Until now, there hasn't been one single-volume authoritative reference work on the history of women in film, highlighting nearly every woman filmmaker from the dawn of cinema including Alice Guy (France, 1896), Chantal Akerman (Belgium), Penny Marshall (U.S.), and Sally Potter (U.K.). Every effort has been made to include every kind of woman filmmaker: commercial and mainstream, avant-garde, and minority, and to give a complete cross-section of the work of these remarkable women. Scholars and students of film, popular culture, Women's Studies, and International Studies, as well as film buffs will learn much from this work. The Dictionary covers the careers of nearly 200 women filmmakers, giving vital statistics where available, listings of films directed by these women, and selected bibliographies for further reading. This is a one-volume, "one-stop" resource, a comprehensive, up-to-date guide that is absolutely essential for any course offering an overview or survey of women's cinema. It offers not only all available statistics, but critical evaluations of the filmmakers' work as well. In order to keep the length manageable, this volume focuses on women who direct fictional narrative films, with occasional forays into the area of the documentary and is limited to film production rather than video production.
Until now, there hasn't been one single-volume authoritative reference work on the history of women in film, highlighting nearly every woman filmmaker from the dawn of cinema including Alice Guy (France, 1896), Chantal Akerman (Belgium), Penny Marshall (U.S.), and Sally Potter (U.K.). Every effort has been made to include every kind of woman filmmaker: commercial and mainstream, avant-garde, and minority, and to give a complete cross-section of the work of these remarkable women. Scholars and students of film, popular culture, Women's Studies, and International Studies, as well as film buffs will learn much from this work. The Dictionary covers the careers of nearly 200 women filmmakers, giving vital statistics where available, listings of films directed by these women, and selected bibliographies for further reading. This is a one-volume, "one-stop" resource, a comprehensive, up-to-date guide that is absolutely essential for any course offering an overview or survey of women's cinema. It offers not only all available statistics, but critical evaluations of the filmmakers' work as well. In order to keep the length manageable, this volume focuses on women who direct fictional narrative films, with occasional forays into the area of the documentary and is limited to film production rather than video production.
Features the history and work of the most important women in the world of fictional narrative filmmaking-authoritative, historical, international.
Introduction
The Dictionary
Selected Bibliography
Index
GWENDOLYN AUDREY FOSTER is Assistant Professor of English at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. She has written articles for journals and chapters for books on film and produced the documentary feature film, Women Who Made the Movies (1992).
"This important work compiles a significant amount of otherwise
difficult-to-find information on women filmmakers working in all
countries and all contexts, whether mainstream, independent, or
experimental/avant-garde. The introduction, which gives generous
consideration to a wide range of scholarly contributions, is an
excellent synthesis of writing in English on women directors.
Public and academic libraries with any interest in film will want
to acquire....[W]ill appeal to all types of readers."-Library
Journal
?For scholars, students, and film enthusiasts, this work documents
the important but often-overlooked contributions of women filmakers
from around the world and throughout film history. Reclaiming the
legacy of many early female filmmakers, the book offers a worthy
contribution to women's and cinema's history. ...This well written
resource is essential for scholars and students of film, popular
culture, women's studies, and international studies. It will also
appeal to film buffs.?-ARBA
?Foster describes this excellent reference book as 'the first of
its kind, not a study of one aspect of women as filmmakers, but as
a dictionary of women filmmakers, working in film to create new
feminist visions of beauty and transcendent power'...The
alphabetically arranged entries include women from 37 countries,
from 1896 to 1910 (Gene Gaunteir and Alice Guy) to the present. For
each director Foster provides a brief biography, discussion of
important films, brief critical comments, and a selected
filmography and bibliography. The clearly written, intelligent
comments lean toward feminist interpretations of many of the
films...This should be an indispensable volume for film and
feminist studies collections.?-Choice
?This important work compiles a significant amount of otherwise
difficult-to-find information on women filmmakers working in all
countries and all contexts, whether mainstream, independent, or
experimental/avant-garde. The introduction, which gives generous
consideration to a wide range of scholarly contributions, is an
excellent synthesis of writing in English on women directors.
Public and academic libraries with any interest in film will want
to acquire....[W]ill appeal to all types of readers.?-Library
Journal
?This is one of the most complete volumes on the topic, covering
the careers of almost 200 women filmmakers, commercial and
avant-garde, who created fictional narrative work (rather than
documentaries). The author includes directors from around the world
but admits that Western filmmakers are more often documented. She
makes a serious effort to include many minority directors...A
wide-ranging, up-to-date survey that should be considered by public
and academic libraries.?-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
"For scholars, students, and film enthusiasts, this work documents
the important but often-overlooked contributions of women filmakers
from around the world and throughout film history. Reclaiming the
legacy of many early female filmmakers, the book offers a worthy
contribution to women's and cinema's history. ...This well written
resource is essential for scholars and students of film, popular
culture, women's studies, and international studies. It will also
appeal to film buffs."-ARBA
"This is one of the most complete volumes on the topic, covering
the careers of almost 200 women filmmakers, commercial and
avant-garde, who created fictional narrative work (rather than
documentaries). The author includes directors from around the world
but admits that Western filmmakers are more often documented. She
makes a serious effort to include many minority directors...A
wide-ranging, up-to-date survey that should be considered by public
and academic libraries."-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
"Foster describes this excellent reference book as 'the first of
its kind, not a study of one aspect of women as filmmakers, but as
a dictionary of women filmmakers, working in film to create new
feminist visions of beauty and transcendent power'...The
alphabetically arranged entries include women from 37 countries,
from 1896 to 1910 (Gene Gaunteir and Alice Guy) to the present. For
each director Foster provides a brief biography, discussion of
important films, brief critical comments, and a selected
filmography and bibliography. The clearly written, intelligent
comments lean toward feminist interpretations of many of the
films...This should be an indispensable volume for film and
feminist studies collections."-Choice
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