Celebrate Women’s History Month With Women-Directed Films From The 2024 Woodstock Film Festival Now In Theaters Or Streaming
What could be a better way to honor Women’s History Month than by watching films crafted by women directors? WFF had the privilege of screening 57 female-directed films at the 25th Woodstock Film Festival.
In 2024, the representation of women directors in the film industry showed minimal progress compared to previous years. Women directed 16% of the top 250 highest-grossing films, maintaining the same percentage as in 2023. However, within the top 100 films, the percentage of women directors decreased to 11% in 2024, down from 14% in 2023. Similarly, a study by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found that out of 112 directors for the top 100 movies in 2024, 13.4% were women, a slight increase from 12.1% in 2023. In France, women directed or co-directed 25.6% of fiction films and 35.7% of documentaries in 2024. However, only one out of nine animated films was directed by a woman.
These statistics indicate that while there have been incremental gains in some areas, the overall progress for female directors in 2024 remained relatively stagnant, with certain metrics showing declines compared to previous years. However, for the first time in recent history, the share of top-grossing films with female protagonists matched that of films with male protagonists, according to two 2024 studies.
Visit our Letterboxd page to get the full list of films directed by women at the 2024 Woodstock Film Festival.
FEATURE NARRATIVES
BOB TREVINO LIKES IT | Directed by Tracie Laymon
Opening with Lily Trevino’s emotional breakdown, Bob Trevino Likes It unravels her raw, non-linear healing journey. Barbie Ferreira (HBO’s Euphoria) stars as Lily, who, seeking to reconnect with her newly estranged father on Facebook, stumbles upon a stranger’s profile with the same name, Bob Trevino (John Leguizamo). Through this unexpected bond, she finds solace… but it’s not that simple. Tracie Laymon’s film powerfully explores complex family dynamics, trauma, and the cathartic path to healing. – Monet Massac
Tracie Laymon studied filmmaking at the University of Texas at Austin while cutting her teeth as a video journalist for Time Warner News and interning for Richard Linklater at Detour Film. Her directorial projects have won jury awards at SXSW and countless other festivals, while her screenwriting pursuits have won her additional awards and honors at competitions such as LA Comedy Festival, Madrid International Film Festival, BlueCat, and many more. Tracie brings over 15 years of production experience on movies and TV shows to Bob Trevino Likes It, inspired by her life experiences.
In theaters Friday, March 21.
ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT | Directed by Payal Kapadia
In Mumbai, Nurse Prabha’s routine is troubled when she receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband. Her younger roommate, Anu, tries in vain to find a spot in the city to be intimate with her boyfriend. A trip to a beach town allows them to find a space for their desires to manifest. 2024 Cannes’ Grand Prize Winner, All We Imagine As Light has been receiving rave reviews from all critics, maintaining 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Payal Kapadia is a Mumbai based filmmaker. She studied Film Direction at the Film & Television Institute of India. Her short films Afternoon Clouds and And What Is The Summer Saying premiered respectively at the Cinéfondation and the Berlinale. Her first feature film A Night of Knowing Nothing premiered at 2021 Director’s Fortnight, where it won the Golden Eye for Best Documentary. Her second feature film and narrative debut, All We Imagine As Light, won the Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
Available to rent or buy on Amazon, AppleTV+, and Fandango At Home.
OUT OF MY MIND | Directed by Amber Sealy
Adapted from Sharon M. Draper's bestselling book, the Disney Original Movie Out of My Mind follows sixth grader Melody Brooks, who has cerebral palsy (portrayed to perfection by newcomer Phoebe-Rae Taylor who too lives with CP) and discovers her voice beyond assistive technology. Narrated by Jennifer Aniston as Melody’s inner voice, the film immerses us in Melody's world as she battles being unheard and underestimated, making Amber Sealey’s film a touching and uplifting story of perseverance and self-discovery. – Monet Massac
Amber Sealey is an award-winning filmmaker whose films include No Man of God (Tribeca 2021), How Does It Start (Sundance 2019), No Light & No Land Anywhere (LAFF 2017), How To Cheat (LAFF 2011), and A Plus D (Montreal World 2008). She lives in Los Angeles with her family.
Available on Disney+.
THE UNINVITED | Directed by Nadia Conners
Rose and Sammy enjoy an idyllic life with love, a Hollywood Hills home, and a curious son. During a party, Sammy assigns unusual significance to it, while Rose juggles preparations amid distractions. The unexpected arrival of Helen, who claims residence there, oscillates between confusion and lucidity. Strangely, Helen possesses intimate knowledge of the house and its guests: an Ingenue, a director, and Rose’s former flame. Helen’s revelations during the party spark drama, unearthing hidden truths and compelling Rose to confront her past, future, and the desire for change.
Nadia Conners is a writer and director known for The 11th Hour (2007), The Uninvited (2024), and Tyrant (2014). She debuted her environmental documentary, The 11th Hour, in 2007 and has been married to actor Walton Goggins (who also stars in The Uninvited) since July 28, 2011.
Available on Apple TV
DOCUMENTARIES
BLACK BOX DIARIES | Directed by Shiori Itō
The investigators in Shiori Itō’s sexual assault case called it a “black box,” suggesting that the truth will remain elusive because it occurred behind closed doors. Frustrated, Shiori Itō becomes her own investigative journalist in Black Box Diaries, fiercely challenging high-ranking journalist Noriyuki Yamaguchi, who had close ties to former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Black Box Diaries marks Itō’s feature documentary film debut and made its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2024. – Monet Massac
Shiori Itō is a journalist, writer, and documentary filmmaker with a focus on gender-based human rights issues. For her contribution to Japan’s #MeToo movement, she was listed as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2020. Black Box Diaries is her feature documentary film debut.
Available to stream, rent, and buy on Paramount+ and AppleTV+.
THE BIBI FILES | Directed by Alexis Bloom
This behind-the-scenes investigation of Benjamin Netanyahu and his inner circle provides an unflinching gaze into the private world behind the headlines. Leaked police interrogation videos show frustration, vanity and a sense of entitlement writ large in the Netanyahu family. Their stubborn refusal to cede power leads to a fatal alliance with the extreme right wing, and dire consequences follow.
Alexis Bloom worked for the National Geographic Channel, BBC World and PBS Frontline in her early career. In 2014, she won the PGA Award for We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks, for Universal Pictures. In 2017, Alexis co-directed HBO’s Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Directing, and an Emmy for Exceptional Merit. In 2019 she directed Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes (also nominated for an Emmy Award.) Her last film, Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg was released by Magnolia Pictures in May 2024.
Available to rent on Jolt.
I AM READY, WARDEN | Directed by Smriti Mundhra, Oscar-nominated for Best Documentary Short
In the days leading up to his execution, Texas death row prisoner John Henry Ramirez seeks redemption from his victim’s son; an elegy about the death penalty where a prisoner seeks forgiveness.
Smriti Mundhra is a director, producer and writer whose work spans fiction and non-fiction. As a director and creator, she has been nominated for an Academy Award, a primetime Emmy Award, an NAACP Image Award and a Humanitas Prize. She has also won a DGA Award and a Critic’s Choice Award, and was named one of DOC NYC’s 40 Under 40 Filmmakers to Watch.
Available to stream on Paramount+.