For Women’s History Month, Rotten Tomatoes is commemorating the work of women directors throughout the 21st Century. Our guide to the 270 best-reviewed movies by women filmmakers since 2000 includes documentary marvels like Nanfu Wang’s One Child Nation and Kirsten Johnson’s Cameraperson as well as unforgettable narrative features like Marielle Heller’s Can You Ever Forgive Me? and Ava DuVernay’s Selma. The movies on the list cover an expansive breadth of topics, characters, and stories. They dispel the fallacy that women directors can only tell one type of story, one gorgeous image after moving story after another.
Women have been shaping cinema since its earliest days. Silent era pioneers like Alice Guy-Blaché and Lois Weber blazed a trail as influential as their male counterparts; screenwriters like Francis Marion and editors like Margaret Booth were celebrated for their work, and Booth would go on to be one of the most influential voices on the MGM Studio lot. But as the film business became more lucrative, women were largely and unceremoniously pushed out of the creative and decision-making side of filmmaking. While many broke through with incredible work — among them Dorothy Arzner, Elaine May, Agnès Varda, and Kathryn Bigelow, who became the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Director for her film The Hurt Locker — the decades after the silent era and through the end of the 20th century saw filmmaking, especially in the mainstream, increasingly dominated by men.
The past two decades have seen some great movement, though, and some major milestones hit (that Oscar win for Bigelow; Patty Jenkins’ historic work on Wonder Woman). The directors on this list include Lulu Wang, whose touching movie The Farewell won critical and industry acclaim, as well as Céline Sciamma for her latest film, Portrait of a Lady on Fire. (Now, if only the Academy would acknowledge their efforts…). There’s also Waad Al-Kateab, who with fellow director Edward Watts, brought her searing personal experience of the Syrian conflict to viewers around the world in For Sama, and Dominga Sotomayor Castillo, who took audiences with her back to 1990s Chile in her coming-of-age drama Too Late to Die Young. Sabaah Folayan’s feature debut Whose Streets? sits near Agnès Varda’s final documentaries Varda by Agnès and Faces Places.
To make the list, we looked at the top Certified Fresh films rated 90% and above directed by women since 2000, including those in directing teams. Among 2023’s additions include Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall and Celine Song’s Past Lives (each nominated for the 2024 Best Picture Oscar), Kelly Fremon Craig’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret., Emma Seligman’s Bottoms, Raine Allen Miller’s Rye Lane, Sammi Cohen’s You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, and Adele Lim’s Joy Ride.
Enjoy the following list as a guide to some of the best movies by women directors so far this century. No two movies are alike in their ability to entertain, inform or reach us. – Monica Castillo
#1
Adjusted Score: 110669%
Critics Consensus: A smart, solidly crafted procedural that’s anchored in family drama, Anatomy of a Fall finds star Sandra Hüller and director/co-writer Justine Triet operating at peak power.
#2
Adjusted Score: 112561%
Critics Consensus: A remarkable debut for writer-director Celine Song, Past Lives uses the bonds between its sensitively sketched central characters to support trenchant observations on the human condition.
#3
Adjusted Score: 111244%
Critics Consensus: Effervescent and refreshingly frank about the travails of puberty, this long-awaited adaptation does full justice to Judy Blume’s seminal novel.
#4
Adjusted Score: 101712%
Critics Consensus: Propulsive and over-the-top, Bottoms is an instant high school comedy classic that feels both current and nostalgic.
#5
Adjusted Score: 104864%
Critics Consensus: Good news, rom-com fans: Anyone looking for a smart, funny, and heartwarming new addition to the canon can find it waiting on Rye Lane.
#6
Adjusted Score: 94612%
Critics Consensus: A coming-of-age comedy that sidesteps simple nostalgia, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah finds fresh humor in adolescent anxiety — and suggests a bright future for star Sunny Sandler.
#7
Adjusted Score: 101535%
Critics Consensus: Joy Ride isn’t afraid to shock with its gross-out gags, but this road trip’s real surprise is how successfully it blends its raunchy humor with real heart.
#8
Adjusted Score: 98676%
Critics Consensus: Reality‘s narrow scope and gripping fact-based story add up to a riveting showcase for Sydney Sweeney in the title role.
