25 Great Films About Women You Should See: This list has movies with women as the main characters that have stuck with me, made me cry, kept me up at night, or made me rethink the world around me. It has classic characters played by women who are real and raw, who love themselves, and who don’t just act out men’s fantasies. Some of them are made by women who are trying to subvert the male gaze and break stereotypes and gender norms on purpose. This list means “girl power” to me because it shows me a world run by women, gives me hope and strength, and shows me another way to be. Some of these movies would also pass the Bechdel test, which says that at least two women should be able to talk about anything but a man.
On screen, we are always shown a perfect woman that most of us can’t relate to or look up to. This list makes it clear that women are not there to inspire and be muses for male artists. Instead, they are often flawed and messed up characters who are looking for inspiration and projecting their own fears and insecurities onto those around them. So, this list also has some badass, rebellious women characters with grey shades and controversial roles.
The women in these movies aren’t perfect, and neither is this list. As I worked on it, I realised how little I know about feminist films and how much I would like your suggestions to help me learn more. One problem with this list is that it doesn’t have enough movies that show how intersectionality and diversity can work together. I also haven’t been able to include Bollywood or movies from other parts of the world. A few regional movies really stand out to me, but I hope to talk about those in a separate list some other time. Here are my 25 all-time favourite movies about women.
20th Century Women (2016)
“Men always feel like they have to fix things for women, even though they’re not. Just show up. That must be hard for everyone.”
I can’t start this list of great feminist movies with anything else but 20th Century Women. It has some unforgettable scenes, a great group of stars, and some memorable lines. The 1970s in Santa Barbara, where the movie is set, were a time of cultural change. It shows intergenerational feminism by showing how three women from different generations (a punk artist played by Greta Gerwig, an edgy teen neighbour played by Elle Fanning, and a single mom over 50 played by the lively Annette Bening) get along with their lives and work together to raise the teen son of the older woman.
In this way, they learn from each other and help each other grow and get better. “20th Century Women” is a tribute and portrait of all the women who raised, loved, confused, and are still a mystery to director Mike Mills.
A Fantastic Woman (2017)
“What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.”
This Spanish movie, which stars the Chilean actress and soprano singer Daniela Vega, won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2017. Vega was the first transgender person to ever present at the Academy Awards. A Fantastic Woman is an emotional story about love and loss that talks about sexuality and gender identity.
Transgender rights activists in Chile used the movie to push for more rights for transgender people in their country. Marina, a transgender singer and waitress in Chile, is the main character. After the death of her older partner, who she loved very much, her life is a mess. She is still getting over the loss, but people who don’t care about her privacy look at her very closely and treat her badly.
Aquarius (2016)
“So if you like it, it’s old, and if you don’t, it’s vintage. “Is that true?”
Clara is a 65-year-old widow and retired music critic. She was born in Recife, Brazil, to a wealthy and traditional family. She is the last person to live in the Aquarius, a two-story building with a sea view that was built in the 1940s. She won’t let the company bully her. The company has already bought other apartments nearby and has different plans for the land. She says she will stay in her apartment until she dies, which puts the company in a sort of cold war with her.
This chaos makes Clara nervous and throws off her daily schedule. It makes her think about her family, her past, and her plans for the future. The movie is based on the life of the director’s mother and shows how the political climate in Brazil is corrupt, full of vices, with institutions that are falling apart and anti-democratic tendencies. Clara is played by the beautiful and funny Sonia Braga with a lot of energy and wit, giving her character strength and life.
Arrival (2016)
“Trust me, you can be good at communicating and still be single,” he said.
Arrival is very different from other alien-themed science fiction movies. Unlike its predecessors, it moves at a slower pace (but rewards you in the end for your patience) and focuses on our shared humanity to learn and understand rather than getting rid of the unknown threat that hangs over our lives. This is a smart, exciting story about how language shapes our world and helps us figure out what it means.
Dr. Louisa Banks, who is played by Amy Adams, is a linguist who tries to use signs to communicate with the aliens. Banks is also troubled by a personal tragedy that has nothing to do with her work. Besides Amy Adams’s great performance, what stands out for me is the music. Max Richter’s “On the Nature of Daylight” plays over the first few shots of Arrival, giving the movie a sad and melancholy mood.
