Filmmaker Greta Gerwig – and her top 5 must-sees
Last updated: September 6, 2025
Greta Gerwig is the actress, playwright, screenwriter, and director on everyone’s lips. After several successes, she is once again in the spotlight with two major projects. She is directing and co-writing Netflix’s adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, a film version of C.S. Lewis’s classic story, currently being shot in London in 2025. At the same time, she also appears on screen in Jay Kelly, the new film by her husband Noah Baumbach.
Gerwig has become known for her distinctive portrayals of characters. Her stories are often marked by empathy for human contradictions and flaws, which means they never feel one-dimensional. Small details are allowed to take center stage in her storytelling, revealing how the seemingly ordinary can hold as much weight as life’s biggest decisions. It is precisely her ability to infuse these moments with complexity that creates recognition and resonance with audiences.
Here are five of her most acclaimed films:
Lady Bird (2017)
Gerwig’s solo debut as director and screenwriter became a critically acclaimed success. The film about a teenager’s turbulent relationship with her mother became both culturally significant and commercially successful. It captures the tension between independence and belonging, showing both the dream of freedom and the ties to home. It was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Director.
Little Women (2019)
Gerwig’s second film as both sole writer and director. The adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic is a timeless story of four sisters growing up and shaping their own paths during and after the American Civil War. The film was nominated for several awards, including Best Picture and Best Screenplay.
Barbie (2023)
An enormous commercial and cultural phenomenon. Here, the audience follows Barbie as she leaves Barbieland and encounters the real world. Gerwig skillfully weaves in both feminism and social critique in this satirical fantasy comedy. The film grossed over 1 billion dollars and became a global talking point.
Frances Ha (2012)
Written by Gerwig together with Noah Baumbach, in which she also stars in the leading role. A black-and-white dramedy about a young woman in New York who dreams of becoming a dancer while struggling to find her place in life. The film captured the essence of a generation’s uncertainties and identity searching, quickly becoming a mumblecore icon.
Mistress America (2015)
Another collaboration between Baumbach and Gerwig, with her also in a starring role. The film follows a lonely college student who is suddenly drawn into the world of her soon-to-be stepsister. Their encounter turns into a whirlwind of ideas and collisions between dreams and reality. It blends humor and drama with sharpness and energy.
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