Hi, I’m back from summer break! I thought now would be a good time to revisit my master list of 2018 movies directed and/or written by women. I’ve been updating it all year, but I’m reposting now because a lot of the women-directed films that premiered during winter and spring film festivals have been slated for release this fall. I’ve also added a new section at the bottom, “2019 Preview” which includes some of the women-directed films premiering early next year. I’ll post a more expansive 2019 Preview at the end of the year, and I’ll still continue to update this 2018 list over the next few months.
As with the previous post, I’m sure this list is missing some titles. If you know of any I’ve missed, please leave a comment or email me. I’ve focused mostly on narrative films, but I threw in a few documentaries that were of personal interest to me.
(Last updated 12/04/18)
January
- Blame Writer & Dir. Quinn Shephard
- Dead Pigs Writer & Dir. Cathy Yan
- Freak Show Dir. Trudie Styler
- Holiday Writer & Dir. Isabella Eklöf
- I Think We’re Alone Now Writer & Dir. Reed Morano
- In Between Writer & Dir. Maysaloun Hamoud (my review)
- My Art Writer & Dir. Laurie Simmons
- Ophelia Dir. Claire McCarthy Writer: Semi Chellas
- The Strange Ones Co-Dirs. Christopher Radcliff and Lauren Wolkstein
- Vazante Writer & Dir. Daniela Thomas
February
- Becks Co-Dirs. Daniel Powell and Elizabeth Rorbaugh Writers: Rebecca Drysdale, Daniel Powell and Elizabeth Rorbaugh
- The Boy Downstairs Writer & Dir. Sophie Brooks
- Euphoria Writer & Dir. Lisa Langseth
- The Female Brain Writer & Dir. Whitney Cummings
- Half Magic Writer & Dir. Heather Graham
- Irreplaceable You Dir. Stephanie Laing Writer: Bess Wohl
- The Party Writer & Dir. Sally Potter
March
- Dear Dictator Co-Dirs. & Writers Lisa Addario and Joe Syracuse
- Furlough Dir. Laurie Collyer
- Madame Writer & Dir. Amanda Sthers
- Mary Magdalene Writers: Helen Edmunson and Philippa Goslett
- Outside In Writer & Dir. Lynn Shelton, Writers Jay Duplass and Lynn Shelton
- Revenge Writer & Dir. Coralie Fargeat
- What They Had Writer & Dir. Elizabeth Chomko
- A Wrinkle in Time Dir. Ava DuVernay Writer: Jennifer Lee, based on the novel by Madeleine L’Engle
April
- All These Small Moments* Writer & Dir. Melissa B. Miller-Costanzo
- Amateurs* Dir. Gabriela Pichler
- 6 Balloons Writer & Dir. Marja-Lewis Ryan
- Blockers Dir. Kay Cannon
- Braid* Writer & Dir. Mitzi Peirone
- Cargo* Writer & Dir. Yolanda Ramke
- Daughter of Mine* Dir. Laura Bispuri
- Dude Dir. Olivia Milch Writers: Olivia Milch and Kendall McKinnon
- Egg* Dir. Marianna Palka Writer: Risa Mickenberg
- The Elephant and the Butterfly* Writer & Dir. Amélie van Elmbt
- I Feel Pretty Co-Dirs and Writers Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein
- Kings Writer & Dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven
- Lemonade* Writer & Dir. Ioana Uricaru
- Little Pink House Writer & Dir. Courtney Balaker
- M* Writer & Dir. Sara Forestier
- Mapplethorpe* Writer & Dir. Ondi Timoner
- The Night Eats the World* Dir. Dominique Rocher
- O.G.* Dir. Madeleine Sackler
- The Rider Writer & Dir. Chloé Zhao
- Slut in a Good Way* Dir. Sophie Lorain Writer: Catherine Léger
- State Like Sleep* Writer & Dir. Meredith Danluck
- Untogether* Writer & Dir. Emma Forrest
- Virgins* Writer & Dir. Keren Ben Rafael
- You Were Never Really Here Writer & Dir. Lynne Ramsay
- Zama Dir. Lucrecia Martel
- 20 Weeks Writer & Dir. Leena Pendarkar
*Included in Tribeca Film Festival
May
- The Desert Bride Writers & Co-Dirs: Cecilia Atan, Valeria Pivato
- Let The Sunshine In Dir. Claire Denis Writers: Christine Angot and Claire Denis
- Life of the Party Co-Writer: Melissa McCarthy
- Mary Shelley Writer & Dir. Haifaa Al-Mansour
- Summer 1993 Writer & Dir. Carla Simon
- Tully Writer: Diablo Cody
June
- Are You Glad I’m Here* Dir. Noor Gharzeddine
- Birds Without Feathers* Dir. Wendy McColm Writers: Lenae Day & Wendy McColm
- Boundaries Writer & Dir. Shana Fest
- Leave No Trace Writer & Dir. Debra Granik
- Life Is Fare* Writer & Dir. Sephora Woldu
- Nancy Writer & Dir. Christina Choe
