Top 10 Best Movies Directed by Women

Shattering Stereotypes: Most Popular Films by Women Directors of 2023

2023 marked a breakthrough year for women directors, with Greta Gerwig's Barbie shattering box office records and films like Anatomy of a Fall earning Oscar acclaim. This top 10 list highlights commercial success, critical praise, and cultural impact from female-led visions in comedy, horror, drama, and thriller genres.

1. Barbie (2023) Directed by Greta Gerwig

Barbie is a 2023 fantasy comedy film, directed by Greta Gerwig, from a screenplay she wrote with Noah Baumbach. Based on the eponymous fashion dolls by Mattel, it is the first live-action Barbie film after numerous computer-animated films and specials. The film stars Margot Robbie as the title character and Ryan Gosling as Ken, and follows the pair on a journey of self-discovery through both Barbieland and the real world following an existential crisis.

The film has grossed $1.446 billion and achieved several milestones, including becoming the highest-grossing film of 2023 and the 14th highest-grossing film of all time. At just 17 days, "Barbie" tied the studio record for the fastest time to hit $1 billion globally. Named one of the top 10 films of 2023 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute, it received critical acclaim and other accolades, including eight Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor and Actress for Gosling and Ferrera respectively) and won two Golden Globe Awards.

2. Theater Camp (2023) Directed by Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman

Theater Camp is a 2023 American mockumentary comedy film directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman in both of their feature directorial debuts from a screenplay by Gordon, Lieberman, Ben Platt, and Noah Galvin. A feature-length adaptation of the 2020 short film of the same name, the film follows the counselors of an underfunded theater-focused summer camp in Upstate New York.

The film opened with $301k (or $50.2k per theater at six locations) and was the strongest limited opening for Searchlight Pictures since 2019's Jojo Rabbit ($349k in five locations).

3. Totally Killer (2023) Directed by Nahnatchka Khan

Totally Killer is a 2023 American slasher comedy film directed by Nahnatchka Khan from a screenplay by David Matalon, Sasha Perl-Raver, and Jen D'Angelo, and a screen story by Matalon and Perl-Raver. Produced by Jason Blum, under his Blumhouse Television banner, and Adam Hendricks and Greg Gilreath under their Divide/Conquer banner, it stars Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, and Julie Bowen. The story follows Jamie (Shipka) who, after her mother is murdered by the same Sweet 16 Killer who went on a murder spree 35 years earlier, travels back in time to 1987, where she pairs up with her mother to catch the killer during his original spree and return to her timeline before she is trapped in the past forever.

Totally Killer premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 28, 2023, and was released on Amazon Prime Video on October 6, 2023.

4. Anatomy of a Fall (2023) ‘Anatomie d'une chute’ Directed by Justine Triet

Anatomy of a Fall is a 2023 French legal drama film, directed by Justine Triet from a screenplay she co-wrote with Arthur Harari. It stars Sandra Hüller as a writer trying to prove her innocence in her husband's death.

This film won 6 awards at the 49th César Awards, including Best Film. The film also gained significant international success, winning two Golden Globes, one BAFTA and five nominations at the Oscars, including Best Picture.

As of February 22, 2024, Anatomy of a Fall has grossed $4.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $24.9 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $29.6 million.

In its opening weekend the film made $117,000 from five theaters. It made $152,000 in its second weekend from fourteen theaters. Expanding to 262 theaters the following weekend the film made $634,000, finishing in 11th. During its fourth weekend the film expanded to 440 and made $600,355 for a total of $2 million.

5. Priscilla (2023) Directed by Sofia Coppola

Priscilla is a 2023 American biographical drama film written, directed, and produced by Sofia Coppola, based on the 1985 memoir Elvis and Me by Priscilla Presley (who serves as an executive producer) and Sandra Harmon. It follows the life of Priscilla (played by Cailee Spaeny) and her complicated romantic relationship with Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi).

Priscilla premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 4, 2023, and was released in the United States by A24 in select theaters on October 27, 2023, before expanding wide on November 3. It received generally positive reviews from critics and grossed $31 million. For her performance, Spaeny received a Best Actress nomination at the Golden Globe Awards.

During its first weekend in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the film finished in sixth place. The film grossed £1.4 million during its first full week in theaters, including £643,800 over the weekend.

6. Cocaine Bear (2023) Directed by Elizabeth Banks

Cocaine Bear (released as Crazy Bear in some countries) is a 2023 American comedy horror film directed by Elizabeth Banks and written by Jimmy Warden.

It is loosely inspired by the true story of the "Cocaine Bear", an American black bear that ingested several kilograms of a bag containing about 75 lb (34 kg) of lost cocaine. The film stars Keri Russell, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Christian Convery, Alden Ehrenreich, Brooklynn Prince, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Margo Martindale, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Ray Liotta. It is dedicated to Liotta, who died in May 2022.

Cocaine Bear was released in the United States on February 24, 2023, by Universal Pictures. Cocaine Bear grossed $64.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $25.3 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $90 million.

7. Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023) Directed by Emma Tammi

Five Nights at Freddy's is a 2023 American supernatural horror film based on the Five Nights at Freddy's video game series created by Scott Cawthon. Directed by Emma Tammi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Cawthon and Seth Cuddeback, the film stars Josh Hutcherson as a troubled security guard who starts a job at an abandoned pizzeria and family entertainment center, where he discovers the animatronic mascots are possessed by homicidal children. Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Matthew Lillard also star.

Five Nights at Freddy's grossed $137.3 million in the United States and Canada, and $159.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $296.4 million.

8. Past Lives (2023) Directed by Celine Song

Past Lives is a 2023 American romantic drama film written and directed by Celine Song in her feature directorial debut. Starring Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro, it follows two childhood friends over the course of 24 years while they contemplate the nature of their relationship as they grow apart, living different lives. The plot is semi-autobiographical and inspired by real events from Song's life.

At the 96th Academy Awards, it received nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture.

The film grossed $232,266 from four theaters in its opening weekend, an average of $55,066 per venue. By its sixth weekend, the film had a running total of $8.4 million.

9. Bottoms (2023) Directed by Emma Seligman

Bottoms is a 2023 American satirical teen comedy film directed by Emma Seligman, who co-wrote it with Rachel Sennott. The film stars Sennott, Ayo Edebiri, Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, Nicholas Galitzine, Miles Fowler, Dagmara Domińczyk, and Marshawn Lynch. Its plot follows two high school senior girls who set up a fight club as a way to hook up with cheerleaders.

Bottoms premiered at South by Southwest on March 11, 2023, and was released in the United States on August 25, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures. The film received positive reviews from critics.

Bottoms opened in limited release at ten theaters in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Austin, grossing $461,052 in its opening weekend, a per-venue average of $46,105.

10. Saltburn (2023) Directed by Emerald Fennell

Saltburn is a 2023 black comedy psychological thriller film written, directed, and co-produced by Emerald Fennell, starring Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Alison Oliver, and Archie Madekwe. Set in Oxford and Northamptonshire, it focuses on a student at Oxford who becomes fixated with a popular, aristocratic fellow student, who later invites him to spend the summer at his eccentric family's estate.

As of 17 January 2024, Saltburn had grossed $11.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $9.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $21 million.

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