17 Films About Real Women Who Changed History
International Women’s Day has existed in one form or another since approximately 1909, that is, the emergence of the holiday roughly coincides with the birth of cinema. It seems appropriate, then, to look at films that explore and celebrate the achievements (and trials) of real women in history. This is not an exhaustive list of films about women who changed the world (or at least changed their world), and there are many very important women whose lives have never been touched by filmmakers (and others, unfortunately, with films that don’t air – I’m looking at you, Hypatia of Alexandria and Agora ). But like International Women’s Day itself: it’s a beginning.
Colette (2018)
Country girl Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (played by Keira Knightley) begins an affair with Henri Gautier-Villard, an author known, oddly enough, only as “Willy”. He supplements his income by hiring ghostwriters to create works that will be released under his more lucrative name, and when he realizes that Colette has some storytelling talent of her own, he begins to see her as a source of free material for the Willy brand. As her work becomes more successful, Colette finds that she does not want to be locked in a closet working for her husband, but instead begins to assert her own artistic (and sexual) agency as one of the most important French writers of the last two centuries. Her sheer independence and popularity among female readers helped change the way books were sold, and also expanded the range of topics (including a lot more sex, and not all of it straight) that women could discuss in print. You can stream Colette on Prime Video .
Hidden Figures (2016)
There’s nothing simple about orbital mechanics (I’m told I count on my fingers), and Hidden Figures tells the story of mathematics starring three women: Katherine Goble Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughn (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe). Long ignored by history textbooks, Hidden Figures dramatizes the stories of black women who performed complex calculations in the pre-computer era and then became skilled programmers after the advent of machines. Their calculations sent John Glenn into space. You can rent Hidden Figures from Prime Video .
Norma Rae (1979)
Sally Field (Oscar winner) plays Norma Rae Webster, based on real-life union organizer Crystal Lee Sutton. A North Carolina factory worker is fired for running off a union sign on the company printer, leading to a climactic, unforgettable moment when she shuts down the factory completely. One of the most memorable moments in American film history—when Norma Rae stops a factory with a handwritten union sign—is taken straight from history, and it made Sutton a labor icon. You can stream Norma Rae on Watch TCM .
Live naked girls unite! (2000)
Sex work is work, and workers in the industry face both universal and unique challenges in fighting for wages or better working conditions. In the late 1990s, employees at the Lsty Lady peep show in San Francisco faced arbitrary wage policies, racism, and lack of even the most basic work benefits while dealing with problematic customers without management support. When employees threatened to strike, management didn’t even acknowledge that what the women did was real work; as if they were doing it for fun. So they organized themselves, leading to a truly revolutionary moment in labor history, even as sex workers still struggle for recognition. Director Julia Kuer actually worked at the club and brings a keen insider’s perspective to this documentary. You can stream Live Nude Girls Unite! on Kanopy or rent it from Prime Video .
Based on Gender (2018)
Felicity Jones, who plays young Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who later became a Supreme Court justice, will likely appear on the T-shirt. The fallout from the end of Ginsburg’s career is clear, but the film takes us back to the beginning, as the Harvard law student cares for her ailing husband and young daughter while studying. Even though she graduated at the top of her class, she is unable to find a job until she is presented with a case involving a man who was denied a tax credit for caring for his aging mother because the law only applied to the woman or husband. Ginsburg concluded that the precedent in the case of a man facing sex discrimination could be used in later cases involving women; although not as influential as precedent, it did lead to changes in the law, and Ginsburg’s success paved the way for other women in American law. You can stream On the Basis of Sex on Netflix or rent it from Prime Video .
Harriet (2019)
A woman aided by the Underground Railroad system, Harriet Tubman (played here by Cynthia Erivo) quickly became one of its most effective guides, and is now remembered as the most important name in the entire operation, the undisputed leader who approached the quest for freedom with religious (literally) zeal. She later led soldiers in battle during the Civil War before becoming a leader of the suffrage movement. A $20 bill with her face on it seems like the least we can do, but at the same time we’ll have to make a compelling and heartfelt, if sometimes formulaic, biopic of Kasi Lemmons. You can stream Harriet on Hulu or rent it from Prime Video .
The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)
Carl Theodor Dreyer’s seminal historical drama demonstrates, as clearly as any film, the special power of silent cinema, and Renée Jeanne Falconetti offers one of the most profound representations of the genre. Mercilessly interrogated by the French ecclesiastical court about her belief in her mission from God, Jeanne remains steadfast even as the very architecture around her seems to be closing in to damn her. In the end, right or wrong, it seems that Joan’s defiant face is the only genuine thing in her increasingly closed world, and her status as a martyr of women in Western religion is cemented. You can stream The Passion of Joan of Arc on Max , Tubi and The Criterion Channel, or rent it on Prime Video .
Suffragette (2015)
Combining real-life characters such as Emmaline Pankhurst (Meryl Streep) and Emily Davison (Natalie Press) with protagonists more loosely based on real-life suffragettes, the film explores the suffrage movement in Britain in the early 20th century through the eyes of 24-year-old laundry worker Maud Watts (Carey Mulligan). Although Maud is a reluctant participant in the struggle, she is gradually radicalized when she witnesses the price other women pay for their activism. Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson and Ben Whishaw make up the rest of the impressive cast. You can stream Suffragette on Peacock or rent it from Prime Video .
