Women accounted for just five percent of the cinematographers who worked on the top 250 highest-grossing films of 2016, and a female cinematographer has never been nominated for an Oscar. Because women are so underrepresented in the field, recognizing — and supporting — their work is all the more important. We recently reported on female DPs making their mark on Sundance 2017, and now we’re happy to share a list of recommendations for projects lensed by women from the International Collective of Female Cinematographers (ICFC), a network of professional female cinematographers from around the U.S. and the world who work in film, TV, VR, music videos, and more.
Here are their recommendations for what to watch this year. Please note that some of these titles are currently available to watch via streaming, in theaters, or on TV, while others are upcoming.
- “13th,” an Oscar-nominated feature documentary streaming on Netflix (shot by DP Kira Kelly, also of Hulu’s “East Los High”)
- “Hidden Figures,” an Oscar-nominated drama (shot by cinematographer Mandy Walker ASC ACS)
- “Deidra & Laney Rob a Train,” a narrative feature that premiered at Sundance 2017 and will be available on Netflix this year (shot by cinematographer Quyen Tran, also of “The Little Hours,” which premiered at Sundance this year too)
- “Motherland,” a documentary that premiered at Sundance 2017 and will be available on Amazon this year (shot by Nadia Hallgren)
- “Fences,” an Oscar-nominated drama (photographed by DP Charlotte Bruus Christensen)
- “License To Operate,” a crime drama documentary, originally for Viceland but also available on Amazon (shot by cinematographer Rita Baghdadi)
- NBC’s “Chicago Justice” returns in 2017 (from DP Lisa Wiegand ASC, who lensed the first several seasons of NBC’s “Chicago Fire”)
- “La Femme et le TGV” is nominated in the Short Film category for the 2017 Oscars (shot by cinematographer Nausheen Dadabhoy)
- “Mudbound,” a drama that premiered at Sundance 2017 (by DP Rachel Morrison)
- “Abstract: The Art of Design,” a documentary series that premiered at Sundance 2017 (shot by cinematographer Catherine Goldschmidt)
- HBO’s “High Maintenance” has been renewed for Season 2 (photographed by Dagmar Weaver Madison)
- “Free In Deed,” an Independent Spirit Award nominee that premiered at Venice International Film Festival (shot by Ava Berkofskey)
- “Workin’ Moms,” a CBC sitcom (shot by cinematographer Maya Bankovic)
- “Call the Midwife,” a fantastic BBC series (shot by cinematographer Kate Reid)
- “Uncle,” another fantastic BBC series (also shot by Kate Reid)
- Episodes 7 and 8 of the Amazon series “Patriot” (shot by DP Nicole Whitaker)
- “Good Girls Revolt,” an Amazon original series that has disturbingly not been renewed for a second season in 2017 (to wide complaint!). However, Season 1 is still available for your 2017 streaming pleasure. (Shot by Cynthia Puscheck ASC)
- Bonus #18 for 2018! Marvel’s “Black Panther” is currently in production (with cinematographer Rachel Morrison)