They are directors or actresses, scriptwriters, cartoonists… Or authors and then move on to directing.
Let’s discover who are the twenty directors we have to count with today.
Who are the women directors to keep up with ?
1. Julia Ducournau
Julia Ducournau was revealed by her first feature film “Grave” nominated six times at the César.
This year she received the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival with « Titane » starring Vincent Lindon and Agathe Rousselle.
Julia Ducournau is a member of the 50/50 collective, which aims to promote equality between women and men and sexual, gender, class and racial diversity in cinema and audiovisual media.
2. Audrey Diwan
Her film “L’Evénement”, just won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, adapted from the novel of the same name by Annie Ernaux, published in 2000 by Gallimard.
She was also a screenwriter on Bac Nord and director of “Mais vous êtes fous” with Pio Marmaï and Céline Sallette. Her first novel La Fabrication d’un mensonge won the René-Fallet Prize in 2008.
She is also a member of the 50/50 collective, which aims to promote equality between women and men and diversity in the film and audiovisual industries.
The film is scheduled for release on November 24, 2021.
3. Maïmouna Doucouré
“Mom(s)” which she wrote and directed, has won numerous international awards including Best Short Film at the Toronto Film Festival in Canada, Best International Short Film at the Sundance Film Festival in the United States, and the 2017 Cesar Award for Best Short Film.
She received the Global Filmmaking Award for her feature film project Cute Girls. sponsored by African-American director Ava DuVernay.
“Mignonnes” will hit theaters in August 2020. In 2021 she received a César nomination in the Best First Film category and at Berlinale 2020 she received the Special Mention of the International Jury.Fathia Youssouf received the César for Best Female Hope.
“Mignonnes” also won the Alice Guy Award at the Max Linder this year.
4. Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović
Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović won the Camera d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival for “Murina” in 2021.Her film deals with the disintegration of a family ur an island off the coast of Croatia, where a teenage girl Julija lives an isolated life under the oppressive rule of her father, alongside her young mother.
5. Hafsia Herzi
Hafsia Herzi was revealed in “The Seed and the Mule” (2007) by Abdellatif Kechiche, which earned her several awards, including the Marcello-Mastroianni prize at the Venice Film Festival and the César for Best Female Hope.
In 2019, she shot her first feature film as a director , “You Deserve a Lover”, presented at the Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival.
This year she received the Prix d’Ensemble at the Cannes Film Festival for her second feature film, “Bonne Mère”, presented in the selection Un certain regard at Cannes.
6. Chloé Mazlo
French visual artist, director, screenwriter and actress.
In 2015, Les Petits Cailloux won the César for best animated short film.
In 2019, at the 8th Franco-Arab Film Festival of Noisy-le-Sec, Chloé Mazlo won the Jury Prize and the Audience Prize for “Asmahan la diva”.
Chloé Mazlo directed her first feature film in 2020, “Under the Sky of Alice”, with Alba Rohrwacher and Wajdi Mouawad. The film is selected for the 59th Critics’ Week at the 2020 Cannes Film Festival.
7. Leila Bouzid
In 2015, his feature film, “À peine j’ouvre les yeux”, co-written with Marie-Sophie Chambon is selected in several festivals. It won awards at the Venice Film Festival, the Carthage Film Festival and the Saint-Jean-de-Luz International Film Festival.
In 2021, her film “A Story of Love and Desire” won a Diamond Valois at the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival and was selected for the Cannes Film Festival this year as part of the Critics’ Week.
Leila Bouzid is a member of the 50/50 collective, which aims to promote equality between women and men and diversity in the film and audiovisual industries.
8. Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet
She made a name for herself in 2018 with her second short film, “Pauline asservie”, selected at the Semaine de la Critique, then at the Festival de Clermont-Ferrand where it received the Special Mention of the Jury and the Prix de la Presse Télérama.
His film was shortlisted for the César Awards in 2020 and received awards in many international festivals.
“Les amours d’Anaïs”, his first feature film, was selected for the Critics’ Week in 2021, in a special 60th anniversary session. It was released in theaters on September 15.
9. Mati Diop
In 2008, Mati Diop played her first leading role in Claire Denis’ film, “35 rhums”. She also presented “1000 Soleils” at the Cannes Film Festival, a documentary project on the film Touki Bouki (directed by her uncle in 1973 and presented at Cannes that year).
Her short film “Atlantiques” won the Tiger for best short film in 2010 at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam.
Mati Diop directs in 2018 his first feature film, “Atlantique”, selected in official competition at the Cannes Film Festival 2019 where it gets the Grand Prix. Netflix buys the rights for the international market a little later.
In 2020 “Atlantique” is nominated for the César for best first film at the 45th César ceremony.
