March is Women’s History Month, a global celebration of the achievements of women from all social, cultural, economic and political backgrounds. It’s a great time for all genders to come together to raise awareness and advocate for women’s equality and gender parity. Whether it's through films about history’s unsung ladies in Hidden Figures or A League of Their Own, fictional tales of the female experience or the celebration of famous stories told truthfully, such as 2023’s record-breaking hit Barbie, let’s pause and reflect this March by watching an excellent movie!
For some brief history on the month itself, Women's History Month has roots in 1981 when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28, which authorized and proclaimed March 7, 1982 as the beginning of "Women's History Week," proclaiming that American women of every race, creed and ethnic background had helped found and build the United States. The recognition came around 60 years after the women's suffrage movement gained momentum in the early 20th century. We’ve come far since that time, yet there are women across the world still fighting for these rights even today. The Hollywood industry is still dominated by male voices and executives, so let’s support female filmmakers by streaming these great films:
The Passion Of Joan Of Arc (1928)
If we’re going to celebrate Women’s History Month, we might as well talk about how the topic coincides with cinema over the years. Early in the medium, the French stage and film actress Renée Jeanne Falconetti portrayed Joan of Arc in a landmark movie of the silent film era that is still very much celebrated and taught nearly a century later. The movie itself depicts the trial, conviction and execution of one of the most inspiring female figures in history.
The movie may be incredibly old, but it’s a timeless film that doesn’t need words to depict the emotions Joan feels as she defies gender norms and speaks up, despite knowing she’ll be burned at the stake for her “crimes.”
Stream The Passion Of Joan Of Arc on Max.
Stream The Passion Of Joan Of Arc (for free) on Tubi.
Stream The Passion Of Joan Of Arc on Hulu.
Rent/Buy The Passion Of Joan Of Arc on Amazon.
The Fire Inside (2024)
One of the more underrated films of 2024 about women’s history that the public hasn’t been talking about enough is Rachel Morrison’s The Fire Inside. The biographical sports movie tells the early story of the pro boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, who became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in boxing and is the only boxer to hold all four major world titles in three weight classes. The movie, which was written by Moonlight’s Barry Jenkins, follows Claressa’s early career – including her time at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
In CinemaBlend’s The Fire Inside review, we applauded the movie for not being “your average inspirational sports movie” because it tackles how Claressa’s gold medal win does not have her soaring into a heap of sponsorships and endorsements due to her being a Black woman from a working-class town. The film tells an important story, not only for the boxer’s accomplishments, but by speaking to the larger battles women in predominantly male endeavors must face.
Rent/Buy The Fire Inside on Amazon.
Erin Brokovich (2000)
One of the most beloved biopics ever made has to be Steven Soderbergh’s Erin Brockovich. The movie that earned Julia Roberts her Best Actress Oscar, is based on the true story of the titular single mother of three who initiated a legal case against Pacific Gas and Electric Company over its responsibility for the Hinkley groundwater contamination incident.
25 years later, Erin Brockovich remains a gripping and intense legal drama that showcases a real and very strong woman who stood up for a community and became an inspiring icon.
Stream Erin Brockovich on Netflix.
Rent/Buy Erin Brockovich on Amazon.
The Woman King (2022)
The Woman King is about the history of a West African kingdom in the 19th century where women were the appointed fighters. Gina Prince-Bythewood’s historical epic is based on a true story of an all-female unit of warriors called the Agojie, who defended the kingdom of Dahomey.
The story follows a new trainee of the Agojie, Nawi (played by newcomer Thuso Mbebu), after she refuses to marry. She is taken under the wing of the tight-knit group of warriors, played by Viola Davis (who did just about every stunt in the movie), Lashana Lynch, and Sheila Atim. The movie is action-packed, empowering and is a rare movie to expose us to the might of the all-female battalion, which did exist from the 1600s to 1904.
Stream The Woman King on Hulu.
Rent/Buy The Woman King on Amazon.
A League Of Their Own (1992)
In the ‘90s, a movie written by, directed and fronted by a group of women was hard to come by, but A League of Their Own was clearly ahead of the game. Penny Marshall’s 1992 movie tells the fictionalized account of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during World War II. The movie’s cast is seriously incredible, with Tom Hanks’ iconic role as Jimmy Dugan managing players portrayed by Geena Davis, Madonna and Rosie O’Donnell.
A League Of Their Own is a rare spin on the sports movie genre usually claimed by male-dominated teams. The movie confronts sexism in sports and in daily life and takes on issues with women in sports that are still important discussions today. It’s a piece of history, a good present-day talking point and full of entertaining ensemble performances. Oh, and… “there’s no crying in baseball!”
Rent A League Of Their Own on Amazon.
