List of female film and television directors

This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

This is a list of notable female directors in motion picture and television arts.

Contents:

Top · 0–9 · A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

• Jill Ackles (USA)
• Joey Lauren Adams (USA)
• Perry Miller Adato (USA)
• Anita W. Addison (USA)
• Yasmin Ahmad (Malaysia)
• Peggy Ahwesh (USA)
• Chantal Akerman (Belgium/France)
• Barbara Albert (Austria)
• Lexi Alexander (USA)
• Debbie Allen (USA)
• Elizabeth Allen (USA)
• Allison Anders (USA)
• Gillian Anderson (USA)
• Jane Anderson (USA)
• Sarah Pia Anderson (UK/USA)
• Maya Angelou (USA)
• Jennifer Aniston (USA)
• Penny Arcade (USA)
• Francesca Archibugi (Italy)
• Jane Arden (UK)
• Asia Argento (Italy)
• Gillian Armstrong (Australia)
• Gwen Arner (USA)
• Andrea Arnold (UK)
• Patricia Arquette (USA)
• Rosanna Arquette (USA)
• Karen Arthur (USA)
• Natasha Arthy (Denmark)
• Dorothy Arzner (USA)
• Jacqueline Audry (France)
• Shona Auerbach (UK)
• Lisa Azuelos (France)

B

• Jamie Babbit (USA)
• Yamina Bachir-Chouikh (Algeria)
• Paule Baillargeon (Canada)
• Lucille Ball (USA)
• Josiane Balasko (France)
• Anne Bancroft (USA)
• Rakhshan Bani-Etemad (Iran)
• Laurence Ferreira Barbosa (France)
• Neema Barnette (USA)
• Roseanne Barr (USA)
• Drew Barrymore (USA)
• Angela Bassett (USA)
• Joy Batchelor (UK/USA)
• Kathy Bates (USA)
• Jordan Bayne (USA)
• Gabrielle Beaumont (UK/USA)
• María Luisa Bemberg (Argentina)
• Jessica Bendinger (USA)
• Yamina Benguigui (Algeria/France)
• Amber Benson (USA)
• Amanda Bearse (USA)
• Mary Lou Belli (USA)
• Juliet Berto (France)
• Shari Springer Berman (USA)
• Diane Bertrand (France)
• Troy Beyer (USA)
• Susanne Bier (Denmark)
• Kathryn Bigelow (USA)
• Anna Biller (USA)
• Patricia Birch (USA)
• Antonia Bird (UK)
• Simone Bitton (Morocco)
• Alice Guy-Blaché (France/USA)
• Sonia Blangiardo (USA)
• Lidia Bobrova (Russia)
• Anna Boden (USA)
• Lisa Bonet (USA)
• Icíar Bollaín (Spain)
• Sandrine Bonnaire (France)
• Lizzie Borden (USA)
• Muriel Box (UK)
• Maryann Brandon (USA)
• Anja Breien (Norway)
• Catherine Breillat (France)
• Zabou Breitman (France)
• Zana Briski (UK)
• Tricia Brock (USA)
• Beth Broderick (USA)
• Katrina Holden Bronson (USA)
• Katherine Brooks (USA)
• Julie Brown (USA)
• Sandra Bullock (USA)
• Frances Buss Buch (USA)
• Nanette Burstein (USA)
• Maria Burton (USA)
• Sophia Bush (USA)
• Feryal Behzad (Iran)

