Books about the history of cinema state that it began in 1895 with the creation of the cinematograph by the Lumière Brothers. Later on, Georges Méliès joined them as the first fiction director. Even so, we can't help but ask ourselves: was this the beginning of the seventh art? Let’s see the other side of the history of the seventh art, featuring a woman: Alice Guy-Blaché.
Although visionary Alice Guy understood the incredible possibilities of the moving image, her name is hardly mentioned. This great film director was born on March 24, 1968, in New Jersey, and she worked as a secretary at Comptoir général de la photographie which was owned by Max Richard but was later acquired by Leon Gaumont. Therefore, Alice came into contact with the Demeny-Gaumont camera, and, a year later, she directed The Fairy of the Cabbages, the first film with a running time of more than one minute. Through her film, Alice Guy established herself as a pioneer in storytelling and implemented visual tricks in moving images. After that, she worked for several decades in France and the United States, making a total of 1,000 films - amazing!
Let's meet other female directors who stand out for their films:
Céline Sciamma, who brought us the beautiful Petite Maman. The film follows Nelly, who lost her grandmother and is helping her parents clean out her mother's childhood home. One day, she meets a girl her age with whom she builds a great friendship. This is a cinematic experience that explores the concept of family, friendship, and childhood grief.
Lorene Scafaria directed Hustlers which tells the story of how a group of young nightclub women teams up to swindle the men of Wall Street. Courtney Howard from Fresh Fiction said, "Lorene Scafaria captures female friendship as a multi-faceted dynamic, showing the complications and complexities within, without making anyone the villain. She shoots through the lens of empathy and understanding."
Zara Hayes nailed it with the documentary The Battle of the Sexes, and subsequently brought her first fiction film, Poms which tells about a group of women who form a cheerleading squad at their retirement community and decide to participate in a professional competition.
Other incredible female filmmakers who have made an impact on the Hollywood industry include Mimi Leder (On the Basis of Sex), Elizabeth Chomko (What They Had), and Stacy Title (The Bye Bye Man).
Stay tuned for more information!
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