Today, it seems like everyone is raising money on Kickstarter to film their own documentary, but back in the 1970s, filmmaker Barbara Kopple said people would turn away from her at parties when she told them she was a documentarian. Not only did her first film, Harlan County U.S.A. become required viewing for those who make … Continue reading 52 Weeks of Directors: Barbara Kopple
Three years ago, one of the few women who wrote and directed studio films passed away. The great Nora Ephron, who wrote and directed a string of romantic comedies that studios and filmmakers everywhere wish to emulate but can never live up to. But Ephron was much more than a rom com guru. She was … Continue reading Nora Ephron: Formative Influence
Ann Hui started out her film career working in television, creating short documentaries for organizations with the goal of cleaning up Hong Kong’s government misconduct. Since then, Hui has searched for ways to continue making socially conscious projects, whether they be film or television. Born in Manchuria in 1947 to a Chinese father and Japanese mother, … Continue reading 52 Weeks of Directors: Ann Hui
Much like Mia, the young protagonist in Fish Tank, Andrea Arnold finds peace in dancing. “Apparently, there was a Cambridge professor who did a study on happiness—it took him five years—and he came back and said dancing made people happy. I could have told him that in ten seconds! I’ve always loved dancing, but my … Continue reading 52 Weeks of Directors: Andrea Arnold
Not having seen Boyhood, it’s difficult to compare Celine Sciamma’s Girlhood to Richard Linklater’s much talked about film, one he spent 12 years making. Both are coming of age stories and while Sciamma’s film didn’t take a dozen years to make, it still has a strong artist’s vision behind it. “I picked the title Girlhood not … Continue reading 52 Weeks of Directors: Celine Sciamma
Although her acting career was often attributed to nepotism, Sofia Coppola has carved out her own career writing and directing films. Coppola was born in New York, the daughter of Eleanor and Francis Ford Coppola. Her mother was a set decorator and her father, of course, is the film director most known for The Godfather … Continue reading 52 Weeks of Directors: Sofia Coppola
Lauren C. Byrd 