Females in Film: Breaking Through Traditions and Expectations

Since the beginning of the film and tv industry women have been pushed aside in roles that were traditionally dominated by men, such as directors, producers and writers. If we look back to the golden age of Hollywood, very rarely will you see a female working the camera, taking control of film direction and writing a hit. Many were leading ladies like Judy Garland, Vivian Leigh and Audrey Hepburn. It can be said that the leading ladies were not treated nicely, especially women of colour; facing horrific cases of racism, sexism, sexual assault and mental and physical abuse.

Things in the industry are definitely not equal, there have only been three women win Best Director at The Oscars. There are still daily cases of sexism and sexual assault, so much so that it was one of the main causes of the #METOO movement and only in 5% of top-billed films between 1990 and 2018 were the cast and crew an even female to male split. This isn’t all doom and gloom though, as there are some amazing women out there who are breaking through the traditions and expectations of film. If you want to learn a little bit more about females in film have a look at some of the great women who I believe are changing the film and television industry for the good.

Ava Duvernay: Ava is a powerhouse American filmmaker. She teaches audiences about BLM and its history, creating nominated works such as Selma, When They See Us, 13th and many more. She was born in Long Beach, California and attended the University of California studying English Literature and African-American Studies, but never attended film school. Despite this, in 2012, she became the first African American woman to win the Best Director Prize at Sundance Film Festival, making history. Ava's films encourage beauty in society, they evoke powerful emotions in her audience, and she is commendable in using her art as a tool to fight for justice.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge: Phoebe Waller-Bridge recently became one of the best upcoming British screen and play writers, creating works such as Fleabag, Drifters, Crashing and Killing Eve. Starting out as an actress, Phoebe has blossomed in the industry, being the only person to have won an Emmy, SAG, Bafta and Golden Globe for the same TV performance. Her work is relatable, full of politically incorrect humour and visually translates the transgressive woman’s worst fears, friendships, and pain, creating well thought out and in-depth characters.

Mindy Kaling: Have you ever heard the phrase “girls aren’t funny”? Well, next time you hear that mention Mindy Kaling, one of the creators of The Office US, The Mindy Project and Champions. Mindy was the first female member of The Office (2005) (TV) writing staff at age 26 and by the end, one of the two women who wrote for the show. She started young for a reason; her humour is dry, sarcastic, and much loved by many audience members. Mindy creates women who are strong and opinionated whilst having some stereotypical traits, showing female viewers that you can be funny, smart and enjoy girly things.

Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boynes: Though powerhouses in their own right a lot of the time they come as a pair. When audience members think of the writing/directing power behind Lord of the Rings Peter Jackson is the only name that comes to mind. However, did you know that Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boynes helped to create the fantastical franchise? Walsh and Boynes didn’t create the powerful female characters like Ѐowyn or Galadriel, but they helped to translate the much-loved fantasy to screen. Fran and Phillipa helped to visualise (alongside Peter Jackson) a cherished story, writing iconic lines such as ‘I am no man’, subtly evoking female empowerment. Despite Walsh’s contribution, she does not appear in any interviews for the DVD release because she wishes to remain private. On the other hand, Boynes wants to be celebrated for her work, not only on Lord of the Rings but on The Hobbit Trilogy, Mortal Engines and The Lovely Bones. Walsh and Boynes help to visually create a world unlike others before audiences’ minds, understanding and completely transforming dialogue and characters for the screen.

Nancy Meyers: Have you ever thought that some of your favourite rom-com films all create a similar feeling of love and warmth? That’s not just because that’s what the genre intends to do but because a large proportion of the most successful rom-coms were created by Nancy Meyers. Nancy Meyers is an American filmmaker who has created works such as The Father of the Bride, It’s Complicated and The Holiday. All her films focus on in-depth and honest characters who are faced with complicated love stories. Although her films can be considered to demonstrate love only seen in fairy tales, there is a great sense of staying true to who you are and allowing yourself to follow your true desires.

Shonda Rhimes: One of my personal favourite television writers and producers of all time, Shonda Rhimes is the QUEEN of television. She has created some of the most successful TV shows ever such as Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder and the recent hit Inventing Anna. Not only are the scripts she writes amazing, but all her characters are well thought out and strikingly different. Her common character trope is a strong, powerful and level-headed female lead, who is not afraid to speak her mind. Rhimes has allowed women, especially women of colour, to take control, defy expectations and own the stories they follow.

Emerald Fennel: Although you may know Fennel from her acting works in shows such as The Crown and Call the Midwife, she is a successful and upcoming writer, director and producer. She has written episodes of shows such as Killing Eve and Drifters, but she is mostly known for her Oscar-winning debut film Promising Young Woman. In everything she writes, whether she’s a contributing writer or the core writer, there is a common theme of female empowerment. The characters she writes for are always defying stereotypes and taking ownership of their lives, whether that’s having a male-dominated occupation or taking revenge on those who have wronged them. Although her writing/directing career has just started it has already taken off, she’s got some stuff in the works and is someone everyone must follow!

Chloe Zhao: Chloe Zhao is a Chinese film director, screenwriter, and producer. She is best known for her Oscar-winning film Nomadland. She gained the world's attention with her 2017 film The Rider, a sparse and stunning portrait of a struggling Native American family in South Dakota. And she did so again with Nomadland, for which she became the first Asian woman to win an Oscar for Best Director. This wasn’t the first time she was a part of film history as she also became the second woman to win a Golden Globe Award for Best Director (for Nomadland). Although previously mainly credited for her work in independent films Zhao is breaking through to become a classic filmmaker. Like many other amazing female filmmakers, she is one to keep an eye on.

Greta Gerwig: Not only is Gerwig a successful actress but she is also a successful writer, director and producer. Her acting credits include, Jackie, Mistress America and No Strings Attached. She has also written and directed the recent adaptation of Little Women, Ladybird and the upcoming Barbie film. In both the roles she takes and the characters she writes Gerwig ensures she promotes female empowerment and the question of what femininity means, in both a modern and traditional sense. She has been nominated for three Oscars, has sixty-seven wins (e.g Alliance of Women Film Journalists, Athena Film Festival, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award and more) and has been nominated for another 196 awards. All these awards are accredited to her acting, writing and directing work.

All these ladies are either a staple or becoming one in the film and TV industry. Here are a few other women who should be mentioned: Jane Campion, a New Zealand director, screenwriter, and producer, who became the first woman to be nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Director – she even won an Oscar at the most recent ceremony. Patty Jenkins, another female powerhouse in the industry, is a writer/director best known for directing Wonder Woman and her debut feature Monster. Diablo Cody, full-time stripper turned award-winning screenwriter who you will know for her work on Juno, Burlesque, Young Adult, Paradise, and the upcoming Madonna biopic. And that’s just to mention a few!

If I had millions of words I could celebrate the hundreds of amazing women who work in the industry but the women mentioned above are just a few of my favourites from a VERY long list!

Written by Megan Binning

Hi, my name is Megan, I'm 21 years old and an English graduate from the University of Plymouth. I'm an aspiring screenwriter and love all things creative. I have everything writing including short stories, poetry, journalism, and script. I am particularly interested in writing about film/television and how it has impacted our lives, both the good and bad!