Gillian Robespierre (United States, 198?)
Most notable work: Obvious Child (2014)
With Obvious Child, newcomer Gillian Robespierre wonderfully succeeded in revitalizing the romantic comedy. Never getting too self-conscious, Obvious Child is a typical New York hipster film about a young female stand up comedian ending up pregnant after a one night stand with one of her mother’s students. Robespierre uses the right genre conventions to tell a fresh and, especially in America, underexposed story about unwanted pregnancy and abortion.
Lena Dunham (United States, 1986)
Most notable work: Girls (TV series)
Without a doubt the most established name on this list, Lena Durham grew out to be the voice of millions, young urban women after creating the HBO hit serie Girls. Before Girls, which she wrote, directed and starred in, Dunham rose to fame as one of America’s indie cinema darlings, both as an actress and a director. Of her directing efforts, Tiny Furniture is the most notable, a low budget drama about a recently graduated, indecisive twenty-something forced to move back in with her mother. Rumor has it that Dunham is currently working on an adaptation of Catherine, Called Birdie, a coming of age story taking place in Medieval England. Now that sounds interesting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF_jWPJwKIE
Mia Hansen-Løve (France, 1981)
Most notable work: Eden (2014)
I’m wondering wether it’s a burden or a blessing, being the wife of a famous director while being a director yourself. In almost every single review of a Hansen-Løve film, her marriage to famous French filmmaker Olivier Assayad is mentioned. And now I am doing the same here. But anyway, Mia Hansen-Løve is definitely one of France’s most interesting directors at the moment. Make sure you see Eden, a film exploring the birth of the French house scene in the 90’s. Some critics coined it the Inside Llewyn Davis equivalent of the house scene.
Valeriya Gai Germanika (Russia, 1984)
Most notable work: Everybody Dies But Me (2008)
After directing a couple of documentary films, young Russian Valeriya Gai Germanika directed her first feature film at the tender age of 23. The film is best compared to Lukas Moodyssons work, both stylistically and thematically. As Moodysson, Germanika proves to be a master in translating teen angst to the big screen without ever being too sentimental or melodramatic. Thankfully, Germanika returned to the big screen with 2014’s Da i Da (Yes & Yes), another beautiful exploration of a young woman’s sexual awakening.
Gabriela Pichler (Sweden, 1980)
Most notable work: Eat Sleep Die (2012)
Lately we’ve seen quite a few European films addressing immigrant issues. In Sweden, acclaimed directors such as Ruben Östlund and Fares Fares made films which led to discussions concerning the multicultural society. Gabriela Pichler’s poignant debut film Eat Sleep Die can be placed in that list. It deals with a young, muslim girl who sees herself confronted with all sorts of prejudices while looking for a job. Pichler’s debut is daring and provocative, as it really puts the finger on the sore spot.
Gia Coppola (United States, 1987)
Most notable work: Palo Alto (2013)
When your name is Coppola, you’re bound to chase a carreer in film business. Palo Alto, a collaboration with James Franco (who wrote the short stories the film is based upon) is Gia Coppola’s first effort to follow several of her famous relatives’ footsteps. The film, depicting the highs and lows of a bunch of Californian teenagers in a style reminiscent of Harmony Korine’s work, lacks some coherence here and there, but Coppola obviously has a great sense for creating the right atmosphere.
Eliza Hitman (United States, 198?)
Most notable work: It Felt Like Love (2013)
Getting to the end of this list, the most striking conclusion to draw on contemporary young female directors is that they certainly have a soft spot for teenage girls’ growing pains. It Felt Like Love is a dreamy, slow film about a young New York girl loosing her innocence during an endless, muggy summer. Desperate to lose her virginity, she obviously pursues the wrong guy. Hittman directed a few short films before realizing her first full length feature which surprised many. American indie cinema is supposedly going through stormy weather, but Hittman is one of the many examples it’s not all that bad. Watch out for her upcoming 2017 work Beach Rats, a film which once again deals with an aimless teenager on the beaches of Brooklyn. This time though, Hitman focusses on a male protagonist.
