Priscilla, The Bling Ring, Lady Bird, Bodies Bodies Bodies, and Babygirl are all on my list of favorite films that came out in the last decade. Interestingly, there are two common denominators between these movies. They are all A24 films, and they are all directed by women.
To elaborate, A24 is an American Independent entertainment company that specializes in film and television production, based in Manhattan. The company has been successful since its inception in 2013, with the release of Spring Breakers, a camp classic for those who love shameless comedy and crime movies. Since then, A24 has worked with various well-known directors in the industry such as Ari Aster, Robert Eggers, Sean Baker, and more. The company has produced hundreds of successful motion pictures, but I have noticed that the movies directed by women always seem to catch my eye in a special and intriguing way.
What sparked this newfound appreciation and curiosity in me surrounding A24 was Babygirl, a romantic thriller which was recently released to theaters in late December. Halina Reijn is the director, and she is also well known for her 2022 Horror Comedy, Bodies Bodies Bodies. Babygirl’s quite provocative themes caused a lot of controversy among audiences. The film explores being a woman and how it affects positions of power in the workplace, and in romantic relationships. The movie received quite a bit of attention on social media. Many loved the movie and the themes presented, and many hated it. With all of the movies that I mentioned in the introduction, factors were the same.
Since the beginning of filmmaking, it has always been hard for women to receive credit where credit is due. For example, Sofia Coppola, daughter of famous director Francis Ford Coppola, has received all kinds of backlash over her years of directing and short lived acting. When she was nineteen years old, Coppola was cast at the last minute as Godfather III protagonist Michael Corleone’s daughter. Her performance received abundant criticism, and she was even named ¨Worst Supporting Actress¨ at the 1990 Golden Raspberry Awards. Many Godfather fans even went on to say that she ¨ruined¨ the movie. After these unfortunate events, Coppola appeared in a few more movies, but retired to her true talent, directing.
Coppola has directed several award winning pictures including The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette, and arguably the most controversial, The Bling Ring. Many started to release that they were wrong about Coppola, and that they underestimated her ability. However, she hadn’t won everyone’s approval quite yet. Many called her 2013 A24 production, The Bling Ring, a superficial portrayal of vapid teenagers. The same went for her film Marie Antoinette, where critics called the writing terrible, frivolous, and unfeeling. It almost seemed like she just couldn’t win. Personally, I think that Sofia Coppola was and still is an immensely talented filmmaker. Many critics, a lot of times being men, have a lot to say about movies that are simply just following womens complex and sometimes misunderstood stories.
I have always felt, since I started to spend my time watching various films and immersing myself in pop culture, that women will continuously be able to speak to other women uniquely through their art. It is important that young girls grow up seeing strong and admirable women in movies, as much as it is for adolescent girls to have that, and for adult women to have that. Movies are a way for people to feel understood in a world that never seems to understand. As women, we need directors like Sofia Coppola and Halina Reijn to make these kinds of films. We need to see women work past challenges, struggle through internal dilemmas, and sometimes go a bit off the rails. In summary, A24 has produced many amazing films, and will continue to do so for a while. I urge everyone reading this to go watch one of their films. I assure you that you will come across a film that will make you feel seen, no matter who you are.
