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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

The history of women directors overlaps beautifully with the history of queer filmmakers. Dorothy Arzner, Esther Eng, Tazuko Sakane, Germaine Dulac... all legends, who made movies from the 20s to the 40s are just the start. Look for queer history, you will find it.

Dorothy Arzner with partner Marion Morgan

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

As Pride Month rolls around again, here is my list of Queer Films Directed by Women spanning 111 years from 1912 to 2023. Some are explicit in their themes, some are merely queer-coded, but all are interesting, and many were made by queer filmmakers. Happy Pride! 💗💜💙 letterboxd.com/nannina/list...

letterboxd.com

Queer Films Directed by Women

For Pride month I've been slowly putting together a list of Queer films directed by women. I came up with 35, from 1912 to last year (over half from before 2000). All meaningful to me. It is by no mea...

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

I'm disturbed by any description of Leni Riefenstahl's TIEFLAND that doesn't disclose the fact that she used Romani concentration camp internees as extras, who then were sent to Auschwitz, and most were murdered there. TIEFLAND's legacy is it is the most morally reprehensible film ever made.

The Kino Lorber website says: "In her second film as director, Leni Riefenstahl returned to the mountain settings which had made her a star of German cinema. TIEFLAND (Lowlands) dramatizes the conflicts between the shepherds on the slopes of the Spanish Pyrenees and the power-hungry Don Sebastian (Bernhard Minetti) who diverts their water to the plains below, in order to feed his cattle. Don Sebastian becomes smitten with Martha, an exotic Spanish dancer (Riefenstahl), and schemes to add her to his menagerie. Martha tries to broker a peace between the cattle baron and the shepherds, but Don Sebastian’s greed is insatiable, and a violent confrontation seems inevitable. TIEFLAND was filmed in 1932, but the footage was confiscated by Allied forces during World War II. It wasn’t until 1954 that Riefenstahl was able to complete the film—in spite of some of the footage having been lost in the interim. This edition of TIEFLAND was restored in 4K from the original 35mm negative."

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

Generally my feeling on adaption is: the book exists, and if it is great, that’s due to it being a book, a film of it needs to bring something new, make an argument for why it should exist, transform it in some way, if it’s just putting the visuals of the book on screen, why bother.

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

Gah! It’s so maddening, and though it has always been important to check sources, it’s so much more important (and exhaustingly endless) to do it today.

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

On Christmas Eve I'm reposting my list of short Christmas films directed by women. For all who celebrate, Merry Christmas!

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

Thanks for writing it! I had seen both films, but hadn’t connected them. I’ve wanted to contrast STORY OF A THREE-DAY PASS, with other brief encounter romances like BEFORE SUNRISE, and MEDICINE FOR MELANCHOLY.

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

Really fascinating analysis of interracial dynamics in POOL OF LONDON and THE STORY OF A THREE-DAY PASS. Both films are very worthwhile viewing, and I was really interested to read a comparison.

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

Finally the Kinuyo Tanaka box set is coming! Though I think it would have been worthy of a proper Criterion release, I’ll take what I can get. Also Sara Gomez! www.criterion.com/current/post...

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Reposted by Nannina Gilder

Women Film Pioneers Project @wfpproject.bsky.social · 02/08/2025

"Born exactly a year apart, sisters Valentina and Zinaida Brumberg worked together their entire careers in the Soviet animation industry, becoming known as the 'grandmothers of Russian animation' for their work in the fairytale genre."

wfpp.columbia.edu

The Brumberg Sisters – Women Film Pioneers Project

Women Film Pioneers Project is a scholarly resource exploring women’s global involvement at all levels of film production during the silent film era.

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 27/07/2025

I realize this was a couple months ago, but you said “early” Queens of Animation is a fantastic history of the women of Disney. Nobody’s Girl Friday is a great resource for info on below the line Hollywood women. Movie Workers does similar things for uk women in film

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

Sending love & energy & strategic moments for naps! Remember working tired is less efficient than just taking the nap, then working. I have faith in you & am in awe of you (I’m doing far less), & if you only manage to do half of those things you’re still a rock star! 🧡 Take care of yourself!

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

Last year for Pride I made a list of queer films directed by women from 1912 to today. Here it is if anyone wants to revisit it. Some are obvious, some less well know, some more queer coded, others explicitly about the LGBT+ experience. Happy Pride 💗💜💙 letterboxd.com/nannina/list...

letterboxd.com

Queer Films Directed by Women

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 10/05/2025

I hope when award comes SINNERS is still in the conversation. It’s such a beautifully crafted film, direction, cinematography, music, production & costume design, special effects, editing & the performances (I genuinely forgot Michael B Jordan was playing both Smoke & Stack) are all fantastic.

media.tenor.com

two men in suits and hats are standing next to each other with the hashtag #sinnersmovie on the bottom

ALT: two men in suits and hats are standing next to each other with the hashtag #sinnersmovie on the bottom

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

This is really exciting! Sarah Maldoror is so important both to the history of women filmmakers, and to African film, as well as just making beautiful, politically engaged films. These aren’t films you can see otherwise, make the effort to get to MOMA in May.

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

Always a pleasure to talk geekily with Mr @dfaggiani.bsky.social. This time the subject was FIREFLY, most specifically, the masterpiece of episodic television that is "Jaynestown". Give it a listen!

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 29/03/2025

We wear party hats, and make balloon animals.

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

Bodil Ipsen’s DERAILED is fascinating! Really would love to see MELODY OF MURDER someday. Ipsen also was the first woman to win the Palme D’Or with a film she codirected with Lau Lauritzen, THE RED MEADOWS, in 1946.

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

Fantastic looking series! Funny that they point out that Edith Carlmar was a woman, but not that Bodil Ipsen, director of the other movie mentioned, was also a woman. So many Scandinavian women directors in the mid century, but really hard to see their films.

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

Took me a few days to get a chance to read it, but I really enjoyed it!

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

A fantastic well researched article that makes you think, "What might have been..." I think it is also relevant to note that Claudette Colbert had experience with a woman director, having starred in Dorothy Arzner's HONOR AMONG LOVERS. Definitely take the time to read!

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

I too very much enjoyed the audiobook version (I have a funny thing where I read fiction, but listen to non-fiction). I loved the context you provided, and also the reframing of Buster's later career in France. Such a well researched, and well written book. Thank you for all the work you put in!

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

Lotte Reiniger is one of my favorites. I did a lecture on the whole arc of her career a few years ago. She was fascinating. youtu.be/ASKn9PFfw28?...

youtu.be

Silhouette Animation: The Genius of Lotte Reiniger

YouTube video by aninnan

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

For those who like and use @letterboxd.social lists here is my Women's History Month Criterion Channel Collection on Letterboxd. Glad so many people have found and enjoyed this post, I hope it leads to much happy viewing! letterboxd.com/nannina/list...

letterboxd.com

Women's History Month on Criterion Channel

I was disappointed that Criterion Channel did not take the opportunity this March to highlight some female directors for Women's History Month, so I decided to put together a list of great films you c...

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Nannina Gilder @nannina.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

The other collection that Criterion Channel added this month by a female filmmaker I still need to explore, 3 documentaries by Michele Stephenson (2 in collaboration with her husband Joe Brewster). I'm looking forward to it. www.criterionchannel.com/three-docume...