Freelance film critic. Staff Writer at Screen Queens & One Room With A View. Focuses on literary adaptations and diversity in TV and film. BSc in Biomedical Science, available for science copy.
30 of our favourite films directed by women
March 8 is International Womens Day, and there’s no better time to learn more about the bold, iconic, diverse works that women have given cinema.
Here’s just 30 of the many female-directed movies that Flicks writers love the best—with picks courtesy of Rachel Ashby, Amelia Berry, Lillian Crawford, Eliza Janssen, Katie Parker, Amanda Jane Robinson, Fatima Sheriff, Katie Smith-Wong and Sarah Thomson.
A ranking of 10 films directed by women turned into a collaborative list in which I provide a blurb for Meshes of an Afternoon
Timestalker marks the triumphant return of Alice Lowe’s direction, deadpan humour, and creative genius
Make a note to see this one in the future – Alice Lowe’s time-jumping comedy Timestalker premiered at SXSW 2024, and you’ll get the chance to see it… some time. You’re likely to be impressed.
Wicked Little Letters delivers a charming mystery with hysterical moments
A return to reviewing at press screenings with the delightful and sharp (though sometimes not sharp enough) Wicked Little Letters
Faithful Almost To A Fault — Percy Jackson and the Olympians (TV Review)
Fuelling our fixation with the past, Disney has bought up intellectual property left-right-and-centre in the hopes of striking gold, and a decade after two truly questionable though iconic live-action films with Logan Lerman at the helm, a second iteration of Percy Jackson is here...
‘Eileen’ is a Wild Thriller with a Vintage ‘Carol’-esque Aesthetic, Just in Time for Christmas
Known for her feral female protagonists, Ottessa Mosfegh’s debut novel Eileen is the first of her oeuvre to make it to the big screen.
4K Remaster of ‘Cry, The Beloved Country’ is a Crisp Revisit to an Empathetic Classic
Just three years after the novel it was based on, Cry, The Beloved Country (1951) reflects on the early years of apartheid from the perspective of a British director. Now, in this 4K restoration, the moral complexity and lens on race relations remains as timely as ever.
Five Films #DirectedbyWomen to Look Out for From BFI London Film Festival
LFF 2023 has just wrapped up and so many female directors have graced the festival circuit this autumn. As with every good festival, there are hidden gems waiting to be unearthed by the right critic and distributor, so here are a few films that may not have been on your radar
From Miyazaki to Moshfegh, Coppola to Killer: our 12 faves from London Film Fest
This year’s London Film Fest has come to a close, with another impressive lineup – here’s what impressed the writers of Flicks.
After being treated to two weeks of stunning cinema, we asked our writers to pick their faves of The BFI London Film Festival 2023. For those unable to attend, consider these some hot tips for the viewing year ahead…
Read on for recommendations by Lillian Crawford, Rory Doherty, Fatima Sheriff and Katie Smith-Wong.
‘Some of the questions were devastatingly easy!’ – the University Challenge final reviewed by last year’s winners
Reviewed the S52 Final of University Challenge for The Guardian!
Polite Society | Love According to Dalva | Monsoon Wedding
My debut on the Truth & Movies podcast!
Broker asks if the bond of parenthood can be bought – and what you’d sell it for
In a Cannes award-winning performance, Song Kang-ho (Parasite) leads the latest film from Palme d’Or winner Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters), exploring the adoption baby boxes of Korea. The director remains consistent in his ability to find a found family in every situation, writes Fatima Sheriff.
What’s Love Got to Do With It?
Anticipation: The only Indian British rom-com writer I trust is Gurinder Chadha.
Enjoyment: Has some delightful moments of chemistry and joy.
In Retrospect: This second-culture kid wanted more that this flimsy writing could offer.
‘Lockwood & Co’ Is Dynamic In Its Direction, Detailed In Production And Dazzling All-round – Series Review
This is my one woman mission to hype this show before Netflix cancels it
‘Wednesday’ Addams Is A Little Defanged But Diverting
Jenna Ortega, an actress who has grown up on the small screen, really comes into her own as this more transgressive female character.