Are you looking for a good horror film? Then we have just the thing for you. We show you 5 powerful horror films directed by women.
Although women have now made a name for themselves in directing in various genres, they are still underrepresented. Between 2007 and 2021, 5.4% of directors in Hollywood were women, according to womendandhollywood.com. In 2018, the proportion of female directors was 4.5%, while in 2021 it was 12.7%.
For this reason, we would like to introduce you to female directors who have created strong horror films.
How was the list created? The films all have an IMDb rating of at least 6.6 and each is directed by a woman. Most titles are currently available on streaming services – but keep in mind that the program can change over time. Our order in the post is random and has no meaning. These are horror films and thrillers with horror elements.
A film that didn’t make the list but is also by a female director is Bodies Bodies Bodies. It’s one of those films that makes you wonder what you’ve actually seen.
American Psycho (2000)
Original title: American Psycho
Director: Mary Harron (Alias Grace – miniseries)
Streaming service: on Amazon Prime currently only for paid rental (€3.99) / purchase (€7.99)
American Psycho (2000) trailer in English
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American Psycho is set in the late 1980s and is about the wealthy investment banker Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), who pursues an ideal of beauty and wants to belong to the elite. Bateman tries to hide his psychopathic tendencies from his friends and colleagues while delving deeper into his fantasies.
The film has a rating of 6.7/10 on IMDb with over 690,000 reviews.
Fun Fact: During the filming of American Psycho, Christian Bale spoke with an American accent. When he spoke with his British accent at a party, many of the film crew thought he was speaking with that accent because of another film. They had mistaken him for an American throughout filming (via IMDb).
Leonardo DiCaprio was actually planned for the role of Patrick Bateman, but the director didn’t see him there. You can find out more about this from our colleagues at Moviepilot.
Fear Street – Part 2: 1978 (2021)
Original title: Fear Street Part Two: 1978
Director: Leigh Janiak (Scream series; Outcast series)
Streaming service: Netflix
Trailer for Fear Street – Part 2: 1978 (German)
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The three “Fear Street” films are based on the book series of the same name by RL Stine. They were released on Netflix one after the other in July 2021, each one week apart. The setting for Fear Street – Part 2 is the Nightwing holiday camp. There, two rival groups of young people have to deal with the horrors from their cities’ history that are coming back to life.
Since the first part of the series has a rating of 6.2/10 with over 91,000 reviews, it wouldn’t actually appear on the list. Since the second film has the strongest rating of the series with 6.7/10 with around 74,000 ratings (via IMDb), we have included it as a representative of the “Fear Street” films. Fear Street – Part 3: 1966 has a rating of 6.6 from approximately 61,668 reviews.
Fun Fact: The “Fear Street” films have parallels to Stranger Things, including the combination of coming-of-age aspects with horror elements and nostalgic insights into past decades of pop culture. You can read more exciting facts about Fear Street from our colleagues at Moviepilot.
Fresh (2022)
Original title: Fresh
Director: Mimi Cave
Streaming service: Disney+
Trailer for the thriller Fresh (German)
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The thriller with comedy elements is about Noa, who is frustrated by boring dates with men she meets online. When she meets the awkward, charming Steve at the grocery store, she gathers her courage and gives him her number. Despite her best friend’s concerns, Noa decides to spend a weekend with Steve, where she learns more about Steve’s cannibalistic passion.
The film has a rating of 6.7/10 on IMDb with over 70,000 reviews.
Fun Fact: Steve is played by a Marvel star (via Moviepilot). Fresh also made it onto the list of the best horror films on Moviepilot in 2022 and is the directorial debut of Mimi Cave.
You can find two more strong horror films on the next page.