Female Filmmakers at Sundance 2020

In writing this blog, I’ve learned that the best way to find new female-directed films is by checking out film festival programs, especially Sundance, where a lot of movies get picked up for distribution. (Though I must admit it’s been disappointing to see the number of films that never get picked up.) For my 2018 and 2019 lists of female-directed films, I incorporated Sundance selections into my list of January releases, deleting them as they found distribution later in the year. This year, I’m going to keep the Sundance releases separate, in part because so many of the selections on the 2020 program are directed or written by women.

According to the Sundance website, 44% of the films in this year’s program are directed by one or more women. I’ve gone through the list and selected the following films to keep an eye on, focusing on narrative features that are written or directed by women. I’ll cull from this list as the year goes on and movies get official release dates. . .

Female Filmmakers at Sundance

Aggie (documetary) Director: Catherine Gund
Amulet Writer & Director: Romola Garai
The Assistant (2019) Writer & Director: Kitty Green (in theaters in Jan-Feb)
Binti (2019) Writer & Director: Frederike Migom
Charter Writer & Director: Amanda Kernell
Come Away Director: Brenda Chapman
Cuties Writer & Director: Maïmouna Doucouré
Farewell Amour Director: Ekwa Msangi
The Glorias Director: Julie Taymor, Writer: Sarah Ruhl and Gloria Steinem
The Go-Go’s Director: Alison Ellwood
Herself  Director: Phylida Lloyd, Writers: Malcolm Cambell and Clare Dunne
Horse Girl Director: Jeff Baena, Writers: Jeff Baena and Alison Brie (Netflix, premiered Feb 7)
I Carry You With Me Writer & Director: Heidi Ewing
Jumbo Writer & Director: Zoé Wittock
Kajillionaire  Writer & Director: Miranda July
La Layenda Negra Writer & Director: Patricia Vidal Delgado
The Last Thing He Wanted Writer & Director: Dee Rees, based on a novel by Joan Didion (Netflix, premieres Feb 21)
Lost Girls Director: Liz Garbus
Luxor Writer & Director: Zeina Durra
Miss Juneteenth Writer & Director: Channing Godfrey Peoples
The Mole Agent Writer & Director: Maite Alberdi
Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often Writer & Director Eliza Hittman (in theaters Mar 13)
Once Upon a Time in Venezuela Writer & Director: Anabel Rodriguez Rios
The Perfect Candidate (2019) Writer & Director: Haifaa Al-Mansour
Promising Young Woman Writer & Director: Emerald Fennell (in theaters Apr 17)
Relic Writer & Director: Natalie Erika James
Run Sweetheart Run Writer & Director: Shana Feste
Saudi Runaway Writer & Director: Susanne Regina Meures
Save Yourselves! Co-Writers and Directors: Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson
Shirley  Director: Josephine Decker, Writer: Sarah Gubbins
Taylor Swift: Miss Americana Director: Lana Wilson (Netflix, premiered Jan 31)
The 40-Year-Old Version Writer & Director: Radha Blank (acquired by Netflix, release date TBD)
Untitled Kirby Dick/Amy Ziering Film Directors: Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering
Wander Darkly Writer & Director: Tara Miele
Wendy Director: Benh Zeitlin, Writer: Benh and Eliza Zeitlin
Worth Director: Sara Colangelo
Zola Writer & Director: Janicza Bravo