Film Feature: Favorite Fiction Features Directed by Women — An International Poll
Compiled by Gerald Peary
Six critics from the Arts Fuse were among the 139 participants from around the world — Canada, Australia, France, England, Sweden, Finland, etc. — polled for their Ten Favorite Fiction Features Directed by Women. Up top are the 30 films which appeared on the most ballots, and below that are the votes of Arts Fuse critics.
Delphine Seyrig in the title role of Chantal Akerman’s 1975 film Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles. Photo: Paradise Films
THE TOP THIRTY
31 votes: Jeanne Dielman (Chantal Akerman)
30 votes: Cleo from 5 to 7 (Agnes Varda)
29 votes: Vagabond (Agnes Varda)
28 votes: Daisies (Vera Chytilova), The Piano (Jane Campion)
26 votes: Beau Travail (Claire Denis), The Hitch-Hiker (Ida Lupino), Wanda (Barbara Loden)
22 votes: Daughters of the Dust (Julie Dash)
21 votes: Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Amy Heckerling)
20 votes: Seven Beauties (Lina Wertmuller)
19 votes: The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow)
18 votes: Europa Europa (Agnieszka Holland), Mikey and Nicky (Elaine May), Winter’s Bone (Debra Granik), The Heartbreak Kid (Elaine May)
17 votes: An Angel at My Table (Jane Campion), Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola)
14 votes: Dance Girl Dance (Dorothy Arzner), A New Leaf (Elaine May)
13 votes: Clueless (Amy Heckerling), The Bigamist (Ida Lupino), The Ascent (Larisa Shepitko)
11 votes: Le Bonheur (Agnes Varda), My Brilliant Career (Gillian Armstrong), Outrage (Ida Lupino), The Rider (Chloe Zhao)
10 votes: Nomadland (Chloe Zhao), Swept Away (Lina Wertmuller)
9 votes: Portrait of a Lady on Fire (Celine Sciamma)
Gerald Peary
A scene from Dance, Girl, Dance.
Mädchen in Uniform – Leontine Sagan
Dance, Girl, Dance – Dorothy Arzner
Daisies – Vera Chytilova
Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) – Chantal Akerman
Mikey and Nicky – Elaine May
Marianne and Juliane – Margarethe Von Trotta
Vagabond – Agnes Varda
Sweetie -Jane Campion
Beau Travail – Claire Denis
The Hurt Locker – Kathryn Bigelow
Peg Aloi
A scene from The Love Witch.
Peppermint Soda – Diane Kurys
An Angel at My Table – Jane Campion
Relic – Natalie Erika James
Amulet – Romola Garai
The Wind – Emma Tami
The Woodsman – Nicole Kassell
Ladybird – Greta Gerwig
Winter’s Bone – Debra Granick
The Love Witch – Anna Biller
Can You Ever Forgive Me? – Marielle Heller
Tim Jackson
A scene from Toni Erdmann.
Variety – Bette Gordon
In a Better World – Suzanne Bier
Bluebeard – Catherine Breillat
Enough Said – Nicole Holofcener
Somewhere – Sofia Coppola
Toni Erdmann – Maren Ade
Songs My Brother Taught Me – Chloé Zhao
Wendy and Lucy – Kelly Reichardt
Humpday – Lynn Shelton
It Felt Like Love – Eliza Hittman
Ed Symkus
Newcomer Agathe Rousselle as Alexia in Titane..
Kathryn Bigelow – Strange Days
Julia Ducournau – Titane
Mary Harron – American Psycho
Amy Heckerling – Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Agnieszka Holland – Europa Europa
Ida Lupino – The Bigamist
Sally Potter – Orlando
Lynne Ramsay – We Need to Talk About Kevin
Agnès Varda – Vagabond
Doris Wishman – The Hot Month of August
Evelyn Rosenthal
A scene from Crossing Delancey.
Joan Micklin Silver – Crossing Delancey
Susan Seidelman – Desperately Seeking Susan
Adrienne Shelly – Waitress
Jane Campion – An Angel at My Table
Gillian Armstrong – My Brilliant Career
Amy Heckerling – Clueless
Lina Wertmuller – Love and Anarchy
Penny Marshall – A League of Their Own
Agnieszka Holland – Europa, Europa
Chloé Zhao – The Rider
David Stewart
A scene from The Diary of a Teenage Girl.
The Hurt Locker – Kathryn Bigelow
Fish Tank – – Andrea Arnold
Ratcatcher – – Lynne Ramsay
Grace of My Heart – Allison Anders
Prevenge – Alice Lowe
The Diary of a Teenage Girl – Marielle Heller
One Night in Miami – Regina King
Variety – Bette Gordon
I Shot Andy Warhol – Mary Harron
Lost in Translation – Sofia Coppola
Editor’s Note: What films would you choose? Add to the list. Please comment below.
Tagged: David Stewart, Evelyn Rosenthal, Gearld Peary, Peg Aloi