All articles tagged with #female directors
Maggie Gyllenhaal critiques the Venice Film Festival for its scarcity of female directors this year, using the moment to spotlight ongoing gender imbalance in major festival lineups; the piece also weighs the role of politics in festival press conferences, noting debates about whether Q&As should address politics and contrasting Berlin’s push to minimize political questions with Venice’s evolving approach.
Maggie Gyllenhaal, who leads Venice’s jury, argues there is a systemic problem that makes it harder for women to secure financing and recognition for their films, noting only a small number of women are among the Golden Lion contenders. The festival faced criticism for its lineup but has since expanded the main competition with NAZA, a documentary by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor. Gyllenhaal emphasizes that cinema is political and capable of empathy, and her own Flesh Impact will screen out of competition; the jury also includes Kaouther Ben Hania, Johnnie To, Shahrbanoo Sadat, Xavier Giannoli, Daniel Blumberg, and Francesco Casetti.
Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights opened to $88.5 million globally over the four-day weekend (against an $80 million budget), boosting her into the conversation as one of the top-grossing female directors and signaling strong theatrical confidence from Warner Bros., though she hasn’t reached Greta Gerwig’s Barbie-era heights.
Kristen Stewart says actresses are still treated poorly in Hollywood and that it wasn’t until she began directing The Chronology of Water that people started addressing her with real respect, highlighting a gender bias where male actors are celebrated and women are reduced to puppets.
A USC study reports a significant decline in female-directed Hollywood films in 2025, with women directing only 8.1% of top box office hits, down from 13.4% in 2024, despite comparable critical acclaim.
The 2025 Golden Globes nominations revealed significant trends, including a record-setting 10 nominations for Netflix's Spanish-language musical 'Emilia Pérez,' highlighting its resurgence after being overlooked by other awards. Notably, two women were nominated for Best Director, marking a shift in the traditionally male-dominated category. The nominations also provided a boost to underperforming films like 'The Substance' and 'A Complete Unknown,' while notable snubs included 'Gladiator II' and 'Sing Sing.' The changes reflect the evolving nature of the Golden Globes organization post-HFPA.
At the Turin Film Festival, Alec Baldwin criticized the American media for being profit-driven, leading to a lack of public knowledge on global issues like climate change and Ukraine. He emphasized the role of the film industry in filling this information void and discussed the importance of alternative energy and female directors in cinema. Baldwin avoided discussing the 'Rust' shooting incident, focusing instead on broader societal challenges and his admiration for past and present actors.
In a Vanity Fair interview, Nicole Kidman subtly criticized Martin Scorsese for his lack of female-led films, expressing her desire to work with him if he makes a film featuring women. While Scorsese has directed some female-centric films, most of his work has focused on male leads. Kidman also mentioned her interest in collaborating with directors like Kathryn Bigelow and Paul Thomas Anderson.
Thierry Fremaux, director of the Cannes Film Festival, addressed the lack of distribution for Francis Ford Coppola's "Megalopolis," a $120 million epic starring Adam Driver, selected for competition at Cannes but without a French distribution deal. The potential sale to a streamer without theatrical plans for France could clash with Cannes' rule requiring French theatrical distribution for competition films. Fremaux also discussed the decrease in female directors in competition, the increasing presence of genre movies, and the representation of female directors at the festival.
The Oscar nominations for 2024 sparked discussions due to Barbie's absence in major categories, with Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie missing out on best director and best actress nods, respectively. Other talking points included controversies over Jewish representation in films, record-breaking LGBT nominations, and the lack of recognition for certain films and actors. The nominations also highlighted the slow progress for female directors and the potential for a Native American actress to make history.
The Oscar nominations brought surprises and snubs, with Greta Gerwig missing out on a directing nomination despite the success of "Barbie," while female filmmakers had a strong showing overall. Young male actors struggled to break through, and there were no last-minute surprise nominations like Andrea Riseborough's bid last year. Additionally, romance was in the air with three best-picture nominees directed by women.
Oscar nominations voting has closed, with potential surprises including strong showings for female-directed films like "Barbie" and "Poor Things," and uncertainty around Greta Gerwig's chances for best director. Other contenders to watch include "Saltburn," "The Color Purple," "Origin," and "Maestro," while "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" is also in the mix for potential nominations.
Acclaimed director Sofia Coppola reflects on her career and the challenges she faces as a female filmmaker. Despite her influence on young women and her established body of work, Coppola still struggles to get movies made and faces skepticism when trying to budget female-fronted projects. She recently released an art book, "Sofia Coppola Archive," and her latest film, "Priscilla," about Priscilla Presley's relationship with Elvis, faced budget cuts and a tight shooting schedule. Coppola remains hopeful for younger women starting out in the industry but acknowledges that it is still a struggle for female directors.
Margot Robbie is set to earn $50 million in salary and box-office bonuses combined for her role as the lead actress and producer of the film "Barbie." The film, directed by Greta Gerwig, has become the highest-grossing film from a female director in Hollywood history, earning $1.18 billion globally. Robbie and co-star Ryan Gosling each earned a reported $12.5 million salary. "Barbie" has also helped bring back moviegoers since the pandemic, with a significant number of viewers returning to theaters for the first time in a while.
Greta Gerwig's film "Barbie" has broken the box office record for the highest opening weekend for a film directed by a woman, surpassing "Captain Marvel" and "Wonder Woman." With $162 million in ticket sales in North America and over $337 million globally, "Barbie" also became the third biggest July debut ever. The film, which had a 65% female audience, has been celebrated for its feminist and original storytelling. Gerwig's success with "Barbie" has led to predictions of another best director Oscar nomination, and many in Hollywood have praised the film's achievements and its potential impact on the industry.