FemaleDirectors.com is a website for female-directed movies: you can find, play, and add them to your Netflix queue, and buy them on Amazon.com. Browse within our genres to find movies from the female perspective.
Faith & Spirituality
Yentl
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Yentl

1983
Based on Isaac Bashevis Singer's story, this Oscar-winning musical stars Barbra Streisand as Yentl, the bookish daughter of a Talmud teacher who instructs her even though it's forbidden to teach the sacred text to girls. Determined to continue her schooling after her father dies, Yentl disguises herself as a boy to gain entry to a yeshiva. There, she meets the brilliant Avigdor (Mandy Patinkin), who only has eyes for Hadass (Amy Irving).

Directed by:

  • Barbra Streisand
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


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    The Jews: A People's History
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    The Jews: A People's History

    2009
    Exploring 4,000 years in the history of the Jews -- from their ancient roots in the Middle East all the way to modern-day Judaism -- this exhaustivedocumentary weaves stories from the past and present to reveal a rich tapestry of Jewish identity. Seeking to represent the diversity of the Jewish people, director Nina Koshofer's ambitious film spotlights Jews both rich and poor, famed and obscure.

    Directed by:

  • Nina Koshofer
  • Sabine Klauser
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Arranged
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    Arranged

    2007
    When Rochel (Zoe Lister Jones) and Nasira (Francis Benhamou) -- an Orthodox Jew and a Muslim, respectively -- meet as new teachers at a Brooklyn school, co-workers and students expect friction. But the women discover they have a shared expectation of entering into arranged marriages. As they experience tension between their traditional cultures and life in contemporary America, Rochel and Nasira form a special bond.

    Directed by:

  • Stefan C. Schaefer
  • Diane Crespo
    • rating:4.0.png 4.0 Average Rating


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    Be Still
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    Be Still

    2006
    In an age in which multitasking has become second nature, the idea of being "still" almost seems luxurious. Yet achieving stillness through Christian prayer is a spiritually rewarding practice that can change your life forever. In this inspirational program narrated by actor Judge Reinhold and co-directed by his wife, Amy, noted authors, ministers and educators discuss the techniques of contemplative prayer.

    Directed by:

  • David Kirkpatrick
  • Amy Reinhold
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


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    Sci-Fi & Fantasy
    Hideaways
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    Hideaways

    2011
    James is a troubled young man whose family possesses supernatural talents. After discovering the lethal nature of his own abilities, James isolates himself in the woods until he meets fearless Mae, a cancer patient who has escaped from a hospital.

    Directed by:

  • rating:3.7.png 3.7 Average Rating


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    Aquamarine
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    Aquamarine

    2006
    Two 12-year-olds (Emma Roberts and pop singer JoJo) get more than they bargained for when they discover sassy mermaid Aquamarine (Sara Paxton) lolling at the bottom of their beach club's pool, having come ashore to search for true love. Before you can say "fish out of water," the finned beauty develops a crush on a boy who works at the club and recruits the girls to help her capture his heart in this family comedy directed by Elizabeth Allen.

    Directed by:

  • Elizabeth Allen
    • rating:3.4.png 3.4 Average Rating


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    Toothless
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    Toothless

    1997
    After her untimely death in an accident, self-absorbed dentist Katherine Lewis (Kirstie Alley) strikes a bargain to redeem herself and work her way out of afterlife limbo by taking on the job of the fabled Tooth Fairy. Lacking compassion at first, she begins to change when she befriends a troubled child (Ross Malinger) in this genial fantasy, which aired as part of the TV anthology series "The Wonderful World of Disney."

    Directed by:

  • Melanie Mayron
    • rating:3.4.png 3.4 Average Rating


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    Halloweentown / Halloweentown 2: Double Feature
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    Halloweentown / Halloweentown 2: Double Feature

    1998
    There's more adventure than you can shake a broomstick at in this Disney Channel double feature. Young Marnie's (Kimberly J. Brown) learning to deal with the magical powers she's inherited from her grandmother, Aggie (Debbie Reynolds), who happens to be a witch. In Halloweentown, Marnie discovers a secret portal and to an enchanted place where ghosts live apart from the human world. In Halloweentown II, Marnie has to stop the evil warlock Kalabar.

    Directed by:

  • Duwayne Dunham
  • Mary Lambert
    • rating:3.3.png 3.3 Average Rating


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    Documentary
    Heart of a Soul Surfer: The Bethany Hamilton Story
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    Heart of a Soul Surfer: The Bethany Hamilton Story

    2007
    Offering an inspirational story of survival and faith, this documentary explores the infamous shark attack that left teenager Bethany Hamilton with one arm -- and a 16-inch bite out of her surfboard. Rather than be defeated by what happened to her, Hamilton used the incident as a platform to talk to others about the role she believes God has played in her life. She also picked up her surfboard again and hit the waves with a new sense of purpose.

