Underrated Female Filmmakers: 7 Movies to Watch - October 2026

Written by Kendall Whitmire

For my next picks, I’ve curated a list of fall-feeling films that range from feel-good to feel-bad and back again. Hopefully something from this list will speak to you, and then you can curl up with a blanket and a warm mug to watch it!

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (2023)
Directed by Ariane Louis-Seize

This film came into my life pretty recently, and I am so glad it did. It is genuinely magical, and something that I think everyone should watch. It’s a coming-of-age story about a young vampire girl (Sara Montpetit) who has a hard time drinking blood because she has too much empathy for humans, and a suicidal teenage boy (Félix-Antoine Bénard) who can’t quite bring himself to follow through with his suicidal ideation. They form an unlikely bond over the course of a night, and it’s impossible to finish it and not feel your heart warm at least a little bit. The performances are so grounded and relatable, and the whole film looks wonderful. I don’t have a ton of experience with French-Canadian cinema, but this one definitely makes me want to take a deep dive into filmmakers from Québec!

Where to watch: available on Mubi and Shudder (U.S.), and MyFilmFriend, Tou.TV and CBC Gem (Canada)

Woman of the Hour (2023)
Directed by Anne Kendrick

I have a hard time with true crime. Often, I find that it glorifies and even deifies people who, with their crimes, ripped families apart, destroyed communities, and ended the bright futures of the innocent people who happened to cross their path (usually young women). But Woman of the Hour does true crime retelling right. Anna Kendrick’s attention to detail as both the filmmaker and the lead actress is extremely impressive as she tells the (true!) story of serial killer Rodney Alcala (played by Daniel Zovatto) and his appearance on a reality dating show called The Dating Game. The film does such a great job of showing his victims as more than just their encounter with a sick individual that took everything from them by fleshing out each one and letting us see their hopes and goals for their futures. We can feel their humanity, their anxiety and excitement and everything in between while the tension and suspense hang over each scene. The film is gripping, really well shot, and treats the real women who were killed as so much more than victims, while still being entertaining and delivering on its premise.

Where to watch: available on Netflix (U.S.) and Netflix and Hoopla (Canada)

Kitchen Sink (1989)
Directed by Alison Maclean

Unlike the rest of the films on this list, Kitchen Sink is a short film–only about 14 minutes long. It accomplishes a level of dread and disgust in that short period of time that many feature films never work their way up to. Kitchen Sink follows a woman as she sees a hair in the drain of her kitchen sink, but when she goes to pull it out, the trajectory of her life changes instantly. It’s a very unique horror film, shocking and disturbing, and excellent filmmaking from Alison Maclean. It’s hard to say more without disrupting the viewing experience, but if you’re in the mood for something weird, Kitchen Sink is an experimental black-and-white surrealistic nightmare, and the perfect thing to watch right before bed! (kidding)

Where to watch: available on YouTube 

Watcher (2022)
Directed by Chloe Okuno

One of my favorite tropes in a psychological thriller is the voyeuristic paranoid who witnesses something that no one around them believes. Rear Window (1954) arguably popularized many of the concepts found in stories like these, and films such as The Girl on the Train (2016) recontextualized it by placing a woman at the center of the story to be disbelieved. 

Watcher is very much a product of its pipeline, but it is a compelling watch nonetheless. The story follows Maika Monroe’s Julia as she moves to a brand new country with her husband, where everyone speaks a language she doesn’t understand. She spends a lot of time looking out her window, and one day she realizes someone has been looking back. This film is creepy, suffocating, frustrating, and a perfect film to watch if you’re curled up on the couch… maybe with your curtains closed. 

Where to watch: available on AMC+ and Shudder (U.S. and Canada)

Saint Omer (2022)
Directed by Alice Diop

Alice Diop’s Saint Omer is an absolutely brilliant, haunting look at how racism, colonialism, immigration, and generational trauma impact women’s lives. An author attends a trial for a Senegalese woman who is accused of killing her 15-month-old child, yet the film itself doesn’t immediately pass judgment on the characters, and it gently asks you not to either. Diop’s background as a documentary filmmaker works to her advantage here, holding back and allowing the performances to really come to life within the frame. It’s about the inherent intertwining of women who have lived very different lives, yet are burdened by the same generational trauma and painful experiences, and how radical empathy can come even when you think it could never be possible. It’s such a beautiful work that explores the complexities of motherhood and womanhood, and certain lines of dialogue have stuck with me for years.

Where to watch: available on Tubi, Kanopy and Plex (U.S.), and MUBI (Canada)

Emily (2022)
Directed by Frances O’Connor

Watching Emily is like being instantly transported to England, specifically the moors of Yorkshire where the Brontë sisters grew up. Emma Mackey plays Emily Brontë, and all of her angst and vulnerabilities are brought to life through this reimagining of the author’s experiences. It’s very much historical fiction, but I think the fiction does a great job of embodying the themes and emotions that Brontë infused Wuthering Heights with in real life. The scenery is so beautiful and lush; it’s very well-shot, and overall I found it to be such an exquisite experience. If you enjoyed Greta Gerwig’s Little Women (2019) or Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette (2006), but maybe were hoping for a little bit more Fleabag Hot Priest, then this is definitely something you should check out next! 

Where to watch: available on Netflix, Kanopy, Hoopla and Plex (U.S.), and Fubo TV and Super Channel (Canada)

Whip It (2009)
Directed by Drew Barrymore

For something lighter and a bit more fun, Whip It follows a small-town high school girl named Bliss (played by young Elliot Page) who, after refusing to participate in the beauty pageants her mother had forced her into, discovers a roller derby league and decides to join. The film is so much fun, with a great soundtrack and a cast full of familiar faces. It’s so random that Drew Barrymore decided to direct one film, absolutely killed it, and then never did it again, but if she decides to revisit that, I would absolutely be sat opening weekend. She has a really compelling eye, as evidenced by this film. It’s definitely got a bit of a cult following, but I’m always talking to people who haven’t heard of it, so it’s worth mentioning just in case!

Where to watch: available to rent or buy at home