There’s probably been no better time than the present for female directors to make their mark, with each year bringing in more directorial efforts by women. The Oscars have also recognized more female-led films in recent times and 2021 featured quite a lot of quality work that should be pointed out.
The best thing about these movies is that they come from diverse genres, featuring everything from drama, comedy, coming-of-age stories, and even horror. While many of them have garnered mainstream attention, fans are unaware of the names of the directors who really should be credited for entertaining so many viewers around the world.
Black Widow
Stream On Disney+
Directed by Cate Shortland, Black Widow was a film that many MCU fans wanted since the titular character was one of the founding members of the Avengers. By now, Black Widow’s arguably become Scarlett Johannsson’s most iconic role, and the movie gave her the send-off she needed.
The story is about Natasha Romanoff’s escape from the authorities after siding with Captain America’s Avengers faction, which brings her back in connection with her estranged family. Shortland’s direction touched on the hero’s past regrets while serving action set pieces that were grand in style and execution.
My Zoe
Stream On Amazon Prime Video
Although not generally found in Julie Delpy’s best-received film credits, My Zoe is her directorial effort that she helms as the lead actress. Here, the main character, Isabelle, loses her daughter to an unexplained illness and resolves to find a way to bring her back, all the while reeling from the tragedy.
My Zoe’s screenplay can be a bit hard to believe, but Delpy’s direction is more focused on characterizations rather than storytelling. The main appeal is to see the effect on the characters’ psyche as they deal with loss in their own ways. At its core, the movie is about a mother’s undying love for her child.
Candyman
Stream On Itunes And Google Play
Directed by Nia DaCosta, Candyman is a sequel of the series of the same name, focusing on the present-day events of a supernatural killer with a hook for a hand. In this story, Anthony (Yahya Abdul-Mateen) investigates the legend and ends up placing himself in harm’s way.
DaCosta stuck to the horror roots of Candyman, but took a slow approach to storytelling as a way to build up the antagonist’s fear factor and to generate a sense of paranoia amongst viewers. It’s largely credited with bringing Candyman to the forefront for modern viewers thanks to the change in direction.
The Lost Daughter
Stream On Netflix
Considered among the best directorial debuts by a female director, this movie got rave reviews for looking into long-term grief. Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter is about a lonely woman who comes across a younger woman who’s repeating similar mistakes from her past and the parallels between both of their lives.
While it has a very slow pace with no real resolution, The Lost Daughter’s direction deserves praise for the way it’s designed, weaving in and out between past and present to make viewers understand the mindset the main protagonist is in, along with what led to her lonely state.
I Carry You With Me
Stream On Starz
Directed by Heidi Ewing, this drama spans decades where a young chef has to leave his boyfriend back home in Mexico in order to make a living in the United States. The main character’s journey and the lovers’ hopes to get back together in the future are what drive the plot in this heartfelt story.
Ewing’s directorial technique is to focus on long shots that portray the conflict in the characters’ emotions, leaving no doubt of the toll the distance is taking on them. The movie has received major critical acclaim for touching on a tale of love and loss, with Ewing setting the platform for more to come.
Together Together
Stream On Hulu
Directed by Nikole Beckwith, this comedy-drama centers around Matt (Ed Helms), a man in his 40s who decides to have a child through surrogacy. The woman he picks Anna (Patti Harrison) is initially distant before Matt and Anna become a bit too attached with each other that casts doubt over what their situation will be when the baby arrives.
Beckwith relies more on the comedic aspect of things than the drama, which comes in spades when the characters ponder over if they’re in love. Together Together is a heartwarming effort by the director, who uses a colorful filmmaking palette to bring in a cheery atmosphere for viewers.
Flora & Ulysses
Stream On Disney+
Directed by Lena Khan, this feature is among the best family-friendly movies of 2021. It has a relatively simplistic storyline involving the resurrection of a squirrel who seemingly develops superpowers and becomes the companion of the little girl who resurrected it.
A nice twist on the superhero genre, Flora & Ulysses is good fun to watch that Lena Khan has made in a way that every member of the family can enjoy. It contains just enough goofy humor and charm to entertain viewers of all kinds and is a worthy effort from the director to add to Disney’s list of movies.
Fear Street Trilogy
Stream On Netflix
Netflix took a bold approach in this series of films directed by Leigh Janiak, which were all released a week apart. They told one story split across three entries, detailing the efforts of teenagers to break the curse of Fear Street that’s lasted for centuries.
Although based on the books by R. L. Stine, the script was co-written by Janiak, who brings her vision to life by directing this overarching story. Each new entry was better received than the last, with critics largely praising Janiak for bringing in the scares without compromising on character quality.
The Power Of The Dog
Stream On Netflix
Directed by Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog is a psychological drama about the dangers of abuse. It’s a period film set in 1925, centering around Phil Burnak (Benedict Cumberbatch) who antagonizes his brother after the latter marries a widow and brings her son to live with them.
Campion’s direction has received massive praise from critics, pegged as a favorite to win the Oscar for Best Picture. The director left a lot of subtle traits within the actors’ performances to make it unclear what their secrets are, which brought out the best from each performer to make this a chilling movie to watch.
CODA
Stream On Apple TV+
Directed by Sian Heder, CODA is about a high schooler who’s the only person in her household that isn’t deaf. The story centers around her coming-of-age character development, as she feels out of place both in her family and with people in school before realizing what’s truly important.
One of the nominees for the Best Picture Oscar, CODA made history by being led by a predominantly deaf cast. The movie places them in authentic roles, with the conflict largely coming from the protagonist’s inability to realize she’s among people who love her and that family comes first.