt
Jane Campion
Greta Gerwig
and one editor...
Thelma Schoonmaker

Psssst, tsar.............I think it's a quiz.......

Patty Jenkins is the director of the 2 first Wonder Woman movies, and will be for the third.