6 inspiring films about women

In cinema there are stories full of truth, survival and feminism. Films that dare to show women as the true protagonists and that remind us that women encounter a social determinism that is very difficult to combat on a legal, psychological or work level.

From the daily struggle of housewives to those who fought to have the same rights as men or those who pursued a scientific career in the shadows. Women who love themselves. That they recover and live above what is expected of them.

We can only hope that you enjoy this list of inspiring films about women. After all, art imitates life and it turns out that life imitates art too.

1. Suffragettes, by Sarah Gavron (2015)

Violent and disturbing, Sarah Gavron’s film It traces the struggle of English women for the right to vote. The film narrates the hard daily life of working women at the beginning of the 20th century in Great Britain.

In that miserable life, the growing suffrage movement forever changes the life of working wife and mother Maud Watts (Carey Mulligan). Driven by political activist Emmeline Pankhurst (Meryl Streep), Watts joins a diverse group of women fighting for equality and the right to vote.

Faced with increasing police action, Maud and her dedicated suffragettes must play a dangerous game of cat and mouse, risking their jobs, homes, family and lives for a just cause. A must-see film, which reminds us that our right to vote was not granted to us, but rather conquered. for the feminist struggle.

2. Hidden Figures, by Teodoro Melfi (2016)

The film features outstanding performances and pays tribute to three pioneering black women who played a central role at NASA. It was in the early 1960s, during the “space race” between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Three brilliant African American women at NASA, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, They are the brains behind one of the largest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit.

Despite the racism and gender inequality they face, these talented “human computers” They continued to pursue their dreams and passions. in the industry dominated by white men.

3. Harriet, by Kasi Limones (2019)

This film tells the story of the heroic abolitionist Harriet Tubman.. A woman who escaped slavery and led dangerous missions to free hundreds of slaves through the Underground Railroad.

After fleeing the Maryland farm where she spent her life as a slave, changed the course of history by joining the abolitionist movement and undertake the dangerous journey back to the plantation.

Their fight led to the liberation of hundreds of enslaved blacks. Yes ok Harriet It may not be a masterpiece, it is worth watching for its fantastic lead performance and important message.

4. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Commerce Quay, 1080 Brussels, by Chantal Akerman (1975)

This film with a long title and length (almost three and a half hours) by Chantal Akerman is a hidden gem. It tells the life of a widowed housewife, trapped in a mundane life made invisible by the social order.

In this scathing tribute to anonymous mothers and housewives around the world, Akerman meticulously introduces Jeanne (Delphine Seyrig). Her loneliness comes with a list of tasks: cooking, cleaning, shopping, raising children. Her work as an occasional prostitute keeps her financially afloat.

Jeanne seems perfectly resigned to her situation until a series of slight interruptions in her routine lead to unexpected and dramatic changes.

It’s amazing that Chantal Akerman was only 25 years old when she made this movie. Cinema is too often reserved for stories of great sacrifices, typically masculine. However, Jeanne Dielman gives epic status to the everyday sacrifices of women with this film.

5. Fargo, by the Cohen brothers (1996)

fargo is a true-life crime drama set in Minnesota in 1987. Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is a car salesman in Minneapolis who has fallen into debt. He is so desperate for money that he hires two thugs to kidnap his own wife.

Jerry will collect the ransom from his rich father (Harve Presnell) and pay a small portion to the thugs.

The protagonist of this thriller of comedy neo-noir of the Coen brothers is a pregnant detective investigating the case of two homicidal maniacs.

For every time there’s a movie of a macho man punching and making cars fly, there’s fargothat It represents a woman at her most vulnerable and yet strongest and most lucid.

6. Queen of Katwe, by Mira Nair (2016)

Living in the Katwe slum in Kampala, Uganda, is a constant struggle for 10-year-old Phiona (Madina Nalwanga) and her family.

His world changes one day when he meets Robert Katende (David Oyelowo), a missionary who teaches children to play chess. Phiona becomes fascinated with the game and soon becomes one of the best players under Katende’s guidance.

Their success in local competitions and tournaments opens the door to a bright future and a golden opportunity to escape a life of poverty. The Disney film is based on the true story of Phiona Mutesi, a girl from the slums who becomes an international chess champion.

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