C

• Dominique Cabrera (France)
• Julia Cameron (USA)
• Jane Campion (New Zealand)
• Tisha Campbell-Martin (USA)
• Kat Candler (USA)
• Dyan Cannon (USA)
• Patricia Cardoso (Colombia/USA)
• Niki Caro (New Zealand)
• Ana Carolina (Brazil)
• Camille de Casabianca (France)
• Alana Cash (USA)
• Zoe Cassavetes (USA)
• Liliana Cavani (Italy)
• Jennifer Celotta (USA)
• Gurinder Chadha (UK)
• Ilene Chaiken (USA)
• Sylvia Chang (Taiwan)
• Tanuja Chandra (India)
• Lilyan Chauvin (USA)
• Patricia Chica (Canada/El Salvador)
• Joan Chen (China)
• Cher (USA)
• Mabel Cheung (China)
• Lisa Cholodenko (USA)
• Rae Dawn Chong (USA)
• Joyce Chopra (USA)
• Věra Chytilová (Czech Republic)
• Shirley Clarke (USA)
• Glenn Close (USA)
• Isabel Coixet (Spain)
• Giada Colagrande (Italy)
• Cristina Comencini (Italy)
• Nicole Conn (USA)
• Heather Connell (USA)
• Lisa Connor (USA)
• Janice Cooke-Leonard (USA)
• Martha Coolidge (USA)
• Eleanor Coppola (USA)
• Sofia Coppola (USA)
• Catherine Corsini (France)
• Michèle Cournoyer (Canada)
• Leanna Creel (USA)
• Emma-Kate Croghan (Australia)
• Jamie Lee Curtis (USA)
• Shelley Curtis (USA)

D

• Cherien Dabis (USA)
• Holly Dale (Canada)
• Joan Darling (USA)
• Julie Dash (USA)
• Byambasuren Davaa (Mongolia/Germany)
• Tamra Davis (USA)
• Roxann Dawson (USA)
• Linda Day (USA)
• Donna Deitch (USA)
• Regine Deforges (France)
• Julie Delpy (USA)
• Claire Denis (France)
• Maya Deren (USA)
• Virginie Despentes (France)
• Susie Dietter (USA)
• Assia Djebar (Algeria)
• Nana Djordjadze (Georgia)
• Shannen Doherty (USA)
• Illeana Douglas (USA)
• Elissa Down (Australia)
• Doris Dörrie (Germany)
• Polly Draper (USA)
• Fran Drescher (USA)
• Mrs. Sidney Drew (USA)
• Lena Dunham (USA)
• Germaine Dulac (France)
• Cheryl Dunye (Liberia/USA)
• Marguerite Duras (France)
• Clea DuVall (USA)
• Pouran Derakhshandeh (IRAN)

E

• Christine Edzard (France)
• Jan Eliasberg (USA)
• Bille Eltringham (UK/USA)
• Erma Elzy-Jones (USA)
• Ildikó Enyedi (Hungary)
• Diane English (USA)
• Nora Ephron (USA)
• Valie Export (Austria)

F

• Trey Fanjoy (USA)
• Danielle Faraldo (USA)
• Valerie Faris (USA)
• Vera Farmiga (USA)
• Safi Faye (Senegal)
• Rachel Feldman (USA)
• Sally Field (USA)
• Chip Fields (USA)
• Kim Fields (USA)
• Martha Fiennes (UK)
• Sophie Fiennes (UK)
• Jenna Fischer (USA)
• Roberta Findlay (USA)
• Jennifer Flackett (USA)
• Anne Fletcher (USA)
• Shannon Flynn (USA)
• Anne Fontaine (France)
• Sadaf Foroughi (Iran)
• Jodie Foster (USA)
• Kathryn Foster (USA)
• Bonnie Franklin (USA)
• Liz Friedlander (USA)
• Kim Friedman (USA)
• Sarah Frost (USA)
• Soleil Moon Frye (USA)
• Pamela Fryman (USA)

G

• Bethany Joy Galeotti (USA)
• Nisha Ganatra (Canada)
• Nicole Garcia (French Algiers)
• Katja von Garnier (Germany)
• Katy Garretson (USA)
• Jennie Garth (USA)
• Jennifer Garner (USA)
• Karen Gaviola (USA)
• Julie Gavras (France)
• Jennifer Getzinger (USA)
• Maria Giese (USA)
• Melissa Gilbert (USA)
• Leah Gilliam (USA)
• Lillian Gish (USA)
• Ellen Gittelsohn (USA)
• Lesli Linka Glatter (USA)
• Delphine Gleize (France)
• Lana Gogoberidze (Georgia)
• Whoopi Goldberg (USA)
• Dennie Gordon (USA)
• Marleen Gorris (Netherlands)
• Lisa Gottlieb (USA)
• Marita Grabiak (USA)
• Debra Granik (USA)
• Lee Grant (USA)
• Susannah Grant (USA)
• Janet Greek (USA)
• Lynnie Greene (USA)
• Maggie Greenwald (USA)
• Annie Griffin (USA/UK)
• Allison Grodner (USA)
• Sonali Gulati (India/USA)
• Alice Guy (France/USA)
• Jasmine Guy (USA)

