There were many women film industry pioneers. Of these, Mary Pickford, a Canadian, is perhaps the best known.  According to some British film historians, there are many more women, who worked in front of and behind the camera,  who have been forgotten.

In March, 2008, The British Film Institute paid homage to the women of silent film comedy. The BBC's Women's Hour aired an illuminating interview that claimed, in the early days, there were more women directors, proportionally, than there are today! That's because the 1910 era was a time of great hope for women: they felt they could have it all,

Film, in the beginning, wasn't a prestige field. Mary Pickford described early films as 'the despised flickers.' She went into film because there was no theatre work to be had.

Here's a link to a page about Mack Sennett and D.W. Griffith on this website. Mack Sennett was Mack Sinnott from Richmond, Quebec!  Sennett is a Hollywood legend.

Outside Links:

Here's a link to a story on BBC Radio Four about Mary Pickford.

Here's a link to that interview on Women in Film

Here's a link to Bird's Eye View (Women in Silent Comedy Website)

Here's a link to BBC Radio Four Interview about Women in Silent Comedy