Bette Gordon
A pioneer in American Independent Cinema, Bette Gordon is known for her bold explorations of themes related to sexuality, violence and power. Her film Variety premiered at the Cannes Film Festival’s prestigious Director’s Fortnight, where it was referred to as a "Feminist Vertigo - a daring departure into the dark, obsessional world of female fantasy." Her subsequent films have been screened theatrically in the US and abroad, as well as in all the major film festivals, including Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, Locarno, Rotterdam, Tribeca, London, Sao Paulo, Lisbon, and Warsaw.
In addition, her work is featured in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum, The Centre Georges Pompidou, The Royal Film Archives of Belgium, The British Film Institute, MoMA and Anthology Film Archives.
Gordon's last film, The Drowning, a psychological thriller based on the novel Border Crossing by Booker Prize winning British author Pat Barker, stars Josh Charles, Julia Stiles and Avan Jogia. It was released theatrically at the IFC Cinema in 2017 and on Netflix. David Edelstein from New York Magazine refers to the film as "superbly evocative filmmaking" and Glenn Kenny from the NY Times calls the film "Intriguing!! a genuinely unsettling vision!"
Gordon is best known for Variety (1984), a beautifully seductive film about voyeurism and pornography. In 2022, the film was re-released in France to enormous praise, along with an exhibition of photos taken during the shoot by Nan Goldin. Gordon was guest of honor at The Lumiere Film Festival in Lyon to screen a newly restored Variety in 4K. The festival, launched by Cannes’ Chief Thierry Fremaux and the late Bertrand Tavernier, focuses on the most important works in film history.
Luminous Motion (2000), produced by Ted Hope and Anthony Bregman, premiered at The Angelica Film Center, and stars Deborah Kara Unger (Crash) in a breathtaking performance. A.O Scott calls the film “funny, unnerving... visual poetry." Gordon's film Handsome Harry (2009) premiered in competition at the Tribeca Film Festival and opened theatrically at the IFC to rave reviews, David Edelstein in New York Magazine called the film "deeply moving with top notch performances and astute direction." The film features a stellar ensemble cast including Steve Buscemi, Aidan Quinn, Campbell Scott, Titus Welliver, John Savage and Jamey Sheridan.
Her early films, most notably Empty Suitcases, have won numerous awards and festival acclaim worldwide, including screenings at The Berlin Film
Bette Gordon at IFC
Still from Variety
News
Directing Concentration Head and Professor of Professional Practice Bette Gordon has been featured in the book Cinema Her Way: Visionary Female Directors in Their Own Words, published by Rizzoli International Publications on February 25, 2026.
Professor Bette Gordon was invited as a guest of honor to the 2021 Lumiere Film Festival in Lyon, France to celebrate her seminal film Variety (1983).
Professor of Professional Practice Bette Gordon will be the focus of Directed by Bette Gordon, a special streaming program on the Criterion Channel highlighting Gordon’s influential role in the independent cinema community on June 17.
ThrillHer, a series of female-directed thrillers curated by Film Professor Bette Gordon, will screen at The Roxy Cinema throughout the month of September.
The Drowning, directed by faculty member Bette Gordon and co-written by adjunct professor Stephen Molton, screened at the Lisbon and Sintra Film Festival in Portugal late last month.
Film Professor Bette Gordon’s film The Drowning will celebrate its official release on May 10 at IFC Cinema in New York, and will be shown during the 2017 Columbia University Film Festival.