Lee (2024)
One of the best stories I discovered through a movie last year was in Lee. The Kate Winslet film tells the true story of Lee Miller, a fashion model turned World War II photographer, who even posed in Hitler’s bathtub for a powerful photograph while immortalizing not only the war, but specifically from a female perspective that the other photographers were not getting with their own eyes.
When CinemaBlend spoke to Winslet about the movie (which the actress tried to get made for almost a decade, by the way) she shared how playing the photojournalist touched her life.
Stream Lee on Hulu.
Rent/Buy Lee on Amazon.
Hidden Figures (2016)
For years, we’ve associated movies about NASA and space travel with the male astronauts who flew among the stars and walked on the moon, but Hidden Figures taught many of us something new about the Space Race: the three Black women mathematicians who contributed greatly to NASA’s achievements.
Theodore Melfi’s 2016 film told the true story of Katherine Goble Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson with the talents of Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe. Hidden Figures is the perfect example of bringing unacknowledged women in history to light, along with their struggles at the time, which were about being discriminated against because of racism and sexism.
Rent/buy Hidden Figures on Amazon.
9 To 5 (1980)
The Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin-led classic is inching toward being 45 years old, and yet it remains a relevant story about sexism and inequality in the workplace. The 1980 comedy that also starred Dolly Parton (and featured her hitmaking song) is about three female employees who band together to stick it to their egotistical boss. While the movie’s story itself is fiction, 9 to 5 does show Hollywood’s beginnings when it comes to really tackling feminist issues.
It’s especially worth a watch well into the 21st century, because it allows us to reflect on what we’ve since improved as a society regarding this topic, along with what elements of the storyline are still achingly applicable to the present day.
On The Basis Of Sex (2018)
Mimi Leder’s Ruth Bader Ginsberg biopic On The Basis of Sex, starring Felicity Jones, is also a great pick for Women’s History Month. We lost the Supreme Court justice in September 2020 – watching the story of her life is a great way to honor a woman who fought for women’s rights in the U.S. government, arguably more than any other figure in history.
On The Basis of Sex tracks Ginsberg’s journey, from her time at Harvard Law School to her appointment as the second woman to be a Supreme Court Justice is history.
Stream On The Basis Of Sex on Netflix.
Rent/Buy On The Basis Of Sex on Amazon.
Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret (2023)
Judy Blume is one of the most beloved female authors in the world, and has particularly used many of her books to get into controversial topics like masturbation, teen sex, birth control and menstruation. In 2023, her best known work, Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret, was adapted into a movie, and it’s a sweet watch.
It taps into the often awkward and existential experience of girlhood as it follows its lead character as an 11-year-old living in 1970 who is dealing with moving to a new town, getting her period and bigger questions about her parents and family.
Rent/Buy Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret on Amazon.
Frida (2002)
In the world of art, perhaps the most celebrated female artist is Mexican surrealist, Frida Kahlo. The icon was featured in 2002’s Frida, Julie Taymor’s memorable biopic starring Salma Hayek as Kahlo. The movie tells the story of the artist’s life, her memorable work, including her love life, which famously included a tumultuous relationship with muralist Diego Rivera and a wide array of lovers, both male and female.
Frida is female-forward and an outlier in Hollywood today, as it was directed by a woman and has a Latina woman at the forefront of the story, who is also bisexual. The role earned Hayek a Best Actress Oscar nomination following its release. It remains an inspired homage to the artist and a poignant portrait of her struggles, how she overcame them, and the odds against her.
Stream Frida on Paramount+.
Rent/Buy Frida on Amazon.
Young Woman And The Sea (2024)
Last year, Star Wars’ Daisy Ridley portrayed Gertrude Ederle, who became the first woman to swim across the English Channel after being previously barred from swimming as a child due to measles. After Trudy surprisingly recovers from the illness, she becomes fascinated with swimming, and begins doing the sport competitively.
As the movie goes into Trudy being approached to take part in the 1924 Paris Olympics, audiences can get a chance to experience the history of a famous woman in history who isn’t given her flowers enough for her amazing story.
Stream Young Woman And The Sea on Disney+.
Mustang (2015)
Another great film to check out during Women's History Month is Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s 2015 Oscar-nominee, Mustang. The Turkish-French filmmaker co-wrote and directed this movie about a group of five orphaned sisters living in a remote village in Turkey in the present day. It illustrates the isolated upbringing of the teenagers, who are forbidden by their elders from interacting with the outside world, especially with boys and men.
Mustang provides a window for western viewers unaware of how a conservative society like the one in Northern Turkey often treats its women and is a megaphone to often silenced voices, as the movie tells the story of a group of women preparing for arranged marriages. Oftentimes enraging, it is truly necessary viewing.
Stream Mustang on Tubi for free.
Rent/buy Mustang on Amazon.