    Directed by:

  • Becky Baumgartner
    • rating:3.9.png 3.9 Average Rating


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    American Photography: A Century of Images
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    American Photography: A Century of Images

    1999
    Photography has played an integral role in American history -- from the treasured family snapshot to Dorothea Lange's powerful images of the Great Depression to the front-page photo of man's footprints on the moon. This documentary explores its impact in America from 1900 to 1999 -- from the time everyday Americans could own cameras to photography's increasingly important role in shaping public opinion and its development as an art form.

    Directed by:

  • Ellen Hovde
    • rating:3.6.png 3.6 Average Rating


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    What the #$*! Do We Know!?
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    What the #$*! Do We Know!?

    2004
    When she's thrust from her mundane life into an unfamiliar world, Amanda must develop an all-new perception of her surroundings and the people she interacts with in this quirky film that explores neurological processes and quantum uncertainty.

    Directed by:

  • William Arntz
  • Betsy Chasse
  • Mark Vicente
    • rating:3.4.png 3.4 Average Rating


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    Recording the Producers: A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks
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    Recording the Producers: A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks

    2001
    The exuberant atmosphere of the Broadway blockbuster is captured in Recording the Producers: A Musical Romp With Mel Brooks, a new 85-minute film from the Emmy Award-winning director Susan Froemke and Maysles Films. The film candidly captures the excitement of translating the show into a complete experience for the recording's audience.

    Directed by:

  • Susan Froemke
    • rating:3.4.png 3.4 Average Rating


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    Gay & Lesbian
    Fire
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    Fire

    1996
    Two Hindu women struggle with loveless, arranged marriages: Sita (Nandita Das), who discovers that her husband (Javed Jaffrey) has a mistress, and her sister-in-law, Radha (Shabana Azmi), who cannot give birth. As the lukewarm coals of their long-term relationships fade, the women ignite passion in their lives by finding comfort in each other. Director Deepa Mehta's drama is supposedly the first Indian film about lesbians.

    Directed by:

  • Deepa Mehta
    • rating:3.6.png 3.6 Average Rating


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    Gender Rebel
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    Gender Rebel

    2006
    Director Elaine Epstein's captivating documentary explores the lives of three biological females who reject the conventional concepts of gender and see themselves not as female or male, but something in between. The camera follows these individuals as they encounter challenges at every turn -- from the strain on their relationships to confrontations from communities intolerant of their way of life -- and find a way to cope with social alienation.

    Directed by:

  • Elaine Epstein
    • rating:3.2.png 3.2 Average Rating


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    Saving Face
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    Saving Face

    2005
    Dutiful daughter Wil (Michelle Krusiec) sidesteps her mother's (Joan Chen) attempts to marry her off in Alice Wu's romantic comedy. At 28, Wil's the old maid of her traditional Chinese family, so there's no way she can tell them about her budding lesbian romance with Vivian (Lynn Chen). But her widowed mom has her own problems, as she learns she's pregnant at 48. Kicked out by her disapproving father, she seeks refuge at Wil's place.

    Directed by:

  • Alice Wu
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


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    Before Stonewall
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    Before Stonewall

    1984
    Life was very different before the 1969 Stonewall riots put the issue of gay rights front and center in America. Using archival films and interviews with gays and lesbians who were forced to hide their sexuality for fear of reprisals, this documentary by Robert Rosenberg, Greta Schiller and John Scagliotti sheds light on American gay life from the 1920s to the 1960s and the sociopolitical climate that finally led to profound change.

    Directed by:

  • Greta Schiller
    • rating:3.7.png 3.7 Average Rating


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    Now and Then
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    Now and Then

    1995
    Waxing nostalgic about the bittersweet passage from childhood to puberty in this tender coming-of-age tale, four childhood girlfriends -- Teeny, Chrissy, Samantha and Roberta -- recall the magical summer of 1970. During their walk down memory lane, they reconcile experiences with boys, secrets, bullies and more. Lesli Linka Glatter directs; Gaby Hoffmann, Ashleigh Aston Moore, Cloris Leachman, Thora Birch and Christina Ricci co-star.

    Directed by:

  • Lesli Linka Glatter
    • rating:3.8.png 3.8 Average Rating


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    Now and Then (1995)
    A heartwarming movie about four childhood girlfriends who, in adulthood reunion, relive their experience of the life-changing summer of 1970, including a mystery death, divorce, standing up to the boys, first kiss, and the meaning of true friendship. Each explores her unique identity amidst family and friends. Beautifully directed by Lesli Linka Glatter.
    - Frances   
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