2015 was the year of women in film, from Bollywood to Hollywood; more films were made with only women in lead roles. 2016 is already teeming with great films that feature powerful females roles. Globally, women are leaving their marks in many films. Here is a look at some of the great work being done by female thespians on the global level for 2016.
Starring Sonam Kapoor, this Hindi film is based on the life of Pan-Am flight attendant Neerja Bhanot who saved 359 lives on a hijacked flight in 1986. This remarkable hero has garnered bravery awards from the United States, Pakistan, and India for her self-less acts as she died saving the lives of three kids on the plane at the end of the hijack. The life of Neerja Bhanot shows what an impact a single act of courage has on others.
Ghostbusters (2016)
An all-women cast headlines the sequel to the 1984 blockbuster as they attempt to get rid of ghosts throughout New York City. Starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones, this film promises to be even more humorous than the first film and full of girl-power.
Utopia (2015)
This film focuses on Janan, a woman who resides in Afghanistan, who learns of IVF treatment and seeks to get artificially inseminated in Scotland. This Afghanistan film centers on the plight of this woman and her determination to become a mother. This Oscar-contender for foreign film prides itself on its accurate portrayal of showing the determination of a woman.
The Second Mother (2015)
This Portuguese film shows the relationship that Val, a live-in nanny, develops with her estranged daughter, Jessica. Relatives raise Jessica because of her mother’s financially instable occupation. After 13 years, Jessica returns to live with her mother, and how she deals with such a change is the premise of this film. As Brazil’s official submission to the 2016 Oscars, this film shines light on the ever-so complicated mother-daughter relationship.
NH-10 (2015)
In Bollywood, 2015 was the year in which many women-centric films hit the silver screen, and NH-10 is no different. Featuring Anushka Sharma as the lead, this film follows the story of a young couple whose road trip goes south once they encounter a violent group of criminals. As the group of criminals targets Sharma and her husband, it is up to the woman to find a way out. This thriller will keep all viewers on their toes as it shows the fighting spirit of a woman.