Barbie (2023)
During Women’s History Month, you can also go on a journey to the bright pink world of Barbie Land where “every night is girls night.” Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster, which became the highest-grossing movie directed by a sole female director when it was a feminomenon in the summer of 2023. Through the comedy and Best Picture Oscar nominee, not only does the beloved, historical and often controversial doll get the live-action treatment, it also serves as a jumping-off point to discuss gender dynamics and the patriarchy.
Margot Robbie gives an incredible and rather hilarious performance as Stereotypical Barbie while she makes a journey (with Ryan Gosling’s sublime Ken) to the Real World to find the human who has made her suddenly “think about dying” and get flat feet.
Stream Barbie on Netflix.
Stream Barbie on Max.
Rent/Buy Barbie on Amazon.
She Said (2022)
On October 5, 2017, it was reported by the New York Times that Hollywood movie producer Harvey Weinstein had been accused of sexual abuse, sexual assault, and rape across 30 years. The investigative story led to over 80 women additionally coming forward to accuse him, leading to him being recently sentenced to prison for 16 years. She Said gracefully tells the story of the two reporters, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, who broke the story, and all the work that went into it being published.
The 2022 movie is a gripping look at what it takes to be an investigative journalist and delves into the reasons why Weinstein’s misconduct did not have consequences for decades. Maria Schrader’s direction is also very respectful to victims of sexual assault and rape, along with She Said itself being an important segment of modern history to look back on and learn more about. Check out our She Said review as well.
Whale Rider (2002)
New Zealand filmmaker Niki Caro wrote and directed 2002’s Whale Rider, a family drama based on a 1987 novel of the same name. It’s about a 12-year-old Maori who dreams of being the chief of her tribe. Pai is a direct descendant of the Whale Rider, as the daughter of her village’s leader, but because she is a girl, she cannot inherit the position.
The movie discusses gender in an understated, but powerful, way through this story shot on location in New Zealand’s Whangara. Keisha Castle-Hughes’ role as Pai earned her a Best Actress Oscar nomination at the age of 13. She was the youngest nominee in the category before Beasts of the Southern Wild’s Quvenzhané Wallis surpassed her ten years later.
Stream Whale Rider (For Free) on Tubi.
Rent/Buy Whale Rider on Amazon.
Selena (1997)
On the subject of pop culture icons in women’s history, one of the most influential women in the world of music was the Queen of Tejano music, Selena Quintanilla-Pérez. In 1997’s Selena, the biopic explored the artist's beginnings as a singer to her time as a sensation who’s still beloved today. This movie not only tells the empowering yet heartbreaking story of the “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” singer, who made strides for all women in music, it also served as an incredible breakout performance from Jennifer Lopez prior to her own massive fame.
Per a CinemaBlend interview with Selena’s director, Gregory Nava, the massive concert sequence Lopez filmed for the production actually inspired the young actress at the time to pursue music. In other words, Selena directly influenced Lopez, just as she will inspire other Latina artists after her.
Colette (2018)
An under-the-radar pick for your Women's History Month viewing is 2018’s Colette. Wash Westmoreland’s drama tells the true story of France’s 19th century novelist Colette through an incredible performance from Keira Knightley. The story follows Colette as a young woman and her relationship with Willy (played by Dominic West), a “literary entrepreneur” who exploits her writing as his own to make money on her work that provides a unique and relatable voice to a female audience.
Colette is another instance of film giving us a glimpse of a quite untold story in history, and as the movie details, Colette was a woman ahead of her time, as the movie tracks how she becomes a writer in her own write and also tells a rare empowering LGBTQ story in the 1800s as well.
Stream/Rent/Buy Colette on Amazon.
Queen Of Katwe (2016)
Back in 2016, Disney made an inspiring biographical film called Queen of Katwe. The movie directed by Mira Nair follows the life of Phiona Mutesi, a young Ugandan girl, who learns to play chess and becomes a Woman Candidate Master after competing in the World Chess Olympiads. The movie was adapted from an ESPN magazine article and book by Tim Crothers.
Black Panther’s Lupita Nyong’o stars in the Queen of Katwe as Phiona’s mother and David Oyelowo, who plays her chess teacher, Robert Katende. The movie shows the poverty of Katwe, but how a supportive family and team can inspire great accomplishments despite the odds against one.
Stream Queen of Katwe on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Queen of Katwe on Amazon.
The Joy Luck Club (1993)
Another classic film to check out this Women’s History Month is 1993’s The Joy Luck Club. The movie is about a group of Chinese-American immigrant women living in San Francisco, who regularly meet to play mahjong and tell stories. Each of them have adult daughters navigating their own experiences growing up in America with Chinese immigrant parents.
While The Joy Luck Club is not about a specific famous woman in history, it’s an endearing story about how mothers, daughters and their generational divides can pull them apart, but ultimately the bond between them is timeless and powerful.
Rent/Buy The Joy Luck Club on Amazon.
Happy Women's History Month and happy streaming!
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