Celluloid Ceiling:: Women Film Directors Breaking Through

by Gabrielle Kelly, Maria Williams Hawkins, Ronan Doyle

Highlighting rising women directors alongside ground-breaking pioneers, this is a one-stop guide to the leading women film directors in the 21st century, and those who inspired them. This collection of essays, by an impressive array of international writers, examines the progress of women film directors around the world, and arrives at some surprising conclusions.

From the blockbusters of the Hollywood studios to emerging voices from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Laos, we learn of women making films in traditionally male-dominated areas such as action, fantasy and horror. With wide-ranging contributions from countries with mature and nascent film industries, Celluloid Ceiling demonstrates that economic and technological changes are creating new opportunities for women film directors everywhere.

With contributions from Africa, Latin America, Europe, USA, Asia and India, chapters on new voices in Japanese and Middle Eastern cinema, the book also covers women directors working in TV, and reminds us of the first woman director, Frenchwoman, Alice Guy Blaché. Exploring the rise of the independent film sector including the horror aficionados the Soska Sisters, Celluloid Ceiling asks whether economic and technological change will work to the advantage of women in film.

Celluloid Ceiling follows in the footsteps of Supernova’s Women Make Noise, which lifted the lid on the widespread and destructive misogyny that still plagues the rock music world.

Genres: Film, Feminism, Nonfiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published May 26, 2014

Reviews

[Dorothy Allen-Pickard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant work that provided the inspiration for a documentary I'm now working on based on interviews with female filmmakers.

[Kim Bakos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this for a college class. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it - most assigned reading isn't what you'd pick to read - but I did learn a lot from it. Boy, do we have a long way to go before there is anything close to equality for women in the film industry.

[Jackie Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

CELLULOID CEILING published by Aurora Metro Books and edited by Gabrielle Kelly and Cheryl Robson is a well researched fascinating read and along with its look at women directors from the early days of cinema it also highlights the obstacles faced by aspiring women film directors in the 21st century.

The experiences differ as you would expect from the wide ranging geographical areas covered, but surprisingly shows us that women in Africa, China and the Middle East are more likely to be directing films than those in the western world, which has become so risk averse, women rarely get a look in when the director is being chosen. It’s woeful that this should be the case in 2014.

Film is at its best when it’s taking risks, not when it’s being done by formula and choosing a director based on gender should be seen for the bollocks it is.
Celluloid Ceiling: Women Film Directors Breaking Through

[Sarahlouisegoodsill.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Celluloid Ceiling in one sitting as I work in the movie business and am really interested in finding out more about female directors working in the industry. This book covers contributions ranging from Africa, Latin America, Europe, USA, Asia and India to new voices in Japanese and Middle Eastern cinema, and covering women directors working in TV, as well as the first woman director Alice Guy Blache who's story is fascinating. The scope of research that has been explored is extensive and the new understanding of women in cinema and tv really inspired me. A great book and I hope there will be a sequel.