20 Brilliant Movies Directed By Women
Great filmmaking has never belonged to one voice, and many of cinema’s most powerful stories have come from women behind the camera.
Distinct perspectives, bold creative choices, and emotional depth have shaped films that linger with audiences long after the credits roll.
Some of these movies broke barriers in the industry, while others quietly influenced storytelling in ways that still ripple through modern cinema.
Disclaimer: This list reflects editorial opinion and a curated perspective, not definitive fact or universal consensus about the most brilliant films directed by women.
1. The Piano (1993), Jane Campion
Set against the wild beauty of 19th-century New Zealand, this film tells a haunting story about silence and expression.
A mute Scottish woman arrives with her daughter and beloved piano, only to find herself trapped in an arranged marriage.
Her instrument becomes her voice, creating a bridge between isolation and connection.
2. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019), Céline Sciamma
Imagine painting someone’s portrait while secretly falling in love with them. That’s exactly what happens in this gorgeous French film set in the 1700s.
An artist travels to a remote island to paint a reluctant bride, and their connection grows with each brushstroke. The cinematography glows like candlelight, and the story unfolds with quiet intensity.
Without a musical score, every glance and gesture carries enormous weight, making this romance utterly unforgettable.
3. Lost in Translation (2003), Sofia Coppola
Tokyo’s neon lights become the backdrop for an unlikely friendship between a jet-lagged movie star and a lonely young newlywed.
Both feel disconnected from their lives, wandering through karaoke bars and hotel rooms while searching for meaning.
Their bond forms quietly, built on shared loneliness and whispered conversations.
The film captures that strange feeling of being far from home and finding comfort in the most unexpected places, all wrapped in dreamy visuals.
4. Lady Bird (2017), Greta Gerwig
High school senior Christine insists everyone call her Lady Bird, and she’s desperate to escape Sacramento for the East Coast.
Her relationship with her mom swings between fierce love and explosive arguments, capturing the messy reality of growing up.
Through first loves, friendship drama, and college applications, the film nails what it feels like to be seventeen.
5. Selma (2014), Ava DuVernay
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. leads a dangerous march from Selma to Montgomery, fighting for voting rights in 1965 Alabama.
The film doesn’t shy away from showing the brutal violence protesters faced or the strategic planning behind the movement.
Every speech rings with power, and every confrontation feels urgent and real.
Rather than covering an entire life story, focusing on this crucial moment makes the stakes crystal clear and the courage required absolutely staggering.
6. The Hurt Locker (2008), Kathryn Bigelow
Defusing bombs in Iraq is already terrifying, but Sergeant James seems addicted to the adrenaline rush. His reckless behavior puts his entire team on edge as they navigate one explosive situation after another.
The tension never lets up, making you feel like you’re right there in the scorching desert heat.
This isn’t your typical war movie with heroes and villains. Instead, it explores how combat changes people and why some soldiers can’t imagine life without the danger.
7. Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962), Agnès Varda
For exactly two hours, we follow a pop singer waiting for medical test results that could change everything. As she wanders through Paris, every minute feels stretched with anxiety and possibility.
The city becomes a character itself, reflecting her shifting moods from fear to freedom.
Shot in real time, the film captures how waiting for important news can make the world feel completely different. It’s a masterclass in showing how our inner lives color our outer experiences.
8. Beau Travail (1999), Claire Denis
French Foreign Legion soldiers train in the scorching heat of Djibouti, their days filled with intense physical routines. A sergeant’s obsession with a new recruit slowly unravels into jealousy and destructive behavior.
With minimal dialogue, the story unfolds through movement and gesture, almost like watching a dance.
The desert landscape feels both beautiful and merciless, mirroring the complicated emotions brewing beneath military discipline. It’s hypnotic, strange, and utterly mesmerizing from start to finish.
9. The Souvenir (2019), Joanna Hogg
A quiet film student falls for a mysterious older man who seems sophisticated and worldly. As their relationship deepens, troubling patterns emerge that she struggles to recognize.
Set in 1980s London, the film captures how first love can blur your judgment and change your path. The dreamy cinematography contrasts sharply with the increasingly uncomfortable situations unfolding.
It’s an achingly honest look at toxic relationships and the difficulty of seeing clearly when your heart is involved.
10. Point Break (1991), Kathryn Bigelow
Surfing, skydiving, and bank robbery collide in this ultimate action thriller. An undercover FBI agent infiltrates a gang of surfers suspected of pulling off impossible heists while wearing presidential masks.
