It's no secret that Hollywood has been dominated by men since its inception. While that has begun to change over several decades, one area that remains highly populated by men is the directing discipline. Though it may seem like men are the only ones directing movies, that's simply not true and there are hundreds of women directing movies of all genres year after year.
One genre that seems to be popular for women directors is the large teen demographic. Perhaps, it's because women are more sympathetic to teenagers or experiences or because teen movies are largely geared toward young girls. Whatever the reason, there has been a plethora of successful directors who are women who have made a name for themselves with teen movies.
Updated on October 6th, 2022 by Danielle Bruncati: Woman directors are finally getting the attention and praise they rightfully deserve with the last two Academy Awards for Best Directing going to Chloé Zoe and Jane Champion. But it's not just high brow movies that women are directing; in fact, the teen genre has seen an uptick in female directors as well. Most recently, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson returned to the teen/young adult space with the release of the black comedy Do Revenge. And with the new Hocus Pocus 2 also being directed by a woman, it seems like the teen girls are finally going to start being shown as teen girls thanks to these wonderful directors.
Twilight (2008) - 5.3
Directed By Catherine Hardwicke
- Available To Rent On Apple TV
Catherine Hardwicke made her directorial debut in 2003, opting to go the independent movie route first. She then made the jump to mainstream movies when she directed Twilight, one of the most iconic teen movies of the 2000s.
Adapted from the best-selling teen novel of the same name, Twilight centers on Bella Swan, an awkward teen girl who moves to Forks, Washington, and begins to fall for the school's outcast. Little does she know, said outcast is actually a vampire. As the two embark on a dangerous love story, they face obstacles when another vampire coven sets eyes on Bella.
Stick It (2006) - 6.3
Directed By Jessica Bendinger
- Available To Rent On Apple TV
Jessica Bendinger got her start as a writer penning iconic teen movies of the early 2000s. She then wrote and made her directorial debut in 2006 Stick It.
Stick It follows Haley, a wayward teen who gets sentenced to an elite gymnastics academy after getting in trouble with the law one too many times. Though Haley is an extremely gifted gymnast she has a lot of issues with the gymnastic system and decides to tackle them from inside. The movie has gone on to be one of the best gymnastic movies of all time.
Unpregnant (2020) - 6.4
Directed By Rachel Lee Goldenberg
- Available On HBO Max
Rachel Lee Goldenberg got her directorial start when she directed a Lifetime movie that starred Will Ferrell. She went on to direct several episodes of various television shows before making the switch to more theatrical movies. Unpregnant marked the first full-length movie she both wrote and directed.
The buddy, road-trip comedy centers on two teenage girls who used to be best friends but grew apart. After one of them gets pregnant, the friends reunite and head out on a road trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico so she can get an abortion since she can't get one in her home state.
Do Revenge (2022) - 6.4
Directed By Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
- Available On Netflix
Jennifer Kaytin Robinson got her start in writing when she created the groundbreaking but shortlived MTV series Sweet/Vicious. After the cancelation, she made the switch to movies and made her writing and directorial debut with the release of Someone Great.
Do Revenge is Robinsons' latest movie that she wrote and directed. The black comedy centers on two teen girls who decide to team up to get revenge on each others bullies after their reputations are ruined.
Dumplin' (2018) - 6.5
Directed By Anne Fletcher
- Available On Netflix
Anne Fletcher is a movie choreographer turned movie director who has directed some of the best romantic comedies over the years. She most recently directed the highly anticipated sequel Dumplin'.
The movie follows Willowdeen, aka Dumplin, a plus-size teenager who decides to follow in her mom's beauty pageant footsteps but as an act of protest and rebellion instead of sheer want. Inspired by her, several other contestants follow in her footsteps, challenging the problematic pageant world in small town Texas.
The Parent Trap (1995) - 6.6
Directed By Nancy Meyers
- Available On Disney+
Nancy Meyers got her start in Hollywood as a writer where she penned iconic family romantic comedies like Father of the Bride. It wasn't until 1995 that she made the jump to directing when she wrote and directed The Parent Trap.
Though the 1995 movie is a remake of the 1961 movie, it's the one that is most popular with audiences today. The movie starred Lindsey Lohan as both Hallie and Annie, two twins who didn't know each other existed until they stumbled across each other at a summer camp. It's there that they devise a plan to switch places in order to get to know their parents and hopefully get them back together.
Moxie (2021) - 6.7
Directed By Amy Poehler
- Available On Netflix
Amy Poehler is a comedy actress and writer who got her start on Saturday Night Live. Though she's best known for playing Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation, she is also incredibly successful behind the scenes. Moxie marked her second film directorial debut.
Based on the teen book of the same name, Moxie centers on Vivian, a shy teenager, who decides to anonymously publish a zine that aims at calling out her high school's sexist rules and teaching practices.
Bend It Like Beckham (2002) - 6.7
Directed By Gurinder Chadha
- Available On HBO Max
Gurinder Chadha is a director who has made a name for herself directing and co-writing movies about young Indian women living in England who must figure out their place in the world and in their culture. Bend It Like Beckham was one of her first movies to reach international success.
The sports rom-com centers on 18-year old Jess who lives at home with her traditional Sikh parents and dreams of playing soccer. When she is recruited by an amateur women's soccer team, Jess must figure out a way to chase her dreams while also keeping it a secret from her parents.
Clueless (1995) - 6.9
Directed By Amy Heckerling
- Available On Netflix
Amy Heckerling has had an incredibly successful directing career that began in the 80s when directing was still largely dominated by men. However, her biggest movie that continues to be praised today was the Clueless which she also wrote and produced.
Loosely based on Jane Austen's novel Emma, the movie centers on Cher, a popular and rich high school student who sees herself as a matchmaker. She decides to put her skills to the test by transforming the school's awkward new student into a popular girl.
The Half Of It (2020) - 6.9
Directed By Alice Wu
- Available On Netflix
Alice Wu's directing career started in 2005 but wasn't until 2020 that she finally got the praise she deserved for her brilliant directing and writing styles when The Half Of It debuted on Netflix. She's also made a name for herself by writing movies about young Chinese American LGBT women.
The Half Of It is one of the best coming-of-age stories of the 2020s. It centers on Ellie, a shy teenager, who ends up helping the school's jock woo the popular girl in school. However, their friendship and plans are tested as Ellie harbors feelings for the same girl.
