Girls to the Front!

Once you've introduced your child to the idea that films are something made by people, it's important to start introducing them to films from a diversity of creators.

Though small inroads have been made over the past few years, film directing is still overwhelmingly a career path enjoyed by men. According to the most recent data from USC's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, only 10.6% of working directors are woman. By introducing your children to the concept of female filmmakers at an early age we can help to ensure that this inequality of access will not be a hurdle for future generations. Little girls and boys will have grown up on films directed by women and men alike, and little girls will not become discouraged by the perception that all of the great directors are men.

Here's a small sampling of child-appropriate (ie: G or PG rated) live-action films directed by women that you could potentially use as starting points.

• The Trouble with Angels (dir: Ida Lupino)
• Big/A League of Their Own/The Preacher's Wife (dir. Penny Marshall)
• The Beverly Hillbillies/The Little Rascals (dir. Penelope Spheeris)
• The Babysitter's Club (dir. Melanie Mayron)
• The Secret Garden (dir. Agnieszka Holland)
• Little Women (dir. Gillian Armstrong)
• Speed Racer (dir. Lana and Lilly Wachowski)*
• A Wrinkle in Time (dir. Ava DuVernay)
• Little Women (dir. Greta Gerwig)

*The credits to Speed Racer still refer to Lana and Lilly by their deadnames. This could be a great opportunity to broach the concept of the trans community with your little one.