H

• Lucile Hadžihalilović (France)
• Randa Haines (USA)
• Barbara Hammer (USA)
• Lisa Gay Hamilton (USA)
• Tanya Hamilton (USA)
• Sanaa Hamri (Morocco/USA)
• Marion Hänsel (Belgium)
• Mia Hansen-Løve (France)
• Melora Hardin (USA)
• Catherine Hardwicke (USA)
• Mary Harron (Canada)
• Jackée Harry (USA)
• Melissa Joan Hart (USA)
• Jessica Hausner (Austria)
• Goldie Hawn (USA)
• Salma Hayek (Mexico/USA)
• Julie Hébert (USA)
• Anne Heche (USA)
• Amy Heckerling (USA)
• Birgit Hein (Germany)
• Katherine Helmond (USA)
• Heather Hemmens (USA)
• Felicia D. Henderson (USA)
• Jill Hennessy (USA)
• Astrid Henning-Jensen (Denmark)
• Jennifer Love Hewitt (USA)
• Heather Hill (USA)
• Cheryl Hines (USA)
• Victoria Hochberg (USA)
• Agnieszka Holland (Poland)
• Nicole Holofcener (USA)
• Solveig Hoogesteijn (Sweden/Venezuela)
• Gwyneth Horder-Payton (USA)
• Anna Maria Horsford (USA)
• Dianne Houston (USA)
• Hu Mei (China)
• Bronwen Hughes (Canada)
• Ann Hui (Hong Kong)
• Danielle Huillet (France)
• Tonya Hurley (USA)
• Bonnie Hunt (USA)
• Courtney Hunt (USA)
• Helen Hunt (USA)
• Anjelica Huston (USA)

I

• Laura Innes (USA)
• Diana Lee Inosanto (USA)
• Bodil Ipsen (Denmark)
• Debbie Isitt (UK)
• Julia Crawford Ivers (USA)

J

• Katie Jacobs (USA)
• Sarah Jacobson (USA)
• Jeong Jae-eun (South Korea)
• Wanda Jakubowska (Poland)
• Annabel Jankel (UK/USA)
• Agnès Jaoui (France)
• Christine Jeffs (New Zealand)
• Marianne Jean-Baptiste (USA)
• Patty Jenkins (USA)
• Tamara Jenkins (USA)
• Karen Johnson (USA)
• Angelina Jolie (USA)
• G.B. Jones (Canada)
• Hella Joof (Denmark)
• Mary Jordan (Canada/USA)
• Suma Josson (India)
• Miranda July (USA)

K

• Betty Kaplan (Argentina)
• Deborah Kaplan (USA)
• Mindy Kaling (USA)
• Prema Karanth (India)
• Niki Karimi (Iran)
• Nicole Kassell (USA)
• Naomi Kawase (Japan)
• Diane Keaton (USA)
• Dorota Kedzierzawska (Poland)
• Elodie Keene (USA)
• Moira Kelly (USA)
• Sarah Kernochan (USA)
• Joanna Kerns (USA)
• T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh (USA)
• Farah Khan (India)
• Callie Khouri (USA)
• Beeban Kidron (UK)
• Clare Kilner (USA)
• Ana Kokkinos (Australia)
• Kathy Kolla (USA)
• Barbara Kopple (USA)
• Cristina Kotz Cornejo (USA/Argentina)
• Ellen Kuras (USA)
• Diane Kurys (France)
• Katy Kurtzman
• Karyn Kusama (USA)
• Julia Kwan (Canada)

