A Year with Women – 500 Thinkers, Critics Contribute to Greatest Films By Women

Marya E. Gates was frustrated, as we women often are, about some list that came out – I don’t even remember what it was – oh right, the BBC’s ludicrous list of the 100 Greatest American films or some such. Naturally, no women were included on it. Women are not considered anywhere near brilliant by most who call themselves film critics. And indeed, it’s hard to compete with films like Citizen Kane. Gates decided to ask people what were the best films by women directors. She received over 500 responses. The list contains some of the best films ever made and would probably be a formidable challenger to the BBC’s list were it not for one tiny problem. Clueless is the film that lands in the number one spot. A very good film, a funny film, a beloved film – but it kind of goes to show you that when it comes to picking movies by women the focus isn’t going to necessarily be on master works. Again, not criticizing Clueless but to me when you’re talking about “best” you’re not talking about “favorite.” You’re talking about incomparable works of art that are unequivocal. The Coen brothers, Scorsese, Hitchcock, Fincher, Coppola, Welles… on the female side, Campion, Bigelow, Wertmuller, Kent, Coppola, Ramsay, DuVernay, etc. I’m going to say it because probably no one else will. No one wants to be the one who is the asshole in the room shitting all over something as beautiful as this poll. And I’m not shitting on it. I’m not even shitting on Clueless. I’m just saying that if women want to really compete, if they want to really be taken seriously as artists on par with their male counterparts – we have to up the game a little here. We don’t need to be patronized and we don’t want a pat on the back and a “good job.” Right?

At any rate, you can view the whole list here. The top 20:

1. Clueless – 147 votes
2. Lost in Translation 144 votes
3. The Piano – 120 votes
4. Selma – 118 votes
5. American Psycho – 110 votes
6. Cleo from 5 to 7 – 93 votes
7. The Hurt Locker – 92 votes
8. Fish Tank – 84 votes
9. The Virgin Suicides 84 votes
10. Winter’s Bone – 75 votes
11. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles – 74 votes
12. The Babadook 72 votes
13. Zero Dark Thirty 72 votes
14. Sedmikrásky (Daisies), 1966 70 votes
15. A League of Their Own 69 votes
16. Meshes of the Afternoon (co-directed) 69 votes
17. Big – 68 votes
18. Boys Don’t Cry – 62 votes
19. Orlando – 59 votes
20. Point Break – 58 votes