Another list, and another list that another list that includes hardly any women – one to be exact. Sometimes I try to let these pass, but you can’t ignore a list put out by Spike Lee. He is a respected filmmaker who is out there with a new kickstarter campaign for a film (Steven Soderbergh donated $10,000), and a new film Oldboy coming out this fall and he is a professor at NYU’s film school.

And his list of “essential” films — which includes 87 films and 62 directors — is what he gives his students to watch to learn from.  Now, of course, there are not as many female directors as male directors, but STILL.  He is an educator.  And this is what he is teaching the students — that only one woman (Katia Lund who co-directed City of Gods) is the worthy of having made an essential film.  

I think that the administrators of NYU Film School should take a look at this list and get creative.  If they are looking for directors that have made some great movies they can check out In Her Voice: Women Directors Talk Directing.

You can see his list of essential films here.