The line between cop and criminal blurs as genuine friendship develops between hunter and hunted. The surfing scenes are absolutely spectacular, and the skydiving sequence will make your heart race.
It’s pure adrenaline-fueled entertainment that never stops moving.
11. Paris Is Burning (1990), Jennie Livingston
New York’s underground ballroom culture comes alive in this groundbreaking documentary.
Black and Latino LGBTQ performers compete in elaborate balls, voguing and serving looks while creating chosen families.
The film captures a vibrant subculture while documenting the harsh realities participants faced outside the ballroom. Their creativity, humor, and resilience shine through every frame.
Decades later, it remains essential viewing for understanding LGBTQ history and the origins of drag culture that influences mainstream entertainment today.
12. American Psycho (2000), Mary Harron
Patrick Bateman obsesses over business cards, designer suits, and maintaining his perfect yuppie image in 1980s Manhattan. Behind the polished exterior lurks something far darker and more disturbing.
The film walks a razor-thin line between horror and dark comedy, satirizing consumer culture and toxic masculinity. As Bateman’s grip on reality loosens, so does ours, leaving us questioning what’s real.
13. The Babadook (2014), Jennifer Kent
A mysterious pop-up book introduces a sinister creature into a struggling mother’s home.
Already exhausted from raising her difficult son alone, she must now face something that may be supernatural or a manifestation of her own grief.
The scares come from atmosphere and dread rather than cheap jump scares. As the Babadook’s presence grows, the film explores how unprocessed trauma can haunt us.
It’s genuinely frightening while also being a powerful metaphor for depression and loss.
14. Raw (2016), Julia Ducournau
A vegetarian veterinary student is forced to eat meat during a hazing ritual, triggering a disturbing transformation. Her newfound cravings grow increasingly intense and impossible to ignore.
This French-Belgian horror film is not for the squeamish, blending coming-of-age themes with body horror in shocking ways.
Beyond the gore, it explores identity, sisterhood, and discovering dark truths about yourself. The film gets under your skin literally and figuratively, leaving you both horrified and fascinated.
15. Saint Maud (2019), Rose Glass
A deeply religious hospice nurse becomes obsessed with saving her dying patient’s soul. Her faith intensifies into something far more dangerous as she experiences what she believes are divine visions.
The film creates an atmosphere of creeping unease that builds to a shocking finale. Is Maud experiencing genuine spiritual encounters or descending into madness?
The ambiguity makes everything more unsettling. It’s a psychological horror that lingers long after the credits roll, questioning faith and fanaticism.
16. Winter’s Bone (2010), Debra Granik
Seventeen-year-old Ree must find her missing father or lose the family home in the harsh Missouri Ozarks.
Caring for her mentally ill mother and two young siblings, she has no choice but to navigate her dangerous community’s code of silence.
The poverty and desperation feel achingly real, and Ree’s determination shines through every scene. This breakthrough role launched a major career and showcased raw, unflinching storytelling.
17. One Sings, the Other Doesn’t (1977), Agnès Varda
Two French women forge an unlikely friendship that spans decades, supporting each other through motherhood and self-discovery.
Their lives take wildly different paths as one becomes a traveling singer while the other runs a family planning clinic.
The film celebrates female friendship and reproductive freedom with warmth and humor. It’s a feminist time capsule that still feels relevant and revolutionary today.
18. The Souvenir Part II (2021), Joanna Hogg
Following devastating loss, a film student processes her grief by making a movie about her toxic relationship.
The creative process becomes both healing and haunting as she reconstructs painful memories. This sequel explores how artists transform trauma into art, blurring lines between reality and fiction.
Watching her direct actors playing versions of herself creates fascinating layers of meaning.
19. Girlfight (2000), Karyn Kusama
Diana channels her anger into boxing, finding unexpected purpose in a sport dominated by men. Training in a Brooklyn gym, she fights against everyone’s expectations including her father’s disapproval.
The boxing scenes crackle with intensity, and Diana’s transformation from troubled teen to focused athlete feels earned and powerful.
This debut feature launched two impressive careers and proved women could helm gritty sports dramas. It packs an emotional punch as strong as any uppercut.
20. Nomadland (2020), Chloé Zhao
After losing everything in the Great Recession, Fern becomes a modern nomad, living in her van and traveling across America for seasonal work.
She meets others who’ve chosen or been forced into this lifestyle, forming temporary communities.
The stunning Western landscapes mirror her journey toward accepting loss and finding freedom. Many real nomads play themselves, adding authenticity that makes every moment feel genuine.
