Women working behind the camera – as directors, cinematographers, and film editors – in the film world has recently been a hot topic in the entertainment industry. While women have always worked behind the scenes in the filmmaking industry, their presence in film history, both academic and popular, has been scarce until recently. Assembled here are some key resources that document and support the work of women filmmakers intended for film aficionados and those generally interested in women in filmmaking.
Key concepts: cinematographer, director, film distributor, film editor.
In Print
Gaines, J. (2018). Pink-Slipped : What Happened to Women in the Silent Film Industries? Urbana: University of Illinois Press
A look back at the prominence of women in the film industry during the silent era and the forces that drove them from the workforce and, later, from film canon.
Hillauer, R. (2005). Encyclopedia of Arab women filmmakers. In (Rev. and updated ed. ed.). Cairo;: American University in Cairo Press.
An encyclopedia of women directors and the historical, structural, and social context in which their films were made.
Levitin, J., Plessis, J., & Raoul, V. (2003). Women filmmakers: refocusing. UBC Press.
An examination of women filmmakers outside of the United States, including in both popular and art cinemas. This collection includes materials that appeal to scholarly focus and popular exploration of the topic.
Smith, V. (1993), Interview of Julie Dash by Valerie Smith, Hatch Billops Collection, New York, NY. 9pp.
A transcript of a live interview with noted African-American filmmaker, Julie Dash about her career up to that point, the world of independent cinema, and how she approaches her work with questions from the audience at the end.
Sterritt, D. (1997). Filmmakers’ venture boosts distribution of women’s cinema; Women Make Movies celebrates 25 years. The Christian Science Monitor, p15.
A 25th anniversary article from the late 1990s on Women Make Movies, which was formed to support and distribute films make by, and about, women. This article gives a short history of the organization, and its role in producing and distributing independent films made by women.
Unterburger, A. L. (1999). The St. James women filmmakers encyclopedia: women on the other side of the camera. Visible Ink Press.
An encyclopedia of women filmmakers occupying many different behind-the-camera roles in film made throughout the world.
Weitzman, Elizabeth (2019). Renegade Women in Film & TV, Elizabeth Weitzman, Clarkson Potter/Publishers.
An illustrated guide to women who have made a mark in film and television history, including the positions they have held in the industry and a short biography or interview.
Websites
The 100 All-Time Greatest Films Directed by Women
An IndieWire list of 100 films directed by women, they consider the best. This list includes popular, independant, and international film.
A professional organization for women directors who work motion pictures. The website includes a list of members with links to professional biographies and websites.
The Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film
Based at San Diego State University, The Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film commissions studies of women’s roles both on-screen and behind the scenes in the motion picture industry. The site lists academic work written for the center, and popular media articles on the topic.
Great Movies by Female Directors
This New York Times list of movies by female directors is part of their recommendation site called Watching.
International Collective of Women Cinematographers
The collective is an international organization of women cinematographers. The website hosts a members list with links to professional biographies and websites.
New York Women in Film & Television
A professional organization based in New York City, the NY Women in Film & Television supports the careers of women working in film and television production. The website hosts, under resources, studies on the status of women in the industry.
An online index of women film editors including a brief professional biography and abbreviated filmography edited by Su Friedrich.
Woman Film Pioneers Project (WFPP)
The WFPP is a website that lists women and the positions they held in filmmaking during the silent film era. It includes a list of works made by these women, essays related to the subject, and relevant resources.
A film distribution company that has held workshops and distributed film and video since 1972 that works to promote independent cinema for and by women.
Kelly Beranger 