by Jasmine Davis

While fewer than 10% of filmmakers in Hollywood are women, female filmmakers still have a lot to offer the world. Today, I ran across a quote from Jennifer Yuh Nelson that I loved:

"Sometimes, you just have to go in there and bowl people over with your sheer force of will." - Jennifer Yuh Nelson

This represents how women have to deal with the male-dominated world of film. Even if you’re not all about women empowerment, you have to acknowledge that “sheer force of will” can accomplish a lot. Female empowerment is summed up in this powerful quote - in fact, I’ve currently got it written on a sticky note on my desk at work. It’s a great reminder to be strong and powerful, even when you don’t feel like you can be.

Here’s another great quote from Debra Martin Chase:

"It's not a level playing field [for women]. So get over it. Just believe in yourself and get it done!" - Debra Martin Chase

She’s talking about Hollywood, but she could be talking about women empowerment anywhere. The playing field for women may be opening up in many different countries, but it’s not a level surface. Women still have an uphill battle in many situations. Rather than giving up and going back home, this quote encourages women to keep fighting that uphill battle!

This quote from Banksy (who, by the way, isn’t female) is also fantastic:

“Film is incredibly democratic and accessible, it’s probably the best option if you actually want to change the world, not just re-decorate it.” - Banksy

Even if Banksy isn’t a female filmmaker, this quote is still fantastic for women’s empowerment. He suggests that filmmakers of all types, not just men, can change the world with their films. This is one of the principles behind the Afghan Development Project, which connects women from Afghanistan with computer classrooms and helps them learn about filmmaking and technology.

Another strong female director is Kathryn Bigelow, who said this:

“If there’s specific resistance to women making movies, I just choose to ignore that as an obstacle for two reasons: I can’t change my gender, and I refuse to stop making movies.” - Kathryn Bigelow

She sums up women and empowerment simply. Filmmakers are filmmakers, regardless of gender. Bigelow makes movies because that’s what she feels driven to do, even if it may be challenging to deal with outdated attitudes toward women.

Female filmmakers and filmmakers of all stripes can find inspiration from these quotes. Women’s empowerment can sometimes be challenging, and it’s not always easy, but these quotes encourage you to keep on fighting and doing what you love to do.