L

• Nadine Labaki (Lebanon)
• Christine Lahti (USA)
• Kalpana Lajmi (India)
• Mary Lambert (USA)
• Micheline Lanctôt (Canada)
• Valerie Landsburg (USA)
• Jessica Landaw (USA)
• Yelena Lanskaya (USA/Russia)
• Linda Lavin (USA)
• Clara Law (China)
• Lauren Lazin (USA)
• Maïwenn Le Besco (France)
• Caroline Leaf (USA/Canada)
• Mimi Leder (USA)
• Wendee Lee (USA)
• Kat Lehmer (USA)
• Jennifer Jason Leigh (USA)
• Julia Leigh (Australia)
• Kasi Lemmons (USA)
• Naomi Levine (USA)
• Leslie Libman (USA)
• Allison Liddi-Brown (USA)
• Nnegest Likké (USA)
• Caroline Link (Germany)
• Marion Lipschutz (USA)
• Lynne Littman (USA)
• Liu Miaomiao (China)
• Phyllida Lloyd (UK)
• Sondra Locke (USA)
• Barbara Loden (USA)
• Julia Loktev (USA)
• Kim Longinotto (UK)
• Ida Lupino (USA)
• Joy Lusco (USA)
• Noémie Lvovsky (France)
• Laurie Lynd (Canada)
• Lottie Lyell (Australia)
• Dorothy Lyman (USA)
• Jennifer Lynch (USA)
• Gillian Lynne (UK)

M

• Ma Liwen (China)
• Angelina Maccarone (Germany)
• Hettie MacDonald (UK)
• Allison Mack (USA)
• Alison Maclean (Canada)
• Mary Madeiras (USA)
• Madonna (USA)
• Maria Maggenti (USA)
• Sharon Maguire (UK)
• Maïwenn (France)
• Hana Makhmalbaf (Iran)
• Samira Makhmalbaf (Iran)
• Sarah Maldoror (France)
• Nancy Malone (USA)
• Laura Mañá (Spain)
• Gail Mancuso (USA)
• Ami Canaan Mann (USA)
• Michelle Manning (USA)
• Dinah Manoff (USA)
• Suhasini Maniratnam (India)
• Sophie Marceau (France)
• Frances Marion (USA)
• Eisha Marjara (Canada)
• Penny Marshall (USA)
• Tonie Marshall (France)
• Lucrecia Martel (Argentina)
• Darnell Martin (USA)
• Kellie Martin (USA)
• Marsha Mason (USA)
• Laetitia Masson (France)
• Mary Stuart Masterson (USA)
• Elaine May (USA)
• Melanie Mayron (USA)
• Daisy von Scherler Mayer (USA)
• Patricia Mazuy (France)
• Michelle MacLaren (Canada/USA)
• Claire McCarthy (Australia)
• Beth McCarthy-Miller (USA)
• Sally McDonald (USA)
• Francine McDougall (Australia/USA)
• Danica McKellar (USA)
• Nancy McKeon (USA)
• Carolyn McMaster (Canada)
• Tawnia McKiernan (USA)
• Lucile McVey (2nd Mrs. Sidney Drew) (USA)
• Nancy Meckler (UK)
• Maria de Medeiros (Portugal)
• Deepa Mehta (Canada/India)
• Vijaya Mehta (India)
• Ursula Meier (France)
• Anna Melikian (Russia)
• Kay Mellor (UK)
• Linda Mendoza (USA)
• Agnès Merlet (France)
• Nancy Meyers (USA)
• Leah Meyerhoff (USA)
• Anne-Marie Miéville (Switzerland)
• Marziyeh Meshkini (Iran)
• Vanessa Middleton (USA)
• Tamineh Milani (Iran)
• Rebecca Miller (USA)
• Sharron Miller (USA)
• Pilar Miró (Spain)
• Martha Mitchell (USA)
• Jill Mitwell (USA)
• Ariane Mnouchkine (France)
• Christine Moore (USA)
• Tracey Moffat (Australia)
• Karen Moncrieff (USA)
• Adriana Monti (Italy)
• Jeanne Moreau (France)
• Yolande Moreau (Belgium)
• Granaz Moussavi (Iran)
• Kira Muratova (Soviet Union)
• Alison Murray (Canada/UK)
• Gloria Muzio (USA)

