Movies directed by women to watch in 2019

Josie Rourke, Mary Queen of Scots

Josie Rourke is no stranger to the stage, but Mary Queen of Scots marks the director's big screen debut. It all began when she was the first woman in history to direct the Footlights Pantomime during her time at Cambridge, and Rourke has been the artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse theatre in London since 2012.

With Mary Queen Of Scots, Rourke is capitalising on her dramatic roots to bring to life a high-stakes period piece on an emotionally charged piece of history.

Karyn Kusama, Destroyer

In 2009, Karyn Kusama made Jennifer's Body – a supernatural horror comedy starring Megan Fox, which received mediocre reviews at the time. Since then it's been given a second chance, which paves the way for an exciting return in Destroyer.

Kusama directs the original crime drama which showcases Nicole Kidman as we've never seen her before.

Marielle Heller, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

On the Hollywood Reporter's Director Roundtable, Marielle Heller is the only woman talking about her film this year. Can You Ever Forgive Me? follows her fantastic debut The Diary of a Teenage Girl which framed the coming-of-age catalyst under a new light with a light touch and deeply felt honesty.

Heller now takes on the incredible true story of Lee Israel, a writer and forger worth so much more than the crimes that made her famous. It's a match made in heaven, set to storm the upcoming awards season.

Nadine Labaki, Capernaum

At the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, Nadine Labaki's third film Capernaum won the Jury Prize. The devastating drama begins with a 12-year-old boy who sues his parents for bringing him into the world.

Labaki grew up in a war-torn environment amidst the civil war in Lebanon. Her filmography shines a light on lesser seen realities with vital stories to tell. Her first film Caramel came to be during a six-month residency at the Cannes Film Festival, and she has remained on the world's radar ever since.

Mimi Leder, On the Basis of Sex

The Emmys know Mimi Leder extremely well. The prolific director and producer has been at the helm of beloved projects since 1987, including The West Wing, ER, Shameless and The Leftovers.

Leder only has a handful of film credits to her name, but the exposure is sure to change with On the Basis of Sex, based on the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It seems fitting that the first female graduate of the AFI Conservatory (a private not-for-profit graduate film school) should direct a biopic about one of the most influential women in recent history.

Elizabeth Chomko, What They Had

You might not know Elizabeth Chomko yet, but you soon will. It's increasingly rare to see new ideas with completely original writing, but for Chomko's debut she does exactly that. What They Had is a tender, personal drama that doesn't rely on genre-based tropes or existing anomalies, instead proving its own worth.

Chomko has starred in short films and minor TV series, but her directing debut – starring Hillary Swank, Michael Shannon and Robert Forster – is set to change the game for good.

Sara Colangelo, The Kindergarten Teacher

Sara Colangelo's directorial debut, Little Accidents, premiered at Sundance in 2014 and won the Grand Jury Prize. Expectations were high for her new film, a US remake of Israeli drama The Kindergarten Teacher, but yet again Colangelo impresses, demonstrating her flair for exploring a less-than-perfect woman with respect and strength.

Her next project is already in the works: 'a new, female-focused WWII film' is the only description on offer so far, but the confidence in her work can only lead to even greater things.

Anna Boden, Captain Marvel

As the first female-led superhero film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain Marvel has got to deliver. But Ryan K. Fleck and Anna Boden are at the helm, which inspires confidence in the specific precision a female director (even as a collaborator) can offer.

The pair are writing and directing the upcoming film together. In their previous work, Boden more often produces and edits (she edited Half Nelson, Sugar, Children of Invention, It's Kind of a Funny Story and Mississippi Grind) while Fleck directed Half Nelson.

Captain Marvel presents a new opportunity to explore a female-fronted story for a wider audience to cherish.

Alice Rohrwacher, Happy as Lazzaro

There's something incredibly mysterious but utterly captivating about Italian filmmaker Alice Rohrwacher's new film Happy as Lazzaro. The film premiered in competition at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, and caught the attention of Netflix who will be releasing the film on their platform after a theatrical run in 2019.

Words associated with Rohrwacher include 'magical realism' and 'charming coming-of-age' – her stories celebrate young life and endless possibilities, capturing a moment impossible to forget while never decoding every enigmatic detail too soon. Her previous film The Wonders won the Grand Prix in Cannes in 2014, and Happy as Lazzaro won the award for Best Screenplay in 2018.

Catherine Hardwicke, Miss Bala

If the name Catherine Hardwicke rings a bell, it might be because of her magnum opus: in 2008, she directed the first Twilight film. Hardwicke began her career as a production designer and turned to directing in 2003 with her debut Thirteen – next year she's taking on a bigger project, with a remake of the 2011 Mexican drama Miss Bala.

Hardwicke's upcoming project stars Gina Rodriguez and Anthony Mackie, telling a story of hidden power and unprecedented danger in a world of cross-border crime and bone-deep loyalties.

Carol Morley, Out of Blue

Patricia Clarkson is showing no signs of slowing down, and neither is Carol Morley. We loved her 2014 ethereal coming-of-age film The Falling, and her upcoming feature Out of Blue promises a sharp turn as she takes Patricia Clarkson down the rabbit hole as Detective Mike Hoolihan in a story of crime and psychology sure to enclave itself in your mind.

There's no sentimentalism but an urgent sense of gravitas to Morley's work, placing her on exciting ground for things to come in the new year.

Josephine Decker, Madeline's Madeline

Josephine Decker's films have a woozy, slippery quality that captures the precision of an imagiative artist like very few other directors working today. Her filmography remains modest, as Madeline's Madeline will be her fourth feature.

From Butter on the Latch to Thou Wast Mild and Lovely, the powerful understanding of the intersections of mental health, female necessity and environmental survival blend in imaginative and innovative ways. Madeline's Madeline is a hypnotic portrait of a young girl, wrestling with emotional turmoil and artistic manipulation.

Following this, Decker is heading straight into production on Shirley, a biopic about writer Shirley Jackson starring Elisabeth Moss, Michael Stuhlbarg and Logan Lerman. Decker is going to set the world on fire, we should be so lucky to witness the afterglow.