#9
Adjusted Score: 96144%
Critics Consensus: Sensitively and intelligently crafted by writer-director Laurel Parmet, The Starling Girl is a well-told coming-of-age story centering around a young woman’s struggles with her spiritual faith.
#10
Adjusted Score: 99563%
Critics Consensus: Like a cold treat on a hot day, Scrapper delivers two scoops of a sweet father-daughter dramedy best consumed when in need of a hug.
#11
Adjusted Score: 105771%
Critics Consensus: Smart, funny, and above all entertaining, You Hurt My Feelings finds writer-director Nicole Holofcener as sharply perceptive as ever.
#12
Adjusted Score: 102214%
Critics Consensus: A powerful debut for Molly Manning Walker, How to Have Sex authentically captures female adolescence and friendship with sobering effervescence.
#13
Adjusted Score: 100617%
Critics Consensus: Firmly rooted in classic horror, Birth/Rebirth uses a familiar framework to tease at fundamental fears from a chillingly relatable angle.
#14
Adjusted Score: 99199%
Critics Consensus: Four Daughters‘ unique approach to documenting real-life horror is a formal gamble that only underscores the bravery and resilience of its subjects.
#15
Adjusted Score: 99429%
Critics Consensus: Heavy yet hopeful, Earth Mama is a moving look at single motherhood on the margins that features outstanding work from writer-director Savanah Leaf and star Tia Nomore.
#16
Adjusted Score: 99962%
Critics Consensus: An understated yet impactful story of female empowerment, Shayda establishes first-time feature filmmaker Noora Niasari as a remarkably assured talent.
#17
Adjusted Score: 103332%
Critics Consensus: A tribute to parental devotion and a testament to Teyana Taylor’s talent, A Thousand and One presents a heart-wrenching portrait of perseverance in the face of systemic inequity.
#18
Adjusted Score: 102174%
Critics Consensus: Sensitively written and beautifully acted, Girl Picture captures the whirlwind of teenage emotions without sacrificing narrative maturity and depth.
#19
Adjusted Score: 106035%
Critics Consensus: Till reframes an historically horrific murder within a mother’s grief, brought heartwrenchingly to life by Danielle Deadwyler’s tremendous performance.
#20
Adjusted Score: 99288%
Critics Consensus: Sissy weaves timely themes into its rich blend of horror and dark humor, topped off by terrific work from a talented cast led by Aisha Dee.
#21
Adjusted Score: 110524%
Critics Consensus: Heartwarming, humorous, beautifully animated, and culturally expansive, Turning Red extends Pixar’s long list of family-friendly triumphs.
#22
Adjusted Score: 108667%
Critics Consensus: All hail Viola Davis! The Woman King rules.
#23
Adjusted Score: 105094%
Critics Consensus: Sexual awakening stories aren’t in short supply, but Good Luck to You, Leo Grande proves you can still tell one with a refreshing — and very funny — spin.
#24
Adjusted Score: 108894%
Critics Consensus: Led by Frankie Corio’s tremendous performance, Aftersun deftly ushers audiences to the intersection between our memories of loved ones and who they really are.
#25
Adjusted Score: 99662%
Critics Consensus: A message movie in a hard horror shell, Hatching perches between beauty and revulsion — and establishes director Hanna Bergholm as a bright new talent.
#26
Adjusted Score: 95775%
Critics Consensus: Brought hauntingly to life by Laura Galán’s committed performance, Piggy deftly deploys genre thrills in service of sharp social commentary.
#27
Adjusted Score: 93316%
Critics Consensus: Proof that there’s still life in the found-footage gimmick, Deadstream is a scarily good bit of B-movie fun.
#28
Adjusted Score: 97176%
Critics Consensus: Led by Anna Diop’s strong central performance, the smartly disquieting Nanny is a promising debut for writer-director Nikyatu Jusu.
#29
Adjusted Score: 91914%
Critics Consensus: With a hopeful tune, The Cow Who Sang a Song Into the Future basks in magical realism to deliver a compelling family drama swathed in a powerful environmental fable.
