The Director's Series: Gina Prince-Bythewood, The Woman King


Throughout 2025 I'm turning my focus to Directors. They help craft the vision on screen that makes a movie work. This year I'm looking at five favorite films from 18 directors I admire and 10 films directed by different women that I have enjoyed. Join me Fridays and Saturdays throughout 2025 as we take this journey.

The Woman King (2022)
Starring: Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, Thuso Mbedu, and Sheila Atim
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
About: Female action movies are tricky. It's often strange when you look at the style. None of that is the case with The Woman King, a historical epic with an exceptional cast and great direction from Prince-Bythewood. I love the way the action is choreographed, but more importantly I appreciate the depth of performance and the style here. Davis is great in the lead role and I love the back-and-forth between her and Mbedu. My wife, upon seeing the film, remarked that the loving way it's crafted showed this was directed by a woman. I agree. Prince-Bythewood does an exceptional job with this film, which was a standout for me the year it came out. I hope she gets more opportunities like this.

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