Birds of Prey (2020)
“You know what they say: Behind every successful man is a badass chick.”
Harley Quinn is the second woman in the DC superhero universe to get her own movie. She is not the anti-hero we need, but the anti-hero we deserve. She has the heart of the Joker. In Birds of Prey, she finally breaks up with her “puddin” and stops being his loyal shadow. She comes into her own and makes alliances with three other badass women: Huntress, Black Canary, and Renee Montoya, each of whom has her own storyline.
In a fitting tribute to the “Me Too” movement, Harley and her friends take on the egotistical crime boss Black Mask and his goons and give them justice the DC way. The movie is a great look into Harley’s colourful, criminal mind. It has a lot of action and funny parts that work well together. As the badass and lively anti-hero, Margot Robbie is so impressive and convincing that you just can’t get enough of her.
Blue Valentine (2010)
“I’m so done with loving you. I have nothing, nothing, nothing left for you. Nothing, you’ll find nothing here.”
In this film by Derek Cianfrance, Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling tell the heartbreaking story of a working-class couple trying to fix their marriage. Ryan plays Dean, a house painter who drinks too much and whose only goal in life is to be a family man, take care of his daughter, and do pretty much nothing. Ryan shows a sensitive man with flaws who isn’t afraid to let his guard down or be vulnerable in front of his wife. This is different from the egotistical, overly masculine heterosexual men we’re used to seeing on screen.
Michelle does a great job playing Cindy, an ambitious and grown-up nurse who is no longer in love with her partner and wants out of their suffocating relationship instead of keeping quiet. Both of the characters are real and human, and there are times when you really feel bad for how much pain and hurt they are in. The movie’s sexual scenes stand out because they are so raw and awkward. Ryan does a moving cover of “You Always Hurt the One You Love” by The Mills Brothers. This song tells the whole story of the movie in one song.
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
“Everyone agrees that when one part of your life starts going well, another part of your life falls apart in a big way.”
One of the most likeable female characters on screen – 32-year-old Bridget is a single woman who is having trouble in her personal and professional life. She gets herself into complicated and awkward situations. She is funny, clumsy, messy, lacks diplomacy and tact, and feels sorry for herself. She keeps a diary in which she writes down her daily thoughts, fears, dreams, and wishes. Her life changes when her boss, played by the charming Hugh Grant, and a lawyer she knows from her family, played by Colin Firth, both fall in love with her. Their personalities couldn’t be more different.
The movie is based on a book by Sharon Maguire’s close friend Helen Fielding. One of the characters, “Shazzer,” is said to be based on Sharon Maguire herself. Bridget Jones’s Diary is a feel-good British romantic comedy that makes you laugh and cry with its main character. It’s like Pride and Prejudice meets Fleabag.
Elle (2016)
“The feeling of shame isn’t strong enough to stop us from doing anything. Believe me.”
Elle is the French word for “she” or “her.” In it, Isabelle Huppert plays a successful businesswoman who runs a company that makes video games. When a person in a mask comes to her house and rapes her, she doesn’t tell the police. Instead, she tries to find out who raped her and tries to talk to him. This is one of the most surprising plot twists ever. Her response to being raped caused a lot of debate about whether there is a standard way to deal with a traumatic event like that.
Emma Stone won the Oscar for Best Actress in 2017, but Huppert was also nominated for Elle. Huppert is known for playing cold, rude, and morally-free characters, so she was a good choice for Elle. By coming up with her own unique way to deal with a violent situation, Huppert’s character takes control of her life and gives the other men in her life a good piece of her mind.
Frances Ha (2012)
“I like things that look like mistakes.”
Frances Ha is a 2012 black-and-white comedy-drama starring Greta Gerwig as Frances, a 27-year-old New Yorker who wants to become a full-time member of a small dance company where she works as an apprentice. The movie was directed by Noah Baumbach, and Greta Gerwig played Frances. Instead, she is dropped off and becomes unemployed, homeless, and miserable, going from one odd job to the next and meeting people by chance.