#30
Adjusted Score: 91400%
Critics Consensus: Narratively subtle and beautifully acted, You Can Live Forever finds soulful drama at the intersection of sexual orientation and religious faith.
#31
Adjusted Score: 92571%
Critics Consensus: A delightfully unique tribute to the transporting power of cinema, Leonor Will Never Die marks director/co-writer Martika Ramirez Escobar as a talent to watch.
#32
Adjusted Score: 93800%
Critics Consensus: Lily Gladstone’s outstanding performances powers The Unknown Country through some narrative drift to its ultimately profound destination.
#33
Adjusted Score: 93200%
Critics Consensus: Chile ’76 is an intriguing historical noir that radiographs Pinochet’s patronizing and patriarchal society through the eyes of a steely bourgeoise woman who dares to take a stand.
#34
Adjusted Score: 93772%
Critics Consensus: Other People’s Children perceptively explores motherhood outside traditional biological confines and delivers sobering truths with an ample side of levity.
#35
Adjusted Score: 93972%
Critics Consensus: With subtlety and authenticity, War Pony tracks the lives of two young Indigenous men and cements the two women behind the lens, Riley Keough and Gina Gammell, as talents to watch.
#36
Adjusted Score: 95859%
Critics Consensus: Moody, sensitive, and subtly layered, Falcon Lake captures the intoxicating horror of young love.
#37
Adjusted Score: 95430%
Critics Consensus: Further distinguished by Virginie Efira’s superb performance, Revoir Paris explores trauma’s aftermath with devastating tenderness.
#38
Adjusted Score: 100829%
Critics Consensus: A gut-punching contemplation of a woman’s immigrant experience, Saint Omer puts a mother on the stand and the audience in the jury box to find humanity in the inhumane.
#39
Adjusted Score: 105924%
Critics Consensus: While Women Talking sometimes forsakes entertaining drama in favor of simply getting its points across, its message is valuable — and effectively delivered.
#40
Adjusted Score: 100343%
Critics Consensus: Bridging times past with issues that are still current, Blue Jean resonates intellectually and emotionally thanks to thoughtful direction and authentic performances.
#41
Adjusted Score: 96516%
Critics Consensus: A is for Amanda, an amusingly absurd coming-of-age comedy that offers poignant observations and positions director Carolina Cavalli as a talent to watch.
#42
Adjusted Score: 101600%
Critics Consensus: A bone-chilling body horror, Huesera offers genre fans a twisted take on What to Expect When You’re Expecting.
#43
Adjusted Score: 99344%
Critics Consensus: Klondike offers a bleak portrait of a war-torn Ukrainian village with the mordant wit of someone who understands that for civilians, the mundanities of life must go on.
#44
Adjusted Score: 95314%
Critics Consensus: While it may lack a narrative punch, Alcarràs captures this rural world and its heritage with a gripping sense of nostalgia for things forever gone.
#45
Adjusted Score: 93831%
Critics Consensus: More visually impressive than narratively engaging, Vesper rewards patient viewers with immersive world-building and intelligent ideas.
#46
Adjusted Score: 100462%
Critics Consensus: Finely wrought to a fault, One Fine Morning presents a subtle, well-acted look at life and love.
#47
Adjusted Score: 102667%
Critics Consensus: Although She Said struggles to add cinematic flair to its fact-based story, it remains a worthy, well-acted tribute to journalistic integrity.
#48
Adjusted Score: 93628%
Critics Consensus: Pray Away presents a compassionate picture of the damage wrought by so-called conversion therapy — on its subjects as well as its proponents.
Starring:
#49
Adjusted Score: 105331%
Critics Consensus: A ruefully funny calling card for debuting director Emma Seligman, Shiva Baby transcends its sitcom setup with strong performances and satisfying insights.
#50
Adjusted Score: 98258%
Critics Consensus: Together Together explores love and parenthood from unexpected angles, capturing a broad spectrum of emotions through Patti Harrison and Ed Helms’ starring performances.
#51
Adjusted Score: 92647%
Critics Consensus: V/H/S/94 gets the franchise back on track with a gory buffet of shorts that should delight horror anthology fans.
