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.
Music & Musicals
Youssou N'Dour: I Bring What I Love
rating:3.4.png

Youssou N'Dour: I Bring What I Love

2008
This documentary from filmmaker Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi chronicles the controversy surrounding renowned Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour, who recorded his stirring album "Egypt" as a celebration of his Islamic faith. Considered too irreverent by religious conservatives in Senegal, and initially met with suspicion by audiences in a post-9/11 America, N'Dour nevertheless persists and meets both challenges with grace.

Directed by:

  • Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
    • rating:3.4.png 3.4 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    The Miracle Worker
    rating:4.0.png

    The Miracle Worker

    2000
    Unable to see, hear or speak since early childhood, young Helen Keller (Hallie Kate Eisenberg) lives in an isolated world of shadowy silence. That is, until determined teacher Anne Sullivan (Alison Elliott) enters her life, determined to draw the girl out of her lonely darkness. David Strathairn co-stars in this moving television adaptation of the timeless -- and true -- tale of courage and spirit, based on the play by William Gibson.

    Directed by:

  • Nadia Tass
    • rating:4.0.png 4.0 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    The Flute Player
    rating:3.4.png

    The Flute Player

    2003
    After the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia in 1975, 9-year-old Arn Chorn-Pond was thrust into the darkness of Cambodia's Killing Fields. For four years, Arn's musical talent kept him from perishing in a genocide that took the lives of 2 million Cambodians. Now, after living in the United States for 20 years, Arn faces the dark shadows of his war-torn past as he fights to save Cambodia's once-outlawed traditional music from extinction.

    Directed by:

  • Jocelyn Glatzer
    • rating:3.4.png 3.4 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Alive and Kicking
    rating:3.1.png

    Alive and Kicking

    1996
    Nancy Meckler's poignant drama centers on the unconventional romance between two polar opposites: egotistical HIV-positive ballet dancer Tonio (Jason Flemyng) and his portly, alcoholic therapist, Jack (Antony Sher). After losing his lover to a long-fought battle with AIDS and discovering that he, too, is infected with the deadly disease, Tonio turns to a troubled shrink, and soon, the pair embarks on a surprisingly tender and rewarding affair.

    Directed by:

  • Nancy Meckler
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Anime & Animation
    Shrek (Full-screen)
    rating:4.2.png

    Shrek (Full-screen)

    2001
    It ain't easy bein' green -- especially if you're a likable (albeit smelly) ogre named Shrek (Mike Myers). On a mission to retrieve a gorgeous princess (Cameron Diaz) from the clutches of a fire-breathing dragon, Shrek teams up with an unlikely compatriot -- a wisecracking donkey (Eddie Murphy). This is the full-screen version of the film and includes a featurette, character interviews and more.

    Directed by:

  • Andrew Adamson
  • Vicky Jenson
    • rating:4.2.png 4.2 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Superman/Batman: Apocalypse
    rating:4.0.png

    Superman/Batman: Apocalypse

    2010
    Endowed with powers equal to Superman's, Supergirl splashes down on Earth in the midst of a hail of Kryptonite. No sooner has she landed than the problems begin for the Caped Crusader, who must rescue her when Darkseid nabs her. To thwart Darkseid's plans to make Supergirl one of his Female Furies, Batman must join forces with Superman to confront the powerful enemies Darkseid has assembled around his control center in Apokolips.

    Directed by:

  • Lauren Montgomery
    • rating:4.0.png 4.0 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Chuck Jones: Extremes and in Betweens, a Life in Animation
    rating:3.6.png

    Chuck Jones: Extremes and in Betweens, a Life in Animation

    2000
    This "Great Performances" biography examines the life works of one of Hollywood's most celebrated animators, Chuck Jones -- best known for the Warner Brothers cartoons featuring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Porky Pig and the Road Runner. Featured are behind-the-scenes descriptions of how an animated film is made, plus clips from Jones's most endearing and enduring cartoons.

    Directed by:

  • Margaret Selby
    • rating:3.6.png 3.6 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Shark Tale
    rating:3.5.png

    Shark Tale

    2004
    In this DreamWorks animated tale, Oscar (Will Smith) is a small fish whose big aspirations often get him into trouble. Meanwhile, Lenny (Jack Black) is a great white shark with a surprising secret that no sea creature would guess: He's a vegetarian. When a lie turns Oscar into an improbable hero and Lenny becomes an outcast, the two form an unlikely friendship. Robert De Niro, Renée Zellweger and Martin Scorsese also lend their voices.

