According to their
press kit, the Alliance believes in "foster[ing] a community of professionals to advance the art, craft and visibility of women directors in the world of film, television and new media" and promotes the idea that it is "vital that stories are told from all perspectives".
Eleonore Dailly, co-chair of the AWD, in an interview with
Elle magazine, described the group's goals as, "debunk[ing] this myth that there aren't enough female directors. There are highly trained female directors who can handle thrillers and action films just like male directors can handle romantic comedies." Director
Maria Burton was the co-chair of the Alliance for six years. Describing the problem to the
LA Daily News, Burton said "through all the years, through all the genres, in front and behind the camera, women are vastly underrepresented." Speaking as an AWD board member, director Jacqui Barcos told
The Huffington Post on the lack of women-directed films at
Cannes, "complex dramas [...] tend to be difficult to finance in the U.S. If they are complex, the only way to get them financed is to have a big-name director, because then the investors are assured it'll be a masterpiece. And many of the most talented female directors are still relatively unproven, so investors don't want to take a chance." Similarly, Barcos told
Variety that it was important to demonstrate that "a woman director can deliver a commercially successful film that is outside the romantic comedy ghetto". ==Membership and organization==