#52
Adjusted Score: 93401%
Critics Consensus: Ailey pays invigorating tribute to its subject’s brilliant legacy — and offers a tantalizing introduction to the rest of a fascinating story.
#53
Adjusted Score: 91629%
Critics Consensus: Well-acted by its young leads, Martyrs Lane tells a slow-burning ghost story that gathers real emotional weight.
#54
Adjusted Score: 102406%
Critics Consensus: While Passing‘s delicate approach has a dampening effect on its story, debuting director Rebecca Hall makes the most of an impressive cast — and handles thorny themes with impressive dexterity.
#55
Adjusted Score: 96186%
Critics Consensus: Drawing on another terrific performance from Honor Swinton Byrne, The Souvenir Part II continues its story with profound emotional complexity and elegant storytelling.
#56
Adjusted Score: 96321%
Critics Consensus: El Planeta taps into real-life economic anxiety to present a darkly humorous glimpse of life spent teetering on the edge of financial ruin.
#57
Adjusted Score: 99416%
Critics Consensus: Like the show whose groundbreaking creation it commemorates, Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street is as enlightening as it is purely entertaining.
#58
Adjusted Score: 101060%
Critics Consensus: An affecting profile of screen legend Rita Moreno, Just a Girl is at once a sharp critique of the industry’s crushing inequities and a beautiful homage to an artist who never backed down despite the odds.
#59
Adjusted Score: 97896%
Critics Consensus: Plan B doesn’t overplay its timely message — and it doesn’t have to, thanks to a sharp, funny script and the sparkling chemistry between its charming stars.
#60
Adjusted Score: 98059%
Critics Consensus: Gripping and clear-eyed, In the Same Breath captures history as it’s being written — and governmental failures as they amplify worldwide tragedy.
Starring:
#61
Adjusted Score: 96665%
Critics Consensus: A remarkable first feature for writer-director Lauren Hadaway, The Novice paints a thrilling — and disturbing — portrait of obsession.
#62
Adjusted Score: 102781%
Critics Consensus: With a thought-provoking concept brought to humorous life by a pair of well-matched leads, I’m Your Man is an AI rom-com whose intelligence is anything but artificial.
#63
Adjusted Score: 107697%
Critics Consensus: Small in narrative scope but deeply impactful, Petite Maman is a delicate, powerfully acted meditation on grief.
#64
Adjusted Score: 99576%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#65
Adjusted Score: 102003%
Critics Consensus: Attica revisits the titular riot with intelligence, compassion, and anger, presenting a version of events that honors history as much as it exemplifies the art of documentary filmmaking.
#66
Adjusted Score: 100218%
Critics Consensus: As visually thrilling as it is edifying, Becoming Cousteau pays fitting tribute to a pioneering explorer and environmental advocate.
#67
Adjusted Score: 100738%
Critics Consensus: Befitting the culinary aesthetic favored by the brilliant chef it honors, Julia uses fresh, simple ingredients to create a sumptuous documentary feast.
#68
Adjusted Score: 103025%
Critics Consensus: Anchored by Yllka Gashi’s outstanding performance, Hive leads viewers on one woman’s fact-based quest for self-determination in a patriarchal society.
#69
Adjusted Score: 101683%
Critics Consensus: Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror takes a fascinating deep dive that’ll leave like-minded viewers making numerous new additions to their streaming queues.
#70
Adjusted Score: 108820%
Critics Consensus: CODA‘s story offers few surprises, but strong representation and a terrific cast — led by Emilia Jones’ brilliant performance — bring this coming-of-age story vividly to life.
#71
Adjusted Score: 112480%
Critics Consensus: Brought to life by a stellar ensemble led by Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog reaffirms writer-director Jane Campion as one of her generation’s finest filmmakers.
#72
Adjusted Score: 107175%
Critics Consensus: A tough but rewarding watch, Happening puts a personal face on an impossibly difficult choice and its heart-rending aftermath.
#73
Adjusted Score: 99648%
Critics Consensus: Hellbender stirs a boiling cauldron of adolescent angst, serving up a coming-of-age story with dark horror overtones.
#74
Adjusted Score: 100611%
Critics Consensus: Bursting with ideas and ambition, Neptune Frost is difficult to describe — and just as hard to resist.