N

• Ruba Nadda (Arabia/Canada)
• Mira Nair (India)
• Phyllis Nagy (USA)
• Laurel Nakadate (USA)
• Isabelle Nanty (France)
• Laura Neri (Belgium)
• Lisa Niemi (USA)
• Ning Ying (China)
• Vijaya Nirmala (India)
• Elvira Notari (Italy)
• Lynn Novick (USA)
• Cherie Nowlan (Australia/UK)

O

• Alanis Obomsawin (Canada)
• Paula van der Oest (Netherlands)
• Alice O'Fredericks (Denmark)
• Susan Oliver (USA)
• Jenni Olson (USA)
• Gulshat Omarova (Kazakhstan)
• Yoko Ono (USA/Japan)
• Ulrike Ottinger (Germany)
• Jackie Oudney (UK)

P

• Euzhan Palcy (Martinique)
• Sai Paranjpye (India)
• Claire Parker (USA/France)
• Francine Parker (USA)
• Pratibha Parmar (Kenya/UK)
• Christine Pascal (France)
• Paula Patton (USA)
• Barbara Peeters (USA)
• Kimberly Peirce (USA)
• Alexandra Pelosi (USA)
• Cristina Perincioli (Switzerland/Germany)
• Ellen Perry (USA)
• Donna Pescow (USA)
• Lori Petty (USA)
• Jada Pinkett Smith (USA)
• Mary Kay Place (USA)
• Sarah Polley (Canada)
• Lea Pool (Switzerland)
• Leanne Pooley (New Zealand)
• Cynthia J. Popp (USA)
• Natalie Portman (USA)
• Franka Potente (Germany)
• Sally Potter (UK)
• Deborah Pratt (USA)
• Olga Preobrazhenskaya (Russian Empire/USSR)
• Carrie Preston (USA)
• Gaylene Preston (New Zealand)
• Ellen S. Pressman (USA)
• Gina Prince-Bythewood (USA)

Q

• Joanna Quinn (UK)

R

• Yvonne Rainer (USA)
• Deborah Raffin (USA)
• Deborah Louise Robinson (UK)
• Lynne Ramsay (UK)
• Jenny Raskin (USA)
• Rosemary Rawcliffe (USA)
• Amy Redford (USA)
• Lotte Reiniger (Germany/UK)
• Shonda Rhimes (USA)
• Andrea Giles Rich (USA)
• Chantal Richard (France)
• Patricia Richardson (USA)
• Salli Richardson (USA)
• Leni Riefenstahl (Germany)
• Patricia Riggen (Mexico/USA)
• Angela Robinson (USA)
• Julie Anne Robinson (UK)
• Rosemary Rodriguez (USA)
• Bethany Rooney (USA)
• Lee Rose (USA)
• Rose Rosenblatt (USA)
• Tracee Ellis Ross (USA)
• Stephanie Rothman (USA)
• Brigitte Roüan (France)
• Patricia Rozema (Canada)
• Marisa Ryan (USA)

