August 26 is #WomensEqualityDay, and we're celebrating by honoring three women trailblazers in the film industry. The first Women's Equality Day was in 1973, and the date choice commemorates the passing of the 19th amendment (which granted women the right to vote in 1920). Keep reading and join us this year to celebrate National Women’s Equality Day with these 3 influential filmmakers.
1) Alice Guy
Alice Guy has to be one of our favorite filmmakers, if for no other reason that she was kind of the first. In 1894, at the age of 21, Guy began working as a secretary at a camera manufacturing and supply company. She got to know the ins-and-outs of the emerging industry and made herself acquainted with the right people. After attending the first-ever demonstration of film projection, Guy realized she wanted to introduce fictional storytelling to films. Up until that point, captured film was almost exclusively scientific and/or promotional. In 1896, she premiered The Fairy of the Cabbages, which was the first narrative film ever recorded. By 1910, Guy was the first woman to own her own studio and soundstage. Throughout her career, it is believed that she directed over 1000 films, though only 150 have survived. On the bright side, the surviving works have aged far beyond their copyright, so they're relatively easy to find online: Click here to watch Guy's A Fool and His Money (1912) on YouTube, which is believed to be the first film with a Black cast.
2) Shonda Rhimes
While not known for her films, Shonda Rhimes is an absolute powerhouse in the television industry. Rhimes had humble beginnings in Hollywood as an unemployed screenwriter working odd jobs to make ends meet. At this time, she began work as a research director on the documentary Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream, which won the Peabody award in 1995. Now, nearly 30 years later, she is known as the creator, head writer, producer, and showrunner of Grey's Anatomy (which is currently on its 20th season). She was also the showrunner for Private Practice and Scandal, as well as being the executive producer on How to Get Away With Murder, Bridgerton, and more (all now under her own production company, Shondaland). Rhimes has been inducted into the Television Hall of Fame and National Association of Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
3) Greta Gerwig
We couldn't possibly make this list without including Gerwig. After falling in love with Barbie, we fell in love with everything about the director. She started off working on small independent films as both actor and co-writer, gaining success and notoriety within her niche community of filmmakers and playwrights. In 2017, Gerwig made her solo directorial debut with Ladybird, which received critical acclaim from both audiences and critics alike. From there, Gerwig moved away from acting and turned her focus back towards writing and directing. In 2023, she premiered Barbie, which was the first film directed (solo) by a woman to gross over $1billion. While we know money isn't necessarily an indication of talent, this is a huge milestone for women in film. There was a long-standing myth in Hollywood that women could only direct "Indie Darling Films" that made no money. With Barbie, Gerwig helped prove that women can (and should!) be hired to direct big budget blockbusters
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