So far, the women I have focused on in this series have benefited greatly from the advent of the women’s liberation movement. Sure, the women working in the 1960s and 70s had to carve out their own path with very little help, but the women who came before had to machete their way through the rigid Old Hollywood system. Ida Lupino was such a woman. Often forgotten in conversations about great women directors, Lupino was the only working woman director in the 1950s and the first to direct a film noir movie.

Agnes Varda is arguably the most important director to come out of the French New Wave even if her name is often overshadowed by Godard, Truffaut, or even her own husband, Jacques Demy. She brought documentary experimentalism, social commentary, and compassionate care for her characters. Commonly referred to as the mother of the New Wave, Varda’s achievements should not be swept under the rug especially, when you consider that in her 90 years of life, she never stopped producing compelling work; something many of her peers cannot say.

When most people think of Barbra Streisand, they think of her illustrious acting career in movies like Funny Girl or The Way We Were. You might also think about her singing career which has spanned over 50 years, but what most people seem to forget is that Barbra Streisand is an incredibly accomplished — and important — director. She may only have directed three films in her career, but they each represent a milestone for female directorial recognition.