S

• Jean Sagal (USA)
• Leontine Sagan (France)
• Helke Sander (Germany)
• Helma Sanders-Brahms (Germany)
• Arlene Sanford (USA)
• Marjane Satrapi (Iran/France)
• Nancy Savoca (USA)
• Lone Scherfig (Denmark)
• Cynthia Scott (Canada)
• T.M. Scorzafava (USA)
• Nell Scovell (USA)
• Beverly Sebastion (USA)
• Susan Seidelman (USA)
• Aparna Sen (India)
• Coline Serreau (France)
• Beverly Shaffer (Canada/USA)
• Lee Shallat-Chemel (USA)
• Jessica Sharzer (USA)
• Helen Shaver (Canada/USA)
• Adrienne Shelly (USA)
• Lynn Shelton (USA)
• Millicent Shelton (USA)
• Larisa Shepitko (Soviet Union)
• Kirsten Sheridan (Ireland)
• Cindy Sherman (USA)
• Amy Sherman-Palladino (USA)
• Nell Shipman (USA)
• Cate Shortland (Australia)
• Esfir Shub (Soviet Union)
• Mina Shum (Canada)
• Floria Sigismondi (Canada)
• Joan Micklin Silver (USA)
• Lisa Simon (USA)
• Barbara Simmons (USA)
• Kari Skogland (Canada)
• Julia Solomonoff (Argentina)
• Frances-Anne Solomon (Canada/Trinidad and Tobago)
• Susan Sontag (USA)
• Penelope Spheeris (USA)
• Jill Sprecher (USA)
• Emily Squires (USA)
• Julie St. Claire (USA)
• Wendey Stanzler (USA)
• Stella Stevens (USA)
• Lynne Stopkewich (Canada)
• Susan Steinberg (USA)
• Barbra Streisand (USA)
• Susan Strickler (USA)
• Susan Stroman (USA)
• Susanna Styron (USA)
• Sara Sugarman (UK)
• Sabiha Sumar (Pakistan)
• Lela Swift (USA)

T

• Rachel Talalay (USA)
• Kinuyo Tanaka (Japan)
• Cyndi Tang (USA)
• Amanda Tapping (Canada/USA)
• Nadia Tass (Macedonia)
• Sam Taylor-Wood (UK)
• Julie Taymor (USA)
• Valeria Bruni Tedeschi (Italy/France)
• Angela Tessinari (USA)
• Joan Tewkesbury (USA)
• Tiffani Thiessen (USA)
• Betty Thomas (USA)
• Pam Thomas (USA)
• Caroline Thompson (USA)
• Lea Thompson (USA)
• Danièle Thompson (France)
• Fina Torres (Venezuela)
• Pimpaka Towira (Thailand)
• Sarah Townsend (UK)
• Monika Treut (Germany)
• Nadine Trintignant (France)
• Rose Troche (USA)
• Margarethe von Trotta (Germany)
• Alice Troughton (UK)
• Charlotte de Turckheim (France)

U

• Liv Ullman (Norway)

V

• Marina de Van (France)
• Agnès Varda (France ~ Born Belgium)
• Pam Veasey (USA)
• Norma Safford Vela (USA)
• Sandrine Veysset (France)
• Teresa Villaverde (Portugal)
• Jürgen Vsych (USA)

W

• Maria Wagner (USA)
• Lucy Walker (UK)
• Nancy Walker (USA)
• Rachel Ward (Australia)
• Nicole Warner (USA)
• Sarah Watt (Australia)
• Kim Wayans (USA)
• Lois Weber (USA)
• Claudia Weill (USA)
• Lina Wertmuller (Italy)
• Anne Wheeler (Canada)
• Susanna White (UK)
• Joyce Wieland (Canada)
• JoBeth Williams (USA)
• Kathlyn Williams (USA)
• Kelli Williams (USA)
• Kimberly Williams-Paisley (USA)
• Chandra Wilson (USA)
• Lois Wilson (USA)
• Margery Wilson (USA)
• Rita Wilson (USA)
• Sandy Wilson (Canada)
• Doris Wishman (USA)
• Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo (USA)
• Natalie Wood (UK)
• Kate Woods (Australia/USA)

X

• Xiao Jiang (China)
• Xu Jinglei (China)

Y

• Tizuka Yamasaki (Brazil)
• Pamela Yates (USA)
• Linda Yellen (USA)
• Jessica Yu (USA)
• Li Yu (China)
• Ruby Yang (China)

Z

• Sara Zandieh (Iran/USA)
• Jasmila Žbanić (Bosnia/Herzegovina)
• Mai Zetterling (Sweden)

See also

• List of film and television directors
• List of women writers
• Women's cinema

External links

• FemaleDirectors.com
• SAWNET directors
• Women Behind the Lens : Female Filmmakers from Around the World at subtitledonline.com