Adam of Club Silencio here. If Kathryn Bigelow is said to be the "Queen of Directors," what other female auteurs make up her court and competition? Most excitingly, what's on the radar for these savvy women who're still holding supreme reign in our male-dominated cinematic monarchy?
Julie Delpy
Her Last: 2009's The Countess, Delpy's historical take on evil Hungarian Erzebet Bathory and her virgin bloodbaths, has yet to find a proper US release. Delpy produced, wrote, directed, scored and starred in the project.
Her Latest: IONcinema reports that Delpy's readied a script for 2 Days in New York, a sequel to her 2007 ode to neurotic indie love, 2 Days in Paris. French farce once again follows Delpy as she follows Adam Goldberg to New York, dumps him, and finds herself a new neurotic American.
Nicole Holofcener
Her Last: 2006's smart ensemble comedy Friends with Money continued with female bonds and collaborations with Catherine Keener. Holofcener also continued partnership with HBO (her resume includes TV classics Sex and the City and Six Feet Under), directing an episode for the first season of Bored to Death. Her Latest: Premiering at Sundance to rave reviews, Please Give once again stars Catherine Keener (as well as Oliver Platt and Amanda Peet) in a story of antique dealers eyeing an elderly neighbor's apartment.
Kelly Reichardt
Her Last: 2008's Wendy and Lucy had Michelle Williams playing a truly dire game of fetch with her lost dog, Lucy, her life's only companion. Her Latest: Meek's Cutoff again teams Reichardt with Michelle Williams for this period western surrounding a family and the treacherous crossing of the Cascade Mountains in 1845 under the guidance of Stephen Meek, a hired guide. The film also stars Paul Dano and Shirley Henderson. It's currently in post-production.
Lynne Ramsay
Her Last: 2002's masterful Movern Callar followed Samantha Morten's titular character as she mourned a lost lover. Ramsay was also at one time attached to direct The Lovely Bones (a thought we all should mourn like a lost love).
Her Latest: We Need to Talk About Kevin, her long awaited follow up, is an adaptation of Lionel Shriver's novel about a boy's killing spree before his sixteenth birthday and the emotional aftermath felt by his mother. Tilda Swinton stars as the mother, tentatively alongside fellow indie fave John C. Reilly.
Sofia Coppola
Her Last: 2006's undervalued punk period-piece Marie Antoinette spun a fresh take on a child (Kirsten Dunst) thrust into luxury and the pantheon of historical villains.
Her Latest: Somewhere follows a troubled A-list actor (Stephen Dorff) wasting away in LA's famous Chateau Marmont, who's rattled by a visit from his 11-year-old daughter (Elle Fanning). Phoenix (Coppola's hubby is the lead singer) is scoring the film.
Other female auteur faves like Jane Campion (Bright Star), Catherine Breillat (Bluebeard), Lucile Hadzihalilovic (Innocence) and Claire Denis (White Material, 35 Shots of Rum) have no projects currently listed in production. Which singular lady's work are you most excited for?
