Always on: The History of Women in Film
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Welcome back for Season 2! We’re so happy to have you with us for another season.
To kick things off, Immi, Kitty and Lou are taking you through some of the key female figures who have shaped the film industry, from Alice Guy-Blaché, widely recognised as the first recorded female film director, and her groundbreaking film La Fée aux Choux (The Cabbage Fairy), all the way to Kathryn Bigelow’s history-making Oscar win and the influential women making their mark today.
We’ll be exploring their stories, achievements and the barriers they broke along the way, celebrating the women who have helped shape film as we know it.
Watch La Fée aux Choux (The Cabbage Fairy) here: https://youtu.be/-Ewo-jcNYRI?si=QClFB__SA7sUDlkn , and find our research resources below:
Immi’s Section:
BFI Article
https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/female-gaze-100-overlooked-films-directed-by-women?
AFI Article
https://www.afi.com/news/alice-guy-blache-afi-catalog-spotlight/
Harvard Gazette Article
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2003/11/radcliffe-fellow-explores-early-female-film-pioneers/?
Science Institute Article
https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/where-are-my-children-public-health-in-the-movies/?
BFI Article
https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/where-begin-with-early-women-filmmakers?
AFI Article
https://www.afi.com/news/mabel-normand-afi-catalog-spotlight/?
UCLA Article
https://cinema.ucla.edu/touring-series/directed-by-dorothy-arzner-tour-2003/
Harvard Article
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2003/11/radcliffe-fellow-explores-early-female-film-pioneers/?
Kitty’s section:
Bechdel Test Online
https://bechdeltest.com
Alison Bechdel interview on the origins of the test
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jul/02/alison-bechdel-test-dykes-to-watch-out-for-cartoonist-interview
Lou’s section:
The Celluloid Ceiling - 28th Edition
https://womenintvfilm.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Celluloid-Ceiling-Report.pdf
USC Annenberg - 2024 was a historic year for women in film
https://annenberg.usc.edu/news/research-and-impact/2024-was-historic-year-women-film
USC Annenberg - DEI is DOA: Hollywood’s lack of progress toward inclusion
https://annenberg.usc.edu/news/research-and-impact/dei-doa-hollywoods-lack-progress-toward-inclusion
USC Annenberg - Was 2023 the year of the woman director? Survey says… no
https://annenberg.usc.edu/news/research-and-impact/was-2023-year-woman-director-survey-says%E2%80%A6-no