- Ocean’s 8 Writers: Olivia Milch and Gary Ross
- Set It Up Dir. Claire Scanlon Writer: Katie Silberman (Netflix Film)
- Social Animals Writer & Dir Theresa Bennett
- The Tale Writer & Dir. Jennifer Fox (HBO Films)
- Us and Them Dir. Rene Liu (Netflix Film)
- Woman Walks Ahead Dir. Susanna White
- The Year of Spectacular Men Dir. Lea Thomson Writer: Madelyn Deutch
*Included in Brooklyn Film Festival
July
- Far From the Tree Dir. Rachel Dretzin
- Good Manners
- The Spy Who Dumped Me Dir. Susanna Fogel Writers: Susanna Fogel & David Iserson
August
- The Bookshop Writer & Dir. Isabel Coixet, based on a novel by Penelope Fitzgerald
- Juliet, Naked Writer: Evgenia Peretz, Jim Taylor, and Tamara Jenkins
- Like Father Writer & Dir. Lauren Miller Rogen (Netflix Film)
- The Little Stranger Writer: Lucinda Coxon, based on a novel by Sarah Waters
- Madeline’s Madeline Writer & Director: Josephine Decker
- Milla Writer & Dir. Valérie Massadian
- The Miseducation of Cameron Post Writer & Dir. Desiree Akhavan
- Never Goin’ Back Writer & Dir. Augustine Frizzell
- Skate Kitchen Writer & Dir. Crystal Moselle
- To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before Dir. Susan Johnson Writers: Sofia Alvarez based on a novel by Jenny Han (Netflix Film)
- The Wife Writer Jane Anderson, based on a novel by Meg Wolitzer
September
- All About Nina Writer & Dir. Eva Vives
- Colette Writers: Richard Glatzer and Rebecca Lenkiewicz
- The Darkest Minds Dir. Jennifer Yuh Nelson Writer: Alexandra Braxon
- Float Like a Butterfly Writer & Dir. Carmel Winters
- A Happening of Monumental Proportions Dir. Judy Greer
- High Life Dir. Claire Denis Writers: Claire Denis, Jean-Pol Fargeau, Nick Laird, & Zadie Smith
- I Am Not a Witch Writer & Dir. Rungano Nyoni
- Jane Fonda in Five Acts Dir. Susan Lacy (HBO Films)
- The Land of Steady Habits Writer & Dir Nicole Holofcenter (Netflix Film)
- Little Women Writer & Dir. Claire Niederpruem based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott
- Love, Gilda Dir. Lisa Dapolito
- Mug Writer & Dir. Małgorzata Szumowska
- Nappily Ever After Dir. Haifaa Al-Monsour (Netflix Film)
- Private Life Writer & Dir. Tamara Jenkins (Netflix Film)
- Rafiki Dir. Wanuri Kahiu Writers: Wanuri Kahiu and Jenna Cato Bass
- Sierra Burgess is a Loser Writer: Lindsey Beer (Netflix Film)
- A Simple Favor Writers: Jessica Sharzer based on a novel by Darcey Bell
- We Have Always Lived in the Castle Dir. Stacie Passon, based on the Shirley Jackson novel
- Where Hands Touch Writer & Dir. Amma Asante
- White Rabbit Writers: Vivian Bang and Daryl Wein
October
- Can You Ever Forgive Me? Dir. Marielle Heller Writer: Nicole Holofcenter, based on the memoir by Lee Israel
- Feminists: What Were Thinking? Dir. Johanna Demetrakas (Netflix Film)
- Fugue Dir. Agnieszka Smoczyńska Writer: Gabriela Muskala
- The Kindergarten Teacher Writer & Dir. Sara Colangelo (Netflix Film)
- Sadie Writer & Dir. Megan Griffiths
- Shirkers Writer & Dir. Sandi Tan (Netflix Film)
- Venom Writer: Kelly Marcel
- What They Had Writer & Dir. Elizabeth Chomko
- Wildlife Writer Zoe Kazan and Paul Dano
November
- Happy As Lazzaro Writer & Dir. Alice Rohrwacher (Netflix Film)
- Mary Queen of Scots Dir. Josie Rourke
- The Holiday Calendar Writers: Carrie Freedle, Amyn Caderelli (Netflix Film)
- The New Romantic Writer & Dir. Carly Stone
- Rajma Chawal Dir. Leena Yadav (Netflix Film)
- The Princess Switch Writers: Robin Bernheim and Megan Metzger (Netflix Film)
- Widows Writer: Gillian Flynn
December
- Angel Face Dir. Vanessa Filho
- Birdbox Dir. Susanne Bier
- Destroyer Dir. Karyn Kusama
- Dumplin’ Dir. Anne Fletcher Writer: Kristin Hahn, based on a novel by Julie Murphy
- On The Basis of Sex Dir. Mimi Leder
- The Party’s Just Beginning Writer & Dir. Karen Gillan
Early 2019
Miss Bala Dir. Catherine Hardwicke
The Nightingale Dir. Michelle MacLaren Writers: Ann Peacock adapted screenplay based on the novel by Kristin Hannah
The Rhythm Section Dir. Reed Morano
Isn’t It Romantic? Writers: Erin Cardillo, Dana Fox, and Katie Silberman
Captain Marvel Co-Dirs. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
Thelma and Alice 