At a time when Hollywood’s conditions feel particularly grim, it’s important to recognize the movements and resources continuously committed to industrial change and an equality-driven future. The Alice Initiative is among those that have been doing just that.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, The Alice Initiative, which first began in 2016, consists of a group of anonymous female film executives devoted to annually spotlighting 20 talented female directors who have yet to direct a studio feature film. It is named after 20th century French filmmaker Alice Guy-Blanche, who is considered the first female director.
The annual survey is conducted via emailed responses from over 50 executives and producers. It highlights women who have directed a (non-studio) feature alongside those who have worked in TV and/or short films.
Among others, this year’s list includes Rashida Jones (“Hot Girls Wanted”), Regina King (“Shameless”), and Reed Morano, who just recently won an Emmy for her directorial work on “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Initiatives such as these are vital to changing statistics that are unfortunately still far from ideal. Recent numbers show that female filmmakers directed a mere four percent of the past 11 years’ top-grossing films. For women of color, the numbers are nothing short of despicable. Only seven women of color have directed a top-grossing film since 2007.
The Alice Initiative leaves Hollywood with one less excuse as to why it can’t hire women. Having a hard time “finding” a female director? Here are 20 experienced and talented possibilities.
Check out this year’s full list of female filmmakers below, courtesy of THR.
Directors With Completed Feature Work:
Tina Mabry (Mississippi Damned)
Reed Morano (Meadowland; I Think We’re Alone Now; currently shooting Paramount’s The Rhythm Section)
Houda Benyamina (Divines)
Quinn Shepard (Blame)
Roseanne Liang (My Wedding and Other Secrets)
Alethea Jones (Fun Mom Dinner)
Clea Duvall (The Intervention)
Marti Noxon (To the Bone)
Sarah-Violet Bliss (Fort Tilden)
Anna Kerrigan (Five Days Gone)
Directors With Episodic, Documentary or Shorts:
Courtney Hoffman (The Good Time Girls)
Tannaz Hazemi (Hail Mary Country)
Annabel Oakes (All Exchanges Final)
Regina King (Shameless, This Is Us, Scandal, Story of a Village)
Jessica Sanders (March of the Living)
Pam Brady (Lady Dynamite)
Rachael Holder (I Love Bekka & Lucy)
Rashida Jones (Hot Girls Wanted, Angie Tribeca)
Rosie Haber (Jellyfish)
Amanda Lipitz (Step)
