The 10 best horror movies directed by female filmmakers
The horror genre has long been criticised for its overwhelming male gaze, with a large majority of the greatest and most well-known horror movies of all time including, The Exorcist, Halloween and The Shining having been directed by male filmmakers.
Such has stifled the horror genre from progression, diversity and true innovation, with the influx of female horror filmmakers working in tandem with the genre’s recent revival being no mere coincidence.
Resonating through the frequent nude scenes and objectification of female characters through the slasher era of horror through the 1980s, the treatment of such roles has improved in recent years as fans demand more from the genre. This has led to the emergence of the likes of Jennifer Kent, Julia Ducournau, Nia DaCosta and more, with each filmmaker bringing a unique take to the male-dominated genre.
Flooding the modern industry with recent films such as The Invitation, Prevenge, Relic and Censor, contemporary horror is led by such voices, with production companies like A24 working to elevate female talent in the genre.
Looking back at the history of horror while addressing modern strides in the genre, let’s take a look at the ten best horror films directed by female filmmakers.
The top 10 horror movies directed by female filmmakers:
10. Candyman (Nia DaCosta, 2021)
The most recent film on this list, Nia DaCosta’s modern reimagining of Candyman by Bernard Rose takes the iconic 1992 horror to new heights, arguably bettering the quality of the original film.
With a renewed focus on the racial aspects that underline the ‘90s slasher, Nia DaCosta’s take on the remake created a more dense narrative whilst refusing to sideline the scares that are well distributed throughout. With an impressive cast including Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and Colman Domingo, Nia DaCosta’s film is one of the greatest modern horror remakes.
9. Pet Sematary (Mary Lambert, 1989)
Recently remade into a terrible film directed by Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer in 2019, Mary Lambert’s take on the Stephen King classic still stands as the best film adaptation of the story.
With several images from the 1989 film still finding their way into the mainstream of modern popular culture, the longevity of Lambert’s horror is no mistake. Imbued with a genuine sense of terror and unease, the film, following an ancient burial ground that has the power to raise the dead, remains a classic ‘80s horror film, starring Dale Midkiff, Denise Crosby and Fred Gwynne.
8. American Psycho (Mary Harron, 2000)
Teetering on the edge of being a horror or simply a psychological drama, there’s no ignoring Mary Harron’s adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho following Patrick Bateman, an egotistical psychopath with hedonistic fantasies.
Violently smashing the blinding illusion of the American dream to pieces, Harron’s film well explores the mind of one of cinema’s most infamous psychopaths. Narcissistic and insane, Bateman is brought to life through a memorable performance from Christian Bale who does well to depict both sides of the psycho’s brain, swapping his charming smile for a sinister stare in a matter of seconds.
7. Trouble Every Day (Claire Denis, 2001)
Better known for her modern classics Beau Travail and High Life, French filmmaker Claire Denis brought the horror drama Trouble Every Day to audiences in 2001, leaving an indelible mark ever since.
Telling the story of two American newlyweds in Paris whose love for each other mutates into something far more violent, Trouble Every Day stars Vincent Gallo, Tricia Vessey and Béatrice Dalle. Fierce and violent, Denis’ film arrived during a point in horror where similar gory films were being embraced by the genre, though instead of making her film pornographic in its depiction of violence, the director takes a fascinating, artistic approach.
6. Near Dark (Kathryn Bigelow, 1987)
Having a remarkable impact on the opportunities for female filmmakers in modern Hollywood, director Kathryn Bigelow is one of the most influential directors of the modern era, becoming the first woman to pick up Best Picture when she won for The Hurt Locker in 2010.
Before the turn of the century, however, Bigelow was already making big movements, releasing Strange Days and Point Break in the 1990s after her compelling 1987 horror film, Near Dark. Telling the story of a small-town farmer’s son who joins a group of traveling vampires after he is bitten himself, the graphic horror is brought to life by Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright, Bill Paxton and Lance Henriksen.
5. The Love Witch (Anna Biller, 2016)
Horror films, old or new, don’t get much more innovative than this, with Anna Biller’s 2016 horror comedy, The Love Witch, following a modern-day witch who uses spells and magic to get men to fall in love with her.
A homage to 1960s horror and Technicolor film, Biller’s film is highly stylised with elaborate set design, costumes, hair and makeup each meticulously designed to look like an old, cheap genre film. The result is utterly spellbinding, making a horror film that may be a little light on scares but more than makes up for this with its sharp comedic script and sheer cinematic innovation.
4. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (Ana Lily Amirpour, 2014)
Critically and commercially acclaimed upon its release in 2014, Ana Lily Amirpour’s horror, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is a moody, monochrome flick that takes place in a bleak industrial town.
Named ‘Bad City’, the fictional location is inhabited by thugs, drug dealers, beggars and also a young female vampire described simply as ‘The Girl’. Brilliantly brought to life by Sheila Vand in the lead role, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night makes note of its peculiar place in cinema, nodding to spaghetti westerns, classic horror and anime as it tells its eccentric, utterly compelling story.
3. Raw (Julia Ducournau, 2016)
Becoming one of the most important female filmmakers in the modern industry, Julia Ducournau is better known for her Palme d’Or winning film Titane, even if her 2016 film Raw is a more well-rounded experience.
Equal parts horror and dark coming-of-age drama, Raw is a disturbing vision of the adolescent transition, following a girl newly enrolled in veterinary college whose mind and body goes through seemingly inexplicable, violent changes. Without indulgence or excess, Ducournau addresses horror with intelligence and class, taking the audience on an enthralling journey surrounding the horrors and confusion of the unknown.
2. Saint Maud (Rose Glass, 2019)
Doing several different things at the same time, Rose Glass creates one of the best modern British horrors with Saint Maud, a quiet character study with a gutsy, brutal excavation of faith and the fragile human mind.
Telling the story of Maud (Morfydd Clark), a fragile skeleton and a pious nurse who is faced with treating an atheist patient. Glass’ film is a terrifying and tragic drama shrouded in horror. Loneliness permeates from the root of this 2019 classic, with Glass suggesting that much of the protagonist’s suffering comes from a lack of perspective, human contact and ultimately, love.
1. The Babadook (Jennifer Kent, 2014)
Standing among the very best horror filmmakers working in the modern industry, Jennifer Kent rocked the world of horror with her 2014 film The Babadook, before following this up with the underrated Nightingale in 2018.
In this fairytale-gone-wrong, Kent tells the story of a single mother’s journey into mental and physical despair as she looks after her autistic son in the wake of her husband’s tragic death. Grief and depression manifest themselves into the terrifying Babadook, a creature and malevolent presence that watches over the family and torments their every move in this terrifically realised modern classic.
So good was the 2014 film that the horror icon and director of The Exorcist commented, “I’ve never seen a more terrifying film than The Babadook. It will scare the hell out of you as it did me”.