10. Emma Benestan
After entering the Fémis in the editing department, she participated in the writing of several feature films while directing three short films, “Toucher l’horizon”, “Belle gueule” and “Goût bacon”, selected in various festivals.
She directed the feature film “Fragile”, a romantic comedy shot in Sète with Yasin Houicha and Oulaya Amamra, currently in theaters.
11. Sara Forestier
Sara Forestier made her name in 2004 in Abdellatif Kechiche’s “L’Esquive”, which won her the César for Best New Actress. She directed “M” after two years of preparation.
It is her first feature film as a director. It was presented in the parallel section “Giornate degli autori” at the 2017 Venice Film Festival.
12. Nine Antico
Illustrator, comic book author, screenwriter and director.
Nine Antico directed in 2013 the short film “Tonite”, performed by the actress Sophie-Marie Larrouy. This film is adapted from one of her comics.
She wrote the script of “Il était 2 fois Arthur”, drawn by Grégoire Carlé and published in 2019, on the trajectories of Jack Johnson and Arthur Cravan.
In 2020 she will direct her first feature film, “Playlist”, a black and white comedy with Sara Forestier.
13. Jasmila Žbanić
Jasmila Žbanić is a Bosnian director.
Her 2006 feature film “Grbavica” won the Golden Bear at the 56th Berlin International Film Festival, the Grand Jury Prize at the International Feature Film Festival in competition, as well as the Best European Film and Best European Actress awards.
She then directed “Quo vadis, Aida?” which earned her nominations for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, the BAFTA Award for Best Non-English Language Film and the BAFTA Award for Best Director.
“The Voice of Aida” was released in theaters on September 22.
14. Juliette Guignard
Juliette Guignard is a director and performer.
Her documentaries are part of both film projects (“Le Temps du chantier”, “Te Merau”, “La Terre du milieu”) and hybrid shows (“Oniri 2070”, with the Organic Orchestra Company).
“La terre du milieu” portrays Camille, a young woman who has chosen to become a farmer in the Creuse region. It is currently playing in theaters.
Juliette Guignard also founded the Captive collective and often works with associations.
15. Fanny Sidney
Director of the series “Jeune et Golri” (eight 20-minute episodes, released on the OCS platform on September 2) created by Agnès Hurstel, Fanny Sidney became known for the role of Camille Valentini in the series “Dix pour cent”.
She also wrote and directed a series called “Brigade mobile” (seven 10-minute episodes that she directed and wrote).
16. Reem Kherici
Actress, director and screenwriter.
She started and was noticed in the comedy group La Bande à Fifi. In 2013, she directed and acted in “Paris à tout prix” and directed “Jour J” in 2017, for which she is also a screenwriter.
“Paris à tout prix” is selected for the 2014 Palm Springs International Film Festival and the New Voices/New Visions Awards.
17. Alana Waksman
While attending the USC School of Cinematics Arts, Alana Waksman was chosen with nine other students to co-direct the school’s first feature film, “Don Quixote: The Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha,” under the supervision of James Franco.
In September, “We Burn Like This,” inspired by a true story, was his first film. It was screened at the Deauville American Film Festival this year.
18. Alice Rohrwacher
Her film “Les Merveilles” is selected in competition at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival where it receives the Grand Prix.
Then “Lazzaro Felice” is in official selection at the Cannes Film Festival 2018 where she receives, tied with Nader Saeivar and Jafar Panahi, the Screenplay Award.
In 2020, she directed two episodes of the series “L’Amie prodigieuse” (“L’amica geniale”, TV series, season 2, episodes 4 and 5) available on Canal Plus.
Son film « Les Merveilles » est sélectionné en compétition au festival de Cannes 2014 où il reçoit le Grand Prix.
Puis « Heureux comme Lazzaro » (« Lazzaro Felice ») est en sélection officielle au Festival de Cannes 2018 où elle reçoit, ex-æquo avec Nader Saeivar et Jafar Panahi, le Prix du scénario.
En 2020, elle réalise deux épisodes de la série « L’Amie prodigieuse » (« L’amica geniale », série télévisée, saison 2, épisodes 4 et 5) disponible sur Canal Plus.
19. Cécile Ducroq
Actress, screenwriter and director.
In 2016, she won the César for short film for “La Contre-Allée”. She shoots the series ” L’Opéra ” alongside Benjamin Adam, whose first season is available since September 7 on OCS.
She directed ” Une femme du monde ” with Laure Calamy, screened this year at the American Film Festival of Deauville.
20. Ninja Thyberg
She has been directing several short films since 2009 that revolve around the same theme: sexuality.
In 2013, her short film “Pleasure” is presented in Cannes during the 52nd Critics’ Week. She made it into a feature film.
It received the Jury Prize this year at the American Film Festival of Deauville.
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