When you look at the blockbusters being produced today, the field still tends to be dominated by male directors making action films for male audiences. However, for “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” filmmaker Céline Sciamma, she thinks that’s changing and specifically cites a recent superhero film as a huge milestone for women, in general, let alone for female directors.
Speaking to The Independent, Céline Sciamma cited Warner Bros’ 2017 blockbuster, “Wonder Woman,” directed by Patty Jenkins, as a turning point for cinema and female film fans.
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“It’s about feeling seen as a viewer,” she said. “‘Wonder Woman’ is thinking about me. It’s thinking about my pleasure, about my sisters, about the history of cinema and women’s representation. It gives us joy but also rage. Like, ‘Why do I not get this more often?’ Now, we get it more and more, because there’s new writing for women, but it’s an addictive feeling. Once you know it, you want it.”
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As far as the future goes, 2020, in particular, is destined to be a landmark year for female filmmakers making huge, Hollywood blockbuster films with strong women leads. Earlier this year, we saw Cathy Yan direct “Birds of Prey,” and though the film might not have been a massive hit financially, the superhero film is a fan-favorite. In addition, we’re mere days away from Niki Caro’s “Mulan” remake, which is expected to be a huge box office winner. Then later this year, over the summer, we have both “Black Widow” and “Wonder Woman 1984,” directed by Cate Shortland and Patty Jenkins, respectively. And finally, in November, Marvel Studios releases “Eternals,” which features Chloe Zhao behind the camera.
All told, as Sciamma said, “Wonder Woman” paved the way, and now, it appears that studios are beginning to give female-directed blockbusters a chance, particularly those with strong female leads.
