17 Empowering Movies and Documentaries to Inspire You This International Women's Day
Women's History Month is the perfect time to learn about the powerful women who blazed trails and broke through glass ceilings to build us a better world. Though huge strides have been made, we still have quite a ways to go before we achieve equality between the sexes.
This disparity is extremely apparent in the movie industry. For example, in the history of the Academy Awards — which will have its 94th show later this month — only seven women have been nominated for Best Director, and only two women have won. Most women are still relegated to what the industry deems as appropriate positions like hair and makeup and costumes, though the fight to persevere continues daily.
If you're not sure where to start in your streaming, we're here to help. In honor of the groundbreaking women of history and film, we've rounded up a preliminary list of our favorite female-led and -created movies and documentaries. From eye-opening documentaries about some of the world's most inspiring women to fictional accounts of badass women who fight the status quo, our list is wide and varied. Stream everything from historical dramas about the first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court to a documentary about former first lady Michelle Obama to a Beyoncé concert and much more.
Ahead, load up your queue with all these powerful movies and documentaries for International Women's Day today.
Learn about the face of the 1970s Women's Liberation Movement from Gloria Steinhem herself in this HBO documentary, which blends interviews, first-hand accounts and never-before-seen archival footage. Produced by Emmy-winning Peter Kunhardt and Sheila Nevins, this one is a must-watch for any women's history buff.
Get an inside look at one of the United States' most compelling First Ladies. The documentary, directed by Jordan Hill, shows a comprehensive view of Michelle Obama's life from her humble beginnings in Chicago, all the way to the White House and how she honed her voice as one of hope and optimism along the way.
Watch Olivia Wilde's feature film debut about two high school BFFs, determined to pack the four years of social events they missed out on in their quest for attaining higher education into the night before graduation. Starring Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever, the movie is as hilarious as it is empowering. Grab your own bestie to watch this one for a girls' night in.
Follow the story of a Sacramento Catholic school girl who doesn't quite fit in, in this personal story written and directed by Sacramento-born Greta Gerwig. The semi-autobiographical film earned Gerwig a Best Director nomination at the Academy Awards, one of only seven women in history to garner such a nod.
Elle Woods crashed onto our screens twenty years ago in a blur of pink and fuzzy and informed us that femininity doesn't have to be a hindrance to attaining your goals. Rewatch the movie this month and remember that you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to. Whether it be going to Harvard Law (what, like it's hard?) or running a marathon or something else, this feel-good film from the early 2000s reminds us we can do it all.
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