Films with a feminist angle

[rosiepony]

Hi everyone, I’m looking for films with a feminist angle to watch during this lockdown.

I watched Silence of The Lambs last night with my DD for the first time in ages. I was reminded how brilliant it is, how it centres Jodie’s role and shines a critical light on all the male characters although they’re exaggerated for entertainment. I also had new reflections on Buffalo Bill and his ‘woman suit’ although I won’t go into that for fear of being banned! Quite timely given what’s going on though!

Anyway, I’d be grateful for any recommendations. Thanks.

Yy to the Color Purple. Women’s lives, female friendships, sisterhood, Whoopie Goldberg and Oprah !

Finding it a bit depressing that decent female characters are enough to qualify as feminist, but that's where we're at...
The oldie "Nine to Five" with Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton surviving working life amongst the men dresses sexism in the workplace.
(Remember the theme song? "They just use your mind, and never give you credit...")
An Australian indie film, "Rabbit Proof Fence" about young indigenous girls in colonial Australia, heart rending.

I'd forgotten about Whale Rider. Thanks for reminding me. I loved it, must watch with my dc.

Great thread.

Can I recommend "Stagecoach" from the 1930s? I watched it last night and it's incredible - it's currently free on Amazon prime if you have that. It's remembered as John Wayne's breakthrough film but top billing actually goes to a woman playing a prostitute. The characters are trapped in a stagecoach together for a long journey. There are two women - one a "Madonna" the other a "whore". The real and rather heart-breaking plot is the way the two women come together but are split again.
Sometimes I think the old films tell us stuff that newer more self-conscious films don't.

"@AllianceOfCorcles Pride and Prejiduce? How?"

If you live in a prison only one freedom is available to you - the freedom to change your mind. And so that tiny freedom becomes precious. I guess that's how I see pandp.

I love films about women overcoming hardship, discrimination etc. "Having a good time" doesn't really do if for me. I like to see them struggle and gain insight and maturity. This happens for instance in Legally Blond in a fun way.
But also in Mumbai Central the latter in quite a horrendous way for me it's also about removing the veil about the abuse women go through.
You can't watch the latter film and still defend prostitution, not if you are a just human being.

I'm not sure -- but has anyone mentioned Unorthodox?
A truly spectacular series about a woman who escapes the stricture of an orthodox Jewish marriage and flees to Berlin. A true story, based on a memoir of the same name. On Netflix now.

Alien

Aliens

Amazing films in which the main characters, good and evil are female. Ellen Ripley is one of the greatest female characters in cinema history, the baddie/s are egg laying parasitoids and even the ship is called "Mother"

The Stepford Wives 1975 - very dark, not remotely inspiring, but very much of interest to feminists

I love films about women overcoming hardship, discrimination etc. "Having a good time" doesn't really do if for me.

Me too. A couple of Romanian language films you might like, viewer discretion advised as there are traumatic scenes in both films

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (very bleak narrative centered around 2 female friends as one of them attempts to get an illegal abortion in communist Romania)

Katalin Varga
Very beautiful, very bleak film

You might also like The Naked Kiss
A brilliant, fairly obscure film centered around the experiences of a former sex worker Kelly as she tries to exit prostitution and make a new life for herself. Lots of extremely bleak issues, explored beautifully, as Kelly struggles to deal with the prejudices and hatred of her new neighbours who look down on her, even though she is by far the better person. Highly recommended

You can see the entire film on youtube here

Also 2 wonderful films in which sassy, badass little old ladies flex their muscles

Night of the Hunter (the original 1955 masterpiece - not the awful remake). The subtext of the film, very relevant to anyone interested in DV, coercive control and cults, is how women and girls' need to be loved can leave us vulnerable to exploitation by charming wolves in sheep's clothing.

Belleville Rendezvous aka The Bellville Triplets (animated film)
A truly wonderful film maybe a little scary for younger children

Also, while possibly not exactly a feminist film, there is an amazing, highly original film, a Swedish art house film, on Channel 4 called Border. On one level it is all about how a conventionally unattractive woman with a sensory processing disorder, in a toxic relationship with a man who cares more about his dogs than he does about her, live her life. Then it all gets extremely surreal. Of interst to anyone with an interst in gender studies. A highly original masterpiece but it takes you to some incredibly disturbing places so viewer discretion etc.

Baddass little old ladies FTW :)

enjoy!

oops!

The fat ladies and Josephine Baker section at the beginning are politically incorrect / potentially offensive

I'd completely forgotten about that bit

It does get much better as it goes on, promise

Posters have mentioned the characters Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs and Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Both characters were based on a real life serial killer called Ed Gein

There are lots of extremely disturbing videos and photos of Gein's victims and trophies on the internet so please be careful to put safe search on if you are interested in finding out more about him.