#75
Adjusted Score: 95220%
Critics Consensus: An eerily relevant debut from writer-director Iuli Gerbase, The Pink Cloud reaches into the emotional fault lines of pandemic life and comes away with striking observations about human behavior.
#76
Adjusted Score: 95702%
Critics Consensus: Empathetic and well-acted, The Fallout uses the aftermath of teen trauma to grapple with the experience of grief.
#77
Adjusted Score: 95438%
Critics Consensus: Narratively challenging and visually haunting, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair adds a uniquely ambitious and unsettling entry to the crowded coming-of-age genre.
#78
Adjusted Score: 94399%
Critics Consensus: A coming-of-age story with a uniquely sunny noir spin, Murina deftly explores dark themes against a deceptively idyllic setting.
#79
Adjusted Score: 92754%
Critics Consensus: The main character may be hard to like, but Anaïs in Love offers a well-acted and breezily humorous take on its admittedly well-worn themes.
#80
Adjusted Score: 95166%
Critics Consensus: Discomfiting and dreamy, Clara Sola brings a sensual surreality to a story of oppressed autonomy, with debuting star Wendy Chinchilla Araya providing a mesmerizing focal point.
#81
Adjusted Score: 106231%
Critics Consensus: The Forty-Year-Old Version opens a compelling window into the ebbs and flows of the artist’s life — and announces writer-director-star Radha Blank as a major filmmaking talent with her feature debut.
#82
Adjusted Score: 104278%
Critics Consensus: Totally Under Control does a commendable job of distilling current events into a clear-eyed overview that’s as engaging as it is enraging.
#83
Adjusted Score: 107203%
Critics Consensus: Like a pageant winner walking across the stage, Miss Juneteenth follows a familiar path — but does so with charm and grace.
#84
Adjusted Score: 102047%
Critics Consensus: Whether you see Kajillionaire as refreshingly unique or simply bizarre will depend on your cinematic adventurousness — and fans of writer-director Miranda July wouldn’t have it any other way.
#85
Adjusted Score: 112688%
Critics Consensus: Powerfully acted and directed, Never Rarely Sometimes Always reaffirms writer-director Eliza Hittman as a filmmaker of uncommon sensitivity and grace.
#86
Adjusted Score: 102657%
Critics Consensus: Harrowing yet essential viewing, Athlete A shines an unforgiving light on horrific abuses — as well as the culture that allowed them to continue unabated for years.
#87
Adjusted Score: 103085%
Critics Consensus: An absorbing and affectionate tribute to a unique individual, Mucho Mucho Amor should prove fascinating for Walter Mercado fans as well as first-timers.
#88
Adjusted Score: 103084%
Critics Consensus: All In: The Fight for Democracy lives up to its title as a galvanizing rallying cry for voters to exercise — and preserve — their right to be heard.
#89
Adjusted Score: 104097%
Critics Consensus: Dick Johnson Is Dead celebrates a life with bittersweet humor and grace, offering a deeply resonant perspective on mortality in the bargain.
#90
Adjusted Score: 105571%
Critics Consensus: Relic ratchets up its slowly building tension in an expertly crafted atmosphere of dread, adding up to an outstanding feature debut for director/co-writer Natalie Erika James.
#91
Adjusted Score: 118148%
Critics Consensus: A hauntingly powerful reflection on larger-than-life figures, One Night in Miami finds Regina King in command of her craft in her feature directorial debut.
#92
Adjusted Score: 91560%
Critics Consensus: Les Nôtres deftly hits expected beats to tell a story of betrayal whose finely calibrated direction and performances make it all the more harrowing.
#93
Adjusted Score: 92169%
Critics Consensus: A striking debut from director/co-writer Dea Kulumbegashvili, Beginning grapples convincingly with complex ideas while offering a brilliant showcase for star Ia Sukhitashvili.
#94
Adjusted Score: 93353%
Critics Consensus: Beans opens a compelling window into the indigenous coming-of-age experience — and serves as an affecting debut for Kiawentiio.
