Hollywood has never been averse to telling big stories, but perhaps the most influential ones have been told by the women who are defining the business itself. For more than a century, women have been breaking down barriers, redefining rules, and making lasting impacts on the movies—even when history attempted to erase them. From the trailblazing pioneers to the innovative directors working today, these women didn’t merely alter films; they transformed the business. Let’s count them down (because a good list requires a good countdown).
10. Jane Campion – The Master of Complexity
Jane Campion’s movies are not simply narratives; they’re rich examinations of human psychology. In The Piano and Top of the Lake, she presented viewers with complex depictions of women and characters that exist in the moral gray spaces of life. Her ability to go where others would fear to tread has inspired everything from independent dramas to prestige television.
9. Chloé Zhao – The Voice of the Unseen
Chloé Zhao combines realism with poetry, shining a light on individuals and locations Hollywood tends to neglect. Her Oscar victory for Nomadland—she was the first woman of Asian origin to take home Best Director—wasn’t only a milestone, it was a turning point. Zhao’s career shows that authenticity and representation are not mutually exclusive, and her success is shattering doors for a new generation of directors.
8. Greta Gerwig – The Modern Storyteller
Greta Gerwig has evolved from indie director to cultural phenomenon. Lady Bird and Little Women solidified her as a singular voice as a director, and Barbie proved she could balance a worldwide blockbuster without sacrificing her personal voice. Gerwig has rewritten the “auteur” moniker, demonstrating that women’s narratives aren’t niche—they’re universal.
7. Ava DuVernay – Filmmaker and Activist
Ava DuVernay doesn’t only create films—she ignites discussions. From Selma to documentary 13th, she utilizes film as a medium to touch upon injustice and inequality. DuVernay’s work has changed the way Hollywood discusses race and representation, keeping in mind that film is not merely entertainment but can be used as a catalyst.
6. Kathryn Bigelow – Breaking the Action Mold
For decades, action and war films were the territory of men—until Kathryn Bigelow proved otherwise. With The Hurt Locker, she became the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Director, showing that women could deliver gripping, adrenaline-fueled storytelling with just as much force—and more nuance—than their male counterparts.
5. Susan Seidelman – Capturing the ’80s Spirit
Susan Seidelman defined the defiant, unconventional spirit of the 1980s. With Desperately Seeking Susan, she not only provided Madonna with her first big role but showed that female leads could be sloppy, imperfect, and captivating. Her legacy still haunts modern-day edgy comedies and quirky dramas.
4. Lina Wertmüller – Italy’s Firebrand
Lina Wertmüller’s movies were bold, raw, and politically provocative. Films such as Seven Beauties and Love and Anarchy dealt with issues of power, sexuality, and gender without punches. In 1977, she became the first female Best Director Oscar nominee, paving the way for other women.
3. Ida Lupino – The Independent Spirit
Ida Lupino transitioned from actress to one of the handful of women directing in Hollywood’s Golden Age. Her movies, such as Outrage and The Hitch-Hike, addressed tough, taboo issues well before they were deemed acceptable. Pioneering an independent path, Lupino opened up opportunities for outsiders to subvert Hollywood conventions.
2. Dorothy Arzner – The Studio Pioneer
Dorothy Arzner was able to survive the old studio system—a miracle. With movies such as Dance, Girl, Dance, she placed women’s perspectives at the forefront of her films when female filmmakers were all but invisible. Her innovative spirit and tenacity helped create the groundwork for women in Hollywood for generations to come.
1. Alice Guy-Blaché – The First Filmmaker
Well before there was Hollywood, Alice Guy-Blaché was an active movie maker. Beginning in 1896, she directed hundreds of films, pioneered sound and color, and operated her own studio, Solax. Frequently forgotten in movie history, she was the first woman filmmaker in the world—and quite possibly one of the first filmmakers ever. Each director is in her debt.
Of course, the history of film is also replete with game-changing actresses. Hattie McDaniel, the first African American Oscar winner (Gone with the Wind), Dorothy Dandridge, the first Black Best Actress nominee (Carmen Jones), and icons Joan Crawford and Judy Garland all redefined what it meant for women to headline films—and receive respect for doing so.
The history of women in film continues to be written. Now more than ever, women are defining cinema in all genres and on all platforms. The job is not yet done, but the prospects are bright—and many of the most significant seats in the business will certainly remain behind the camera.