Every Noah Baumbach movie is a great feminist film. Baumbach borrows from French New Wave movies and even remakes a famous scene from Leos Carax’s “Bad Blood,” in which Frances runs through the streets to David Bowie’s “Modern Love.” The movie is a tribute to being in your 20s and trying to find your way in the world. It’s a story about becoming an adult and trying to find happiness.
Frozen (2013)
“Throwing people is not nice!”
This Disney Animation Studios 3D animated musical fantasy film based on Hans Anderson’s fairy tale “The Snow Queen” is an inspiring story about sisters. “Let It Go,” the song from the movie Frozen, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It is about two sisters, Elsa and Anna, who live in the Kingdom of Arandelle. Elsa and Anna are very stubborn and competitive, but they also look out for each other. Elsa is the Queen of Arandelle. She is 21 years old and has magical ice powers, but she is afraid to use them.
In her confusion and anger, she ends up putting a spell on the kingdom that makes it always winter. Anna, whose voice is done by Kristen Bell, is the princess of Arandelle. To save her kingdom, she needs to find her sister Elsa and break the spell she cast. The movie is even cuter because of characters like Olaf, the snowman, and Sven, the reindeer, who help Anna on her mission. In a departure from typical movie conventions, the “act of true love” that saves Elsa’s life and brings order back to the kingdom is not a kiss from a knight in shining armour. Instead, it is her sister Anna’s brave, selfless act of love.
I Don’t Feel at Home in this World Anymore (2017)
“I don’t want to get paid back. Then I don’t understand. What would you like? For people not to act like jerks.”
The best dark, funny, and weird movie on Netflix is Macon Blair’s first film as a director. It’s the kind of good, clean movie that the world needs more of. There’s a lot of awkward action and funny punches. Ruth is a nurse who is depressed. She is kind, sensitive, and gentle. When a thief breaks into her house and steals her laptop and her grandmother’s silverware, her faith in the world is shaken.
With the help of her strange neighbour Tony, she sets out to catch the thieves and get her things back. Things don’t go as planned, though, and they both end up in a lot of trouble. In an important scene, Ruth explains why she went after the thief: “Ruth: I don’t want anything in return. Chris: Then I don’t understand. What would you like? Ruth: “I want people to stop being jerks.”
Lady Bird (2017)
“No one who talks about hedonism in California has ever spent the holidays in Sacramento.”
How can we make a list of great feminist movies without including this coming-of-age masterpiece by Greta Gerwig? Saoirse Ronan does a great job as the main character, Christine McPherson, who goes through a rough time in high school. The movie shows how her relationships with herself, her body, and the other people in her life were complicated. In one of the most important scenes of the movie, the strong-willed Christine calls herself “Lady Bird,” which is the name she feels most at home with. “I bought it for myself. “I gave it to myself,” she says to the world. She is brave, determined, and doesn’t hold back from saying what she thinks or going after her dreams.
She wants to leave her hometown and go to college in California. This is something that she and her mother don’t always agree on. Lady Bird is different from other teen dramas because its main character is not after boys, money, or success. Instead, she is after herself while trying to find her place in the world. This complicated relationship with herself is what makes the movie so interesting to watch. Some parts of the movie remind me of Amy and Molly from Booksmart, which starred Olivia Wilde.
Lady Macbeth (2016)
Lady Macbeth is not a feminist movie at all, even though it is set in England in the 1800s. I like how ruthlessly it shows a female character in a bad role, but the fact that it hides issues of class and race makes it a problem. At best, it’s a cold revenge movie where the main character, a woman, goes from being a victim to a bad guy, making us afraid of her instead of feeling sorry for her.
When Florence Pugh’s character Catherine gets married to a rich landowner in the North, she feels trapped in her new home and starts an affair with one of her workers. As the lady of the house, she is supposed to be respectful and proper, but she goes against morality and convention, shaking off the status quo and going after her goals with ferocity and strength. She hurts everyone in the process and sets off a destructive ball of fire.
Little Women (1994)
“I’m so sick of hearing that all a woman is good for is love.”
