It’s always exciting to see our favorite actresses give directing a shot, and quite a few of them are doing just that right now. Some of the fall’s most intriguing dramas have been helmed by female directors with an acting background, and here are three that you shouldn’t miss for the world.
The Lost Daughter
Maggie Gyllenhaal made her directing debut with this adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s novel of the same name. The Lost Daughter centers on a woman whose vacation takes a dark turn after her past comes to haunt her, and its star-studded cast includes Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, and Jessie Buckley.
Passing
Passing serves as the feature directorial debut of the acclaimed actress Rebecca Hall, and it draws inspiration from y Nella Larsen’s classic novel. It stars Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga as mixed-race childhood friends, whose reunion years later threatens both of their carefully constructed realities.
The Mad Women’s Ball
Unlike Hall and Gyllenhaal, Mélanie Laurent already has several directing credits under her belt and The Mad Women’s Ball is her latest directorial effort. It centers on a woman plotting her escape from an asylum in Paris after being unfairly institutionalized.