Celebrating Our Female Creator's Today And Every Day

Words by Daniela Cortes
Photo by

As Women’s History Month draws to a close, it’s easy to forget to continue to champion women throughout the year. Although strides have been made, it’s still important to represent women, particularly as writers and directors, in any form of media. The Golden Globes made history this year by nominating three female directors, two of who are women of color, in the Best Director Category. The Academy Awards has nominated two women for Best Director and both were also nominated for their screenplays. Book publishing has also had a recent wave of women writers, particularly writers of color, publish books. Diversity and inclusion seem to be at the forefront of many industries' minds due to the Black Lives Matter movement. That’s why it’s important to support women creators as films and books are released so that they can receive the recognition they deserve.

Below is a list of films and books recently created by women.

Film

Nomadland (2020)

Written and directed by Chloé Zhao, it follows a woman named Fern who becomes a nomad after the death of her husband and her town’s sole industry closes down. This film has been nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay. This film has the Golden Globes for Best Picture-Drama and Best Director. Chloé  Zhao is the first woman of Chinese descent to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director and is the first Asian woman to have ever won the Golden Globe for Best Director.

Promising Young Woman (2020)

Written and directed by Emerald Fennell in her directorial debut, the film follows a woman named Cassie who challenges rape culture in order to avenge her friend who was a victim of sexual assault. This film has been nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress. The film was also nominated
for 4 Golden Globes including Best Picture and Best Director.

One Night in Miami… (2020)

Directed by Regina King in her directorial debut. This film follows a fictionalized meeting of Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke in a room at Hampton House in February 1964. It has been nominated for 3 Academy Awards including Best Supporting Actor. Regina King was nominated for Best Director at the Golden Globes.

Harriet (2019)

Directed by Kasi Lemmons, is a biographical film about the life of Harriet Tubman, an abolitionist and former slave who helped free others using the Underground Railroad. It follows her escape from slavery and her transformation into a heroic figure of freedom in the face of oppression. The film was nominated for the Academy Awards and Golden Globes for Best Actress and Best Original Song in 2019.

Books

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo by Bernandine Evaristo

This novel follows the perspectives of 12 different characters over several decades in the United Kingdom. An intersectional feminist novel, it examines the complex lives of several Black women and defies challenges to define Black womanhood in just one way. This was the co-winner of the 2019 Booker Prize and was among Barack Obama’s Top 19 Books for 2019.

The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell

A mix of magical realism, historical fiction, and science fiction, this novel follows three Zambian families, who are involved in an incident during colonial times, who are slowly re intertwined through various love affairs, political scandals, and technological innovations throughout several generations. This book is the winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award 2020

Becoming by Michelle Obama

A memoir by our former First Lady, Michelle Obama details her early life, marriage, family, and her “Let’s Move” campaign. The audiobook won the Grammy Award for Best Spoken World Album in 2020. A documentary film about the book and tour also entitled Becoming was released on Netflix in 2020.

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall

A critique of mainstream feminism, this novel elaborates how the feminist movement is not as intersectional as it appears to be. Kendall brings attention to the people left out of the movement and the many overlooked issues that they face. Kendall calls out problematic issues but also offers guidance on how to do better and become more intersectional and inclusive.