Madison Shaffar

Writers often find it difficult to portray the female experience. Until Greta Gerwig came onto the scene, many young women struggled to find movies that genuinely encapsulated their true feelings. Although Gerwig had already acquired experience in the film industry, the summer of 2023 was when she truly put herself on the map.

This summer was a big one for female inspiration. With the release of the “Barbie” movie and its massive success all over the world, Gerwig was — and still is — on everyone’s minds.

After the release of her film “Barbie,” Gerwig’s popularity soared the farthest it had gone before. But this was definitely not the first accomplishment in her career as a filmmaker.

Starting in 2008, Gerwig attended Barnard College in New York. It was at Barnard where she discovered a passion for filmmaking and co-created her first production, “Nights and Weekends.”

Gerwig’s next big project, titled “Frances Ha,” was released in 2012. Aside from directing the movie, Gerwig also starred as the main character, Frances.

She has appeared in a number of other television and movie roles, such as the 2011 rom-com “No Strings Attached” and the 2016 drama “Jackie.” But her real talent is shown behind the camera through her work as a film writer, director and producer.

For Gerwig, her career took off with the release of her 2017 A24 film “Lady Bird.” With both writer and director credits, Gerwig blew audiences away with her ability to portray the coming of age of the character Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson. 

As the movie progresses, we see Lady Bird learn more about herself as she attends an all-girls Catholic high school, has her first heartbreak, clashes with her mother and eventually moves on to college. It serves as the perfect movie for any young person looking for reassurance about their own experiences. 

“Lady Bird” was a hit at the 2018 Golden Globe Awards, winning Best Picture in the genre of musical or comedy. Saoirse Ronan, who plays Lady Bird, also won Best Actress in that genre.

Gerwig’s next success came with her 2019 film “Little Women.” With her take on the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott, Gerwig used the picture to portray the relationships between family through the four March sisters. The movie also has a cast full of big names. Gerwig worked with Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet, who both starred in “Lady Bird,” as well as Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, Meryl Streep and Laura Dern.

This post-Civil War era drama explores romance, the societal expectations of 1860’s Massachusetts and the bittersweet feeling of moving on from childhood. The exciting tale of the four sisters is both a heartwarming film and a real tear-jerker. 

Gerwig earned both Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for the picture in 2020, and went home with an Oscar win for Costume Design. 

Because the Covid-19 pandemic hit just a few months after “Little Women’s” release, Gerwig took a little break from the screen. It was not until the summer of 2023 that Gerwig returned with her biggest film yet: “Barbie.”

Working as the writer, director and producer for the film, Gerwig was the head creator of the movie. Her story about girlhood and female empowerment is an impactful message for any viewer and an entertaining experience for all to enjoy.

As a whole, the film earned nine Golden Globe nominations and won the award for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement and Best Original Song in a Motion Picture. It is also nominated in five Oscar categories. 

Gerwig is set to write and direct the upcoming Netflix reboot of “The Chronicles of Narnia” and also has writing credits on the new remake of Disney’s “Snow White.”

In the latest Network survery, Marian girls ranked “Barbie” first, “Little Women” second and “Lady Bird” third. 

Although her career history is not as lengthy as other filmmakers, Gerwig has already made a name for herself in the world on the screen. Audiences are excited to see what projects she has coming next, and real fans know that any work from her will not disappoint.