He was also the inspiration behind the Norman Bates character in Psycho

Also, for strong female characters and multifaceted, multilayered narratives and a departure from traditional, patriarchal narratives in fairly tales Pan's Labyrinth is a beutiful, disturbing, thought provoking film.

Ofelia, the little girl who is the central character is beautifully portrayed, I also love the character of Mercedes, incredibly brave, determined and clever.

Like most of my favourite films, Pan's Labyrinth has many scary, disturbing and violent scenes so not for everyone.

A couple of films on a WWII theme

A French language film Les Femmes de L'ombre (Female Agents)

Trailer here

I really enjpyed this film and anyone who enjoys strong female characters may also enjoy it. It is based in real events although some of the plot devices are incredible. Some people familiar with the use of firearms have been extremely critical of the depiction of how firearms are used in the film, so if you are someone who is familiar with guns and have a pedantic nature this film may be extremely annoying. I don't know one end of a gun from another so it didn't stop me from enjoying it.

Contains extremely violent scenes including graphic scenes of torture. Not for everyone

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet

Carve Her Name With Pride

Carve Her Name with Pride is a 1958 British war drama film based on the book of the same name by R.J. Minney.

The film, directed by Lewis Gilbert, is based on the true story of Special Operations Executive agent Violette Szabo, GC, who was captured and executed while serving in Nazi-occupied France.

During World War II, a recently widowed young woman is recruited to work as a spy in France.

You can find out more about Violette Szabo by following the link below:
www.violette-szabo-museum.co.uk/

available in full on youtube here

Not a feminist film but a film relevant to feminists is the incredible Tyrannosaur

A painfully accurate depiction of DV and outstanding performances from Peter Mullan and Oiivia Coleman, this film had me in tears, it was so moving

trailer here

Another wonderful film that feminists might enjoy is the highly acclaimed, low budget art film Frozen River, depicting an unlikely friendship between 2 women both in precarious situations and turning to people smuggling to put food on the table. I love this film for many reasons, not least of which are the strong central female characters, and I think readers here will like it too

trailer here

Portrait of a lady on fire
Pariah
The fits

Persepolis. Coming of age film set against the revolution in Iran.
Celine and Julie go boating. 1970s French time travelling ghost film.

I was about to suggest "Portrait of a lady on fire". A woman breaking convention by being a painter, and a lesbian romance develops. There are some lovely scenes where 3 women, one a maid, manage to create a space of support and equality between each other despite the culture surrounding them.

Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (Note the subtle difference in the real title) is the latest from Celine Sciamma who is always worth a watch.

Her earlier stuff includes Water Lillies about adolsecent girls in synchro swimming and their developing friendships. Tomboy is a sort of trans-kid tale about a new girl at school who passes as a boy. Girlhood is about French Afro-Girls and their cameraderie.

All three are about girls growing up.

Yeah, Pan's Labyrinth is fucking brilliant.

Definitely not a film for everyone, and it is flawed in many ways, but Teeth, a film about a young woman who discovers her vagina is capable of castrating sexually violating men, is definitely a film of interest to feminists intersted in analysing discourses relating to consent.

It is a dark, body horror film that young women especially seem to enjoy and that has men of all ages crossing their legs.

Another film of interest to feminists is The Love Witch. It is marketed as a feminst film, frankly I do not see it as such at all. To me, with my interest in cults, it is an example of an appropriation of feminism for a non-feminist agenda.

The film is fascinating for its highly accurate depiction of sex cults promoting protitution under the guise of "tantra" and "shamanism". Also for its depiction of a deluded, narcisistic, selfish control freak of a woman using sex to manipulate people and spending all her life reading about astrology, tarot cards etc. and creating various potions by which to control people. She happily murders people and is ruthless aboutdealing with female rivals. None of these things are feminist traits in my opinon and I think that both the film itself and the marketing of the film are worthy of scrutiny by feminists.

I have not watched the entire linked youtube version of the Love Witch, just realised that the audio is missing from the 1st 4 1/2 minutes then it kicks in

There is a fair amout of nudity in the film

There may be audio missing later?

Between 44.15 - 49.40 a creepy sex cult leader appears - readers may wish to skip the film and just watch this section (it includes some "erotic" dancing by a nearly naked woman)

It includes a remarkably accurate depiction of the discourses and strategies promoted by sex cults involved in sex trafficking, so definitely of interest to feminists

I don't think anyone has mentioned Precious so far

Apart from anything else an important film as it depicted the horrifying life experiences of an abused and neglected 16 year old girl that are far from uncommon but that had never before been depicted

I'm glad hoodathunkit mentioned Alien; gives me an excuse to post this