#95
Adjusted Score: 93291%
Critics Consensus: Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation lives up to its title with an absorbing and revealing look at a pair of American literary giants.
#96
Adjusted Score: 95510%
Critics Consensus: It’s hard not to hear echoes of similarly desperate stories, but Holler drowns them out with strong performances and palpable empathy.
#97
Adjusted Score: 94743%
Critics Consensus: A heartwarming look at the way a meaningful bond can transcend just about any barrier, this documentary will leave you asking your friends to come and see My Octopus Teacher with you.
#98
Adjusted Score: 92804%
Critics Consensus: True Mothers uses an intractable conflict to explore the bonds of parenthood with director/co-writer Naomi Kawase’s usual sensitivity and grace.
#99
Adjusted Score: 96560%
Critics Consensus: Anchored by the believable bond between its leads, Wildfire tells a heartfelt and realistic story of sisters peering into their family’s past.
#100
Adjusted Score: 94499%
Critics Consensus: Wildland reaches past the familiar tropes of its gangster drama setup to tell an evocative and refreshingly original coming-of-age story.
#101
Adjusted Score: 96205%
Critics Consensus: A rich blend of thrilling horror and sharp social commentary, Lucky acts as a bloody good calling card for director Natasha Kermani and writer-star Brea Grant.
#102
Adjusted Score: 95413%
Critics Consensus: Led by Alec Utgoff’s impressive starring performance, Never Gonna Snow Again blends elements of sci-fi, satire, and surreal drama with an assured hand.
#103
Adjusted Score: 96439%
Critics Consensus: Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President warmly — and tunefully — highlights a rarely explored facet of the 39th U.S. President’s tenure.
#104
Adjusted Score: 94743%
Critics Consensus: An enchanting debut for writer-director-star Suzanne Lindon, Spring Blossom captures first love with fittingly delicate beauty.
#105
Adjusted Score: 91986%
Critics Consensus: Spurts of dark humor gush out of I Blame Society‘s satirical approach to filmmaking and celebrity culture, prodded by sharp societal observations from writer-director-star Gillian Wallace Horvat.
#106
Adjusted Score: 101668%
Critics Consensus: A remarkable feature debut for director Heidi Ewing, I Carry You with Me finds universally resonant themes in a specific, richly detailed time and place.
#107
Adjusted Score: 99144%
Critics Consensus: A slim-cut slice of bizarre horror, Slaxx effectively balances quirk with gore — and has the good sense to get out before its oddball premise starts showing its seams.
#108
Adjusted Score: 102390%
Critics Consensus: A slow-burning descent into desperation, Identifying Features uses one shattered family’s ordeal to offer a harrowing look at the immigrant experience.
#109
Adjusted Score: 103816%
Critics Consensus: Quo Vadis, Aida? uses one woman’s heartbreaking conflict to offer a searing account of war’s devastating human toll.
#110
Adjusted Score: 91560%
Critics Consensus: A slasher with flair and crafty patience for the kill, The Stylist marks writer-director Jill Gevargizian as an uncommonly sharp genre filmmaker.
#111
Adjusted Score: 102779%
Critics Consensus: Led by Noée Abita’s outstanding central performance, Slalom offers a moving account of oppression and abuse in the guise of mentorship.
#112
Adjusted Score: 118573%
Critics Consensus: A poetic character study on the forgotten and downtrodden, Nomadland beautifully captures the restlessness left in the wake of the Great Recession.
#113
Adjusted Score: 115029%
Critics Consensus: A boldly provocative, timely thriller, Promising Young Woman is an auspicious feature debut for writer-director Emerald Fennell — and a career highlight for Carey Mulligan.
#114
Adjusted Score: 99268%
Critics Consensus: Stray takes a patient, meditative look at the lives of Istanbul’s stray dog population — and uncovers truths of the human condition in the process.
Starring:
#115
Adjusted Score: 96683%
Critics Consensus: Balancing whimsy-tinged magic realism against serious themes of community and displacement, Gagarine is as bracingly original as it is ultimately poignant.
#116
Adjusted Score: 91499%
Critics Consensus: Tove‘s conventional approach to depicting the life of a singular talent is offset by Alma Pöysti’s outstanding performance in the title role.