KINO favorites: 7 great movies directed by women
These seven films were not only directed by female filmmakers, they also put strong women at the center of their stories.
7: Wonder Woman
In 2017, Israeli actress Gal Gadot became an international star through her role in the blockbuster "Wonder Woman." It was the first American studio superhero movie directed by a female filmmaker. That paid off. The film broke box office records and Patty Jenkins became one of the most successful directors in film history.
6: Suffragette
Germany is celebrating the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage in 2018. Many female activists, especially in Britain, took to the streets to improve women's rights. Their protests sometimes led to bloody clashes. The film "Suffragette" (2015), directed by Sarah Gavron, tells their story. In the UK, women obtained the same voting rights as men in 1928.
5: Mustang
The oppression of five sisters in a male-dominated world is the topic of the international co-production "Mustang" by Kurdish-French director Deniz Gamze Ergüven. The sisters fight against patriarchal structures in a remote Turkish village. The free-roaming mustang horse becomes a symbol for the young women's rebellion. An award-winning film.
4: Bend It Like Beckham
The British film "Bend It Like Beckham" was a surprise hit in 2002. Kenya-born English director Gurinder Chadha, whose parents have Indian roots, told the story of a young talented football player (Keira Knightley) who manages to make it to the top of her soccer league in London, despite the restrictions of her conservative Punjabi Sikh family. A highly enjoyable multicultural comedy.
3: Hannah Arendt
How do you transmit the ideas of a philosopher in film? The German film director Margarethe von Trotta achieved this feat in 2012, with Barbara Sukowa starring in the title role of "Hannah Arendt." The filmmaker had already brought the story of other important historical women to the silver screen: Hildegard von Bingen and Rosa Luxemburg, as well as many unknown heroines of everyday life.
2: Rafiki
The love story of two women is the subject of the film "Rafiki" by Kenyan director Wanuri Kahiu. The work was invited to the film festival in Cannes, but also created a scandal in Kahiu's home country, where homosexuality is forbidden. Authorities banned it "due to its homosexual theme and clear intent to promote lesbianism in Kenya contrary to the law."
1: The Piano
A gripping movie told with beautiful images, "The Piano" enchanted the world in 1993. The story of the mute piano player Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter) won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. New Zealand director Jane Campion became the first — and so far only — woman to win the prestigious award. The film also picked up three Academy Awards.