March is National Women’s History Month! In spite of constant oppression and opposition, women have made substantial, monumental impact over the years. They have made significant contributions to all areas of life, whether it’s in the field of science, politics, art, or sports, and they continue to achieve great things today. We may not be able to directly thank the women of the past whose efforts resulted in the advancement of humankind—but we are able to honor them via film.
1. Hidden Figures (2016)
Hidden Figures (2016) tells the story of a team of female African-American mathematicians in the 1960s who played a vital role in the early years of the NASA U.S. space program. The film is biographical, and dramatizes the actual women on this team. Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson) calculated the flight trajectories for NASA missions, such as the notable Project Mercury (aka NASA’s first man-in-space program). Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) acted as NASA supervisor. And Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) was a NASA engineer. Now, back the the 60s, women had to work plenty hard to prove their worth to their male counterparts. They arguably still do. Being a woman and Black made it even more difficult for these women to earn their well deserved respect and acknowledgement. Who knows what would have become of those pivotal missions without their skills and ingenuity?
2. RBG (2018)
Ruth. Bader. Ginsburg. You know the name! RBG (2018) chronicles the career of the current U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Not only is her career, which spans several decades, impressive, but it is also inspiring. She successfully argued numerous cases regarding gender discrimination before the U.S. Supreme Court. She advocated for both women and men who were facing sex-based bias. The film also touches on the fact that while Ginsburg was developing her legal legacy, she was becoming a total pop culture icon. Through her efforts, Ruth Bader Ginsburg changed the way the world is for American women. What a legend.
3. Reel Herstory: The Reel Story of Reel Women (2014)
Did you know that the first film director to tell a story on the screen, the highest paid film director of the silent era, and the first film editor to receive solo screen credit, were all women? Reel Herstory: The Reel Story of Reel Women (2014) is a film that tells the stories of the women who pioneered the film industry. It utilizes rare, historical footage and interviews with filmmakers from all over the world. While it is crucial to acknowledge and appreciate the scientific, political, or revolutionary accomplishments of women, it is also important to acknowledge women’s achievements and contributions relating to the arts and art forms. This film challenges and corrects the historic notion that women were simply “behind the scenes” in filmmaking and held peripheral careers compared to their male counterparts. The film restores women to their rightful, pioneering status in filmmaking.
4. She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry (2014)
Throughout history, (and inarguably still today), women have been oppressed, marginalized, and denied their rights, resulting in them being treated as second-class citizens who are unequal to their male counterparts. Doesn’t that kinda piss you off? It pissed a lot of women off, actually. So much so that they organized together to fight against it. She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry (2014) is an American documentary film about the women of the second wave feminism movement in the U.S. from around 1966 to 1971. The film also shows how the story of the feminist movement still resonates with women today through present day activists and protests. It shows how the current generation is creating its own version of feminism and definition for “what a feminist looks like.” With issues surrounding reproductive rights and sexual violence still very prevalent today, there’s still much to be angry about.
5. A League of Their Own (1992)
When the men of America were off fighting in WWII, the women of America had to step up to the plate (literally) and fill their shoes in many ways, whether it was in the workforce or in the baseball field. A League of Their Own (1992) tells a fictionalized account of the real life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). This film celebrates the women who were able to demonstrate their great athletic ability and prove to others that baseball wasn’t just a man’s sport. And while some films chronicling the historical achievements of women can be discouraging or even infuriating due to the oppressed status of women throughout history, A League of Their Own is truly a feel-good movie. The film has some really iconic performances from stars such as Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell, Tom Hanks and Geena Davis. Now I’ve seen hundreds of movies throughout my lifetime, and this one remains as one of my all-time top favorites.