Movies have been a powerful tool for social change since forever. Over the years, their impact has shed light on the struggles of those who society has most often ignored. From racism to bullying, some of the best movies out there share stories of pain and courage, and great feminist movies are no exception.
Lately, the industry has been churning out more and more female-driven films with an agenda: to empower women and young girls. From Hidden Figures to Roma, these flicks have an underlying message about gender roles and the importance of sisterhood. Feminism movies allow for the exploration of women’s rights, sexual politics, and issues surrounding representation.
It’s not just about having more female directors and writers behind the camera (the underrepresentation of women in the cinematography industry is sadly well-known) — it’s also about telling stories that women can relate to and that can serve as inspiration for generations of young girls. Here are some of the most iconic movies that go deep into how women changed their destiny and paved the way for other women in a world that is not always kind.
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#1 Hidden Figures
2016 | 2h 7m | Directed by Theodore Melfi
The real story of Hidden Figures is one that you should know. The movie follows three brilliant African-American mathematicians — Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson — who served a vital role during the Space Race when NASA still had segregated units to divide men from women, black from white. It’s a gem among feminist movies, especially since it ditched the whole “women are women’s worst enemies” trope. And it’s so good to finally see some representation of male feminists that support gender equality.
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52points
#2 The First Wives Club
1996 | 1h 43m | Directed by Hugh Wilson
This 1996 movie is all about friendship and sisterhood. It follows three women who come together after their manipulative husbands cheat on them and leave them for younger women. But this film is about more than just three women paying their husbands back. It’s about them banding together to help each other through their hardest moments and regaining their lost confidence. A super fun homage to female empowerment that taught us that success and independence are the best kinds of revenge.
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44points
#3 Alien
1979 | 1h 57m | Directed by Ridley Scott
Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley is one of sci-fi’s most memorable female characters, so memorable, in fact, that she spawned a franchise. Not only was the movie ahead of its time for creating several tropes in alien movies, such as the facehugger, the chestburster, and acid blood, but Alien also broke ground by avoiding the hyper-sexualization of women so common at the time. Ellen Ripley wasn’t there to be rescued, and she fought on an equal footing alongside her male crewmates.
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39points
#4 Moana
2016 | 1h 47m | Directed by Ron Clements, John Musker, and Don Hall
Moana is an animated feminist movie that finally gives space to a cast of talented Polynesian actors. It’s the story of the charismatic and self-reliant future leader of a Polynesian village, chosen by the sea itself to return the stolen heart of Te Fiti. And for once, the happy ending doesn’t involve any love interest.
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39points
#5 A League Of Their Own
1992 | 2h 8m | Directed by Penny Marshall
This classic baseball movie is not just a great example of a sports film directed by a woman. It’s about women standing up for themselves, fighting for their rights, and making history. And last but not least, this film is super fun! It follows a fictionalized version of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, the forerunner of women’s professional league sports in the United States.
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34points
#6 Set It Off
1996 | 2h 3m | Directed by F. Gary Gray
It’s been 26 years, and no film is yet to live up to the realities of black women like Set It Off and how it shows a desperation to break away from racism, classism, and sexism. The story follows four friends — portrayed by Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, Kimberly Elise, and Vivica A. Fox — who decide to rob a bank to solve their financial and personal problems. Set It Off was a box-office success, grossing over $41 million against a budget of $9 million.
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31points
#7 Wild
2014 | 1h 55m | Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée
Starring Reese Witherspoon, Wild is more than a movie about a novice hiking the Pacific Crest Trail on her own. It explores a broken woman’s journey toward finding herself again after her mother’s death, a tough divorce, and her fight with depression. The film is based on author Cheryl Strayed’s memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.
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31points
#8 Roma
2018 | 2h 15m | Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
A beautiful and moving black and white movie written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón, who described it as “a love letter to all the women who raised him.” Roma is set in the 1970s in the middle-class neighborhood of Roma Norte, where Cleo, a Mixteco live-in housekeeper, works for a well-to-do family. The movie is considered one of the best films of 2018 and has been widely regarded by critics as one of the greatest films of the 2010s.
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28points
#10 The Joy Luck Club
1993 | 2h 19m | Directed by Wayne Wang
Four mothers born in Feudal China, four daughters born in America, and how their lives are shaped by the clash of the two cultures. This all-Asian and all-female main cast will take you on a journey through self-discovery, understanding, and the cruelty and hypocrisy of patriarchal society. The film is based on the 1989 novel of the same name by Amy Tan, who also co-wrote the screenplay for the movie.
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26points
#12 Revenge
2017 | 1h 48m | Directed by Coralie Fargeat
The title perfectly sums up the story. The movie, directed by French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat, follows a young woman abused and left for dead in the desert by three wealthy family men who got together for a hunting game. While trying to recover from the trauma, she seeks revenge upon those who tried to kill her.
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24points