    Directed by:

  • Bibo Bergeron
  • Vicky Jenson
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Special Interest
    Orgasmic Birth
    rating:3.6.png

    Orgasmic Birth

    2008
    Challenging conventional Western ideas about childbirth, this documentary explores a more natural approach to birth with the belief that, for most women, the experience can be an ecstatic one containing both pain and pleasure. Filmmaker Debra Pascali-Bonaro follows 11 couples employing this innovative approach as they go through the process of birth. Numerous birth experts, including Dr. Christiane Northrup, provide enlightening insights.

    Directed by:

  • Debra Pascali-Bonaro
    • rating:3.6.png 3.6 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Lines
    rating:3.1.png

    Lines

    2006
    Legendary free rider Axel Pauporté captures 15 years of high-octane snowboarding action with this documentary, which follows the Absinthe team as they spend two months in Alaska on an "image quest." Interviews with some of the riders, including Shawn Farmer, Mike Ranquet, Matt Goodwill and Victoria Jealouse, shed light on the allure of the big mountains. Other riders featured are Jeremy Jones, Nicolas Müller, Tom Burt, Kurt Wastell and more.

    Directed by:

  • Flora Pauporte
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    The Little Fugitive
    rating:3.4.png

    The Little Fugitive

    1953
    Sibling relations get tested when Lennie Norton (Richard Brewster) must care for his younger brother, 7-year-old Joey (Richie Andrusco). Lennie and his friends soon tire of Joey always being around, so they pull a practical joke on Joey: They tell him he killed Lennie. Believing Lennie's pals, Joey heads for one of the world's largest playgrounds -- Coney Island, where the amusement park and its characters come to life through a child's eyes.

    Directed by:

  • Ray Ashley
  • Ruth Orkin
  • Morris Engel
    • rating:3.4.png 3.4 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Dogtown and Z-Boys
    rating:3.7.png

    Dogtown and Z-Boys

    2002
    Legendary skateboarder Stacy Peralta directed this fast-paced, award-winning documentary that focuses on the Z-Boys of Venice Beach, Calif., who revolutionized skateboarding in the 1970s when they infused surfing techniques into the sport. Credited with founding skating culture as we know it, these young, innovative guys became legends in the field, and the depth of their influence is still felt in a variety of sports -- and society -- today.

    Directed by:

  • Stacy Peralta
    • rating:3.7.png 3.7 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Independent
    Monday
    rating:3.2.png

    Monday

    2006
    While faithfully following all of the advice his inner voice recommends, an awkward loser (Joe Kraemer) encounters friction with his girlfriend (Ele Keats), experiences one horrendous setback after another and struggles to stay upbeat. Written and directed by Heidi Van Lier, this charming experimental comedy features a soundtrack full of catchy pop tunes and relies on voice-over narration instead of dialogue.

    Directed by:

  • Heidi Van Lier
    • rating:3.2.png 3.2 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    The Woodsman
    rating:3.2.png

    The Woodsman

    2004
    A convicted pedophile -- paroled after 12 years -- returns to his hometown eager to rebuild his life. But as he settles into a lumberyard job and begins a relationship with a co-worker, he struggles to suppress his inner demons.

    Directed by:

  • Nicole Kassell
    • rating:3.2.png 3.2 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Me and You and Everyone We Know
    rating:3.3.png

    Me and You and Everyone We Know

    2005
    Miranda July writes, directs and stars in this poignant drama about both the unique and oftentimes humorous nature of people's idiosyncrasies. At the center is eccentric Christine Jesperson (July), who seeks emotional connections in the modern world. Meanwhile, shoe salesman Richard (John Hawkes) copes with his recent separation while his teen son (Miles Thompson) experiences a sexual awakening. Carlie Westerman and Brad William Henke co-star.

    Directed by:

  • Miranda July
    • rating:3.3.png 3.3 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Streetwalkin'
    rating:3.5.png

    Streetwalkin'

    1985
    This gritty drama follows the downward spiral of Cookie, a runaway who ends up as a hooker in New York City. When things get violent, Cookie tries to flee again, but her enraged pimp will stop at nothing to keep her under his thumb.

    Directed by:

  • Joan Freeman
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Now and Then
    rating:3.8.png

    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


    Find On Amazon
    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   
    We periodically update our movie database by adding new female directors and their movies. If you would like to receive notice of these new additions when they happen, please email us at:
    frances 'at' femaledirectors.com