Five women empower female filmmakers

International Women’s Day: Five women empower female filmmakers

These five women embark on a journey to empower women and non-binary filmmakers by creating the social impact organization Not Your Daddy’s Films.

Hollywood loves a plot twist – but for many women and non-binary filmmakers, it’s the same tired story. Statistics show they tend to get fewer opportunities to succeed in a male-dominated business.

“I had no idea how to find other people who looked like me before in the industry through the jobs that I was already on because I wasn’t meeting a lot of me,” said actress, writer, and director Kourtney Bell.

Although women have increased representation in front of the camera, that’s not the case behind the scenes. In annual research released by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, women made up only 23% of all key behind-the-scenes roles.

“We are so frustrated, and we’re angry, and we want to be in the rooms,” says multi-hyphenate Carlye Tamaren. “We want to learn, but it’s so hard we couldn’t find information for ourselves to grow.”

Filmmakers Kourtney Bell, Vika Stubblebine, Katherine Hughes, Carlye Tamaren, and Nicole Lipp wanted to build a community to support others who shared the same frustrations. They wanted to screen their films in a community of people who were actively working in the industry but who weren’t yet A-listers. This group of type-A, creative women wanted a space for up-and-coming underrepresented artists, so they created Not Your Daddy’s Films.

Not Your Daddy’s Films is a social impact organization committed to empowering women and non-binary filmmakers. The name is a nod to supporting films that aren’t necessarily highlighted in mainstream media.

“Not Your Daddy’s Films felt like a cheeky way to tell everybody that they’re welcome, that everybody can be a daddy in this space,” explained Stubblebine. “It doesn’t matter what your gender is, you are a daddy.”

These ‘daddies’ started out showing their films with a projector at the Melrose Umbrella Company, a quaint Los Angeles bar. Even with just 30 family and friends, everyone could tell this was going to be something special.

“I looked around at the audience, and notebooks were out, pens were scratching, and iPhone notes were going. People were whispering to each other and looked so excited, and the light went on in their eyes,” said Stubblebine. “I was like, we’re actually doing something really cool here and helping people.”

Two and a half years later, Not Your Daddy’s screenings nearly always sold out! Thirty friends turned into 350 friends. The list of events has also expanded into panels, workshops, and collaborations with some of LA’s top contenders like A24, American Cinema Tech, and more. To reach an audience outside of Los Angeles, the podcast Daddy Dailies was born. Events in other cities, some even international, are in the works.

“It has been the most exciting surprise of my life,” said Tamaren.

And the best part? It’s working. More women are getting hired.

“I’ve been so excited to hear stories from women and non-binary filmmakers who have screened their films at our screenings and have gotten meetings with managers and agents and producers after,” said Lipp.

Studies show that when women are directing movies, they are more likely to employ other women in key behind-the-scenes positions than films with male directors. But only 8% of the top 250 grossing films in 2024 employed 10 or more women. Female directors only made up 16% of those films.

“Growing up in the early two thousands, most movies were made by men, and it was the male gaze on women on screen,” said Hughes. “It’s watching women tell stories about women. It’s just different.”

These women are proving that anything is possible with the support of a strong community. Not only have their own lives changed, but they’ve also created a foundation for others to forge a path forward in one of the hardest industries to break into. By lifting up and showcasing women, women of color, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community, they are what they stand for.

“It’s very clear we are obsessed with women. We love women,” described Hughes. “We want to be there for women, support women. And genuinely, too, we really mean it.”

“If there’s any advice that I could give to somebody who is to a woman or a non-binary creator who’s a new filmmaker, I would say come to our events,” said Bell. “If you’re a person who’s looking for community, go to community.”

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