Madame Curie (1943)
Although there are elements of melodrama, at least on the surface, this classic Hollywood biopic from director Mervyn LeRoy deeply appreciates the hard mental and physical labor involved in scientific breakthroughs. Greer Garson plays Marie Curie, working alongside her husband Pierre (Walter Pidgeon) as she begins research on pitchblende rock that leads her to the discovery of uranium and sets in motion the long and intensive process of purifying the substance so its properties can be fully explored. You can rent Madame Curie from Prime Video .
Little Women (2019)
While this particular adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel is clearly not a biography, it does a better job of capturing the spirit of the author than many biopics. Jo March, played here by Saoirse Ronan, has always been something of a stand-in for the equally unconventional Alcott, a parallel that director Greta Gerwig takes a step further in the film’s climax. She deliberately mixes the reality of the novel with Alcott’s life story, reminding the viewer that Little Women , while groundbreaking, was not entirely the book Alcott set out to write. Alcott has yet to be made into a great biopic, but in the meantime, this adaptation of her most influential work of 2019 pays tribute to the writer in a smart way. You can rent Little Women from Prime Video .
Barbie (2023)
By stopping by Greta Gerwig for a moment to talk about movies that twist their plots, Barbie pays a huge tribute to the doll’s creator, Ruth Handler (played here by Rhea Perlman), even if the inventor and tycoon only gets limited screen time. The film takes place in matriarchal Barbieland. In the film, Barbie doll Margot Robbie escapes into the real world to discover both her own worth as an icon and the limitations placed on her that she never understood. After a couple of episodes, Ruth appears in the final act to begin the journey of her creation, both in the film and in the real world. A feature-length biopic about the creation of Mattel (and Handler’s troubles with the IRS) would certainly be entertaining, but it wouldn’t do much better to capture her cultural impact. You can stream Barbie on Netflix and Max , or rent her on Prime Video .
The Death and Life of Martha P. Johnson (2017)
Using the belated investigation into Johnson’s mysterious death as its frame, the film follows activist Victoria Cruz’s exploration of the lives of Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and other key figures in the early days of the gay liberation and transgender rights movements. While death is the starting point, the film focuses on Johnson’s messy and jarring life and work, while also highlighting the challenges and sacrifices made for the progress that has been made (and sometimes not made) towards LGBTQIA+ equality. You can watch The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson onNetflix .
Queen of Katwe (2016)
Fiona Mutesi (Madina Nalwanga), a girl from one of Uganda’s largest slums, Kampala, forced to drop out of school at age nine, was lucky enough to meet chess coach Robert Katende (David Oyelowo) at a young age. This smart, enjoyable film shows her real progress to the top of the chess rankings, first in Uganda and then at the world level. It may be too early to suggest that Mutesi has changed history (her first candidate title came in 2012), but she is certainly an inspiration to Ugandan women in many fields. You can stream Queen of Katwe on Disney+ or rent it on Prime Video .
Frida (2002)
Emerging from the shadow of her once more famous husband Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina), Frida Kahlo became one of Mexico’s most important artists, combining intimate themes with revolutionary ideas and blurring gender lines – as she did in her own life – and chronicling her disability in ways unheard of at the time. She and her art gave voice to the nascent Mexican nationalist movement, and her life serves as a reminder that art can influence nations as powerfully as traditional politics. Salma Hayek stars in this ultra-stylish adaptation from director Julie Taymor, which received several Academy Award nominations. You can stream Frida on Paramount+ or rent it from Prime Video .
Elizabeth (1998)
Cate Blanchett plays Queen Elizabeth I, a woman you may have heard of, the highly unlikely heir to the throne of England who became the modern British monarchy, ensuring her country’s military security during difficult times while strengthening a religious system that endures to this day. In many ways, this is a film about choice: we first meet Elizabeth as a young woman with no expectation of rule, but see that as she gains power, her options narrow rather than expand. Given the enormous pressure to choose a husband and the restrictions placed on her choices, she ultimately chooses public celibacy as the “Virgin Queen”, reflecting, in a sense, the impossible separation that modern women often have to navigate between career and family. History often sees women working behind the scenes to change the world, but in Elizabeth we have someone who took center stage. You can stream Elizabeth on Starz or rent it on Prime Video .
Lady (2011)
Aung San Suu Kyi’s legacy was complicated by leadership failures ( to say the least ) during her later position as Myanmar’s State Counselor, but there is no doubt that her impact on that country’s history and slowing its move away from military rule was enormous. The film shows how, as the daughter of an independence leader, she lives a comfortable life in England and then becomes drawn into the politics of her homeland, becoming the leader and figurehead of independence and democracy. Michelle Yeoh gives an impressive performance as the complex Nobel laureate. You can stream Lady on Tubi or rent it on Prime Video .
Battle of the Sexes (2017)
Emma Stone and Steve Carell star here as Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in the lead-up to the titular Battle of the Sexes in 1973. King is a top women’s tennis player who is frustrated that match payouts are significantly lower than what men are expected to play for. Meanwhile, Riggs experiences difficulties in his marriage and finances due to his gambling addiction. He comes up with the idea of having a flashy, lucrative exhibition match against a very reluctant King, reasoning that even after his prime, he is quite capable of beating even the best female player. She was eventually convinced to join, and the rest is sports (and gay) history. You can rent Battle of the Sexes from Prime Video .