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Films or TV shows with strong female characters - recommendations for a 13 year old girl

141 replies

GCmiddle · 10/04/2020 13:10

Hi,
My 13 year old daughter is just staring to develop a feminist consciousness and is wanting to watch stuff with strong female leads. She doesn’t like reading, so my book recommendations fall on deaf ears. She has recently enjoyed the Hunger Games films and (though she is loathe to admit it) the CBBC Mallory Towers adaptation.
Can anyone recommend anything she might like to watch please?
Thanks.

OP posts:
Awrite · 10/04/2020 17:59

Inkheart is a lovely film.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 10/04/2020 17:52

Hidden Figures- the story of three African American women trying to be seen as equals in NASA during the space race era.

jamrollyolly · 10/04/2020 17:49

Not to brag, but I once sat next to the actress from Press Gang in a pub! We were probably both still teens at the time.

jamrollyolly · 10/04/2020 17:46

His Dark Materials ob BBC and the Marvellous Mrs Maisel on Prime- beautifully made and very funny Drama about a Woman in 1950s1960s NY who becomes a stand up comedian after her husband leaves her. Shows perfectly what women of the time were up against and is great fun to watch. Might be some swearing though

woodencoffeetable · 10/04/2020 17:44

shakespeare & heathaway

CharBart · 10/04/2020 17:43

Thanks Greebols, I might have to look into that!

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 10/04/2020 17:39

You used to be able to get it on DVD, @CharBart, don't know if you still can.

CharBart · 10/04/2020 17:34

I’d love to watch Press Gang again. Is it available anywhere? Loved Lynda Day.
National Theatre did Jane Eyre as their ‘live’ production this week, should be available on YouTube for 6 days. Definitely a strong female central character, struggling with the constraints on women at the time.

OuterMongolia · 10/04/2020 17:34

Already mentioned but I agree with Erin Brockovich, Wild and the series Spiral. Also the more recent Star Wars films with Rae as the lead character.

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 10/04/2020 17:28

I came on here to suggest Press Gang, @PuppyMonkey! Linda Day was my feminist icon growing up.

summerlovin12 · 10/04/2020 17:15

Whip It is a 12a film, fab film

RuffleCrow · 10/04/2020 17:05

I started Gilmore Girls with my dd1 when she was 12. It's not a show in which any of the characters are flawless, (far from it!) but I'd class it as feminist for many reasons:

It shows a single mother breaking free of her controlling family to live her life on her own terms.

It shows her teaching her teenage daughter to aim as high as she dares, challenging her to put her own dreams over any particular boy she might be dating.

It shows how the class system creates traps for women - or gilded cages - as it concentrates on the upper middle class.

Every episode passes the Bechdel test. Female friendship is shown as the backbone of life for the female characters.

Where the show fails to produce the outcomes we might want for the characters, I found it offered plenty of talking points for exploring those difficult topics between dd and I.

FrankieStein402 · 10/04/2020 17:01

Firefly film and series
The first jumanji in the reboot (lost in the jungle? )
Given she's happy with the level of gore in the hunger games then iplayer has umpteen series of silent witness to work on

bookmum08 · 10/04/2020 17:01

Kiki's Delivery Service (a Studio Ghibli film)
Fly Away Home

TeenPlusTwenties · 10/04/2020 16:55

FYI Divergent films haven't finished the story, they didn't make the last one.

I don't think that is strictly true is it? There are 3 proper books and 3 films. There is a fourth book but that looks at things from a different angle iirc? The ending to the last film is different from the book though...

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 10/04/2020 16:53

Supergirl?

Arrow, Flash and Legends of Tomorrow all have strong female characters too.

totallydevoidofideas · 10/04/2020 16:52

'Wild' is a great film about a woman who goes on a long trek on a trail in America by herself. It's based on a true story and the book it's based on makes a good read as well. Stars Reese Witherspoon. You feel those blisters as she gets further into it, but she won't give up.

BlurtingOutTheInsideVoice · 10/04/2020 16:36

FYI Divergent films haven't finished the story, they didn't make the last one. The books are really good. With my reluctant readers
I wouldn't let them watch the film until they read the book. It worked even if she read twilight! She also read Divergent at about the same age as yours. Heads up for buffey there is lots of sex in the last few series when she get together with spike.

AuntieRae · 10/04/2020 16:24

What about Whale Rider? Either book or film.

JoyceDivision · 10/04/2020 16:23

Dumpling in Netflix - DD loved it and a good message re beauty contests / body image etc

Rubidium · 10/04/2020 16:19

Persepolis - one of the best coming of age films for girls I've seen.

TheNavigator · 10/04/2020 16:19

Fried Green Tomatos at the Whistlestop Cafe - film and book. The film is especially charming - Idgie Threadgood is a shero,

Gibbonsgibbonsgibbons · 10/04/2020 16:17

Buffy definitely (not shadowhunters imo)
Anne with an E
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

Dervel · 10/04/2020 15:48

Alita Battle Angel

KickingItSince1966 · 10/04/2020 15:24

Is she too young for parks and recreation?

Lesley and April are fab.

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