17 Series and Films About Real Women in Power
This post started out as a roundup of female power films – a nice tie-in to the upcoming release of Viola Davis ‘s historical epic The Woman King about the female fighters of the Kingdom of Dahomey (modern-day Benin) in the 19th century, no? But history caught up with this idea with the death of Queen Elizabeth II. It is impossible to consider the relationship between women and power without considering the end of the longest reign of any woman in human history .
For some, she was a beloved grandmother; for others, an unshakable ruler, leading with the softest touch imaginable. Still others could not separate it from the dark specter of British colonialism. None of these interpretations is comprehensive, and neither supersedes the other. Power—whether acquired through inheritance, politics, or otherwise—is a complex issue, which is probably why so many interesting films have been based on its consideration. Take, for example, The Woman King , which is not about a real monarch, but about a powerful female leader set in Dahomey, a country that was later colonized by France. A group of highly trained female warriors defending their lands from outside invaders is the subject of murderous narratives, but some question the film’s own story of Dahomey’s enslavement and conquest .
All of this made me wonder if we have ever been or will be very good at judging, praising and vilifying our real female leaders unfairly. But in the modern age, TV shows and movies have at least done a decent job of giving us memorable, sometimes provocative reflections on historical women in power.