Alice Initiative Reveals Annual List of Emerging Female Directors

Tayarisha Poe, Karen Gillan and Lulu Wang are among the 20 female filmmakers selected by a group of more than 50 studio execs and producers.

Just days after the Oscar nominations once again revealed all men in the directing category, the Alice Initiative — backed by a group of female film executives — has announced its annual survey highlighting 20 female directors who are primed for a studio directing gig.

This year's list, voted on by more than 50 studio executives and producers, highlights 10 women who have directed at least one (non-studio) feature and 10 who have garnered attention for their work on TV or in short films. The list this year includes recent awards season contenders like The Farewell's Lulu Wang, Honeyboy's Alma Har'el and Portrait of a Lady on Fire's Céline Sciamma.

The Alice Initiative, named after French filmmaker Alice Guy-Blaché, who is widely considered the first female director, was launched in 2016 by a group of female film executives and producers to highlight promising up-and-coming female directors who are ready to helm their first studio film.

This year, the Alice Initiative is also teaming with Women Wednesdays, to try to amplify their efforts to identify and support female filmmakers. Women Wednesdays brings together industry members who are dedicated to finding, sharing and empowering the voices of female filmmakers. What started as a weekly movie screening with a few friends has quickly evolved into an industry wide event and newsletter that is shared with over 1,000 executives, agents, coordinators and assistants across the business.

In addition to the women highlighted on the Alice Initiative List, the Alice Initiative website also provides a curated list of women currently working in TV and Film that they would consider working with.

See the complete list from the the Alice Initiative below.

Women Who Have Directed a Feature

Lisa Brühlmann (Blue My Mind)

Laure de Clermont-Tonnere (The Mustang)

Karen Gillan (The Party's Just Beginning)

Alma Har'el (Honey Boy)

Lena Khan (The Tiger Hunter)

Issa Lopez (Tigers Are Not Afraid)

HIKARI (37 Seconds)

Olivia Newman (First Match)

Tayarisha Poe (Selah & the Spades)

Sasie Sealy (Lucky Grandma)

Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire)

Lulu Wang (The Farewell)

Women Who Have Not Directed a Feature

Thembi Banks - Shorts: “Baldwin Beauty” and "Suitable”

Karena Evans - Music Video: "Nice for What"

Rachel Goldberg - Episodic: "Raising Dion" “American Horror Story”

Sharon Horgan - Episodic: “Catastrophe” “Modern Love”

Anne Hu - Short: “Cake”

Alexis Ostrander - Episodic: “Servant”, Short: “The Haircut”

AV Rockwell - Short: “Feathers”

Anya Adams - Episodic: "Glow" “Black-ish”

Dime Davis - Episodic: “Black Lady Sketch Show”

Lucy Forbes - “End of the Fucking World”

Nikyatu Jusu: Short: “Suicide by Sunlight”

Zelda Williams – Short: “Shrimp”