Little Women, which is based on a book written by Louisa May Alcott in 1868, doesn’t need an introduction. Greta Gerwig’s version is fresh and appealing, with a cast of millennials. However, I prefer the 1994 version, which was directed by Australian filmmaker Gillian Armstrong, who is known for movies like My Brilliant Career, Starstruck, and Charlotte Grey, which feature strong female leads. She deserves her own list of the 10 best films about women by Armstrong. This period drama takes place in a 19th-century America torn apart by the Civil War. It shows how Joe, Amy, Meg, and Beth March and their mother struggle to make ends meet after their father leaves to fight for the Union in the Union War.
It’s really famous because it’s about how close sisters can be to each other and because the dialogue is very rough for a book written at the time. In their lives, the sisters take different paths that often lead to conflict and bad results, but they never give up on each other. The movie also looks at the age-old question of whether marriage or a career is better. One of my favourite characters in a book, Jo March (played by Winona Ryder in the 1994 movie and Sairose Ronan in the 2020 movie), goes against social norms by not getting married and “settling down” when she’s in her 20s. She wants to leave her mark on the world as a writer and live her life the way she wants to. In a memorable scene, she says, “I’m so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is good for.”
Mommy (2014)
This Canadian movie, which is directed by the young genius Xavier Dolan, is an emotional roller coaster about the anger and angst of teenagers. It is mostly shot in a square 1:1 aspect ratio. It is a bittersweet look at the complicated relationship between a parent and a child, as well as the difficulties of dealing with a troubled child who tends to be violent. Anne Dorval plays a widow who is struggling to raise her teen son (Antoine-Olivier Pilon). She gets comfort and help from her neighbour, Suzane Clément, who is dealing with speech problems and family problems of her own.
As the two women become friends, it seems like the three of them share both happy and sad times. In a mesmerising scene, the three dance to “On ne change pas” by Céline Dion, bringing the screen to life. The music fits the mood of the movie well, and Antoine, who is brave and smart, stands out with his class act.
Persepolis (2007)
“The first marriage is training for the second.”
This is Marjane Satrapi’s own story of how she lived through the Iranian Revolution and the war between Iran and Iraq. It is a subaltern view of history from the point of view of a woman whose family was killed because they were too liberal in the Iran of the 1970s and 1980s. Based on the graphic novel she wrote, the movie shows her life from when she was a child in Iran to when she was a rebellious, punk-loving teenager and an adult in Europe.
She doesn’t like the society she was born into and questions its morals and ways of doing things. When she is at home, her heart aches for freedom, and when she is away, she misses her country. Then, Satrapi’s story also tells the story of her country’s hard, violent, and often up-and-down journey. The black-and-white animation is stunning and gives the story more value and depth.
Private Life (2018)
“I’m sorry about the earth!”
This 2016 Netflix drama, written and directed by the talented Tamara Jenkins of “Slums of Beverly Hills” and “Savages,” is one of the most mature and heartwarming movies about assisted reproduction and how it affects a couple. Jenkins wrote the script after going through fertility treatment herself, which is interesting because the details are pretty accurate and horrifying. Paul Giamatti and Kathryn Hahn play a New York couple in their mid-40s who can’t have children and are trying to have one through IVF. Their marriage is called into question by the problems they have to deal with.
The movie is nothing less than a wild ride, and anyone who has been through something similar will be able to relate to it. Paul is calm and helpful, while Kathryn is emotional and hormonal (literally, since her body is changing because of treatment and injections). On screen, they look so real and real-to-life that the plot hardly seems like it was written.
Roma (2018)
“We’re on our own. We women are always alone, no matter what they say.”
I saw this great movie in Delhi at the MAMI Year-round screening. Every shot and frame in the movie that made me feel like I was walking past framed photos on a wall blew me away. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Roma won Best Cinematography, Best Director, and Best Foreign Language Film. It was also the first time a director won Best Cinematography for his or her own film. Roma takes place in 1970s Mexico City and is partly based on director Cuarón’s childhood in the Roma neighbourhood.
It is about a live-in housekeeper who works for a middle-class family and is played by Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira. Cleo is one of the two people Antonio and Sofia hire to help them take care of their four kids. When Antonio runs away with his mistress and Cleo finds out she’s pregnant, all hell breaks loose. Over time, Cleo becomes an important member of the family. She goes on vacations with them and grows close to Sofia and the kids. The scene on the beach is especially well-shot and makes you feel a lot. The slow pace of the movie is based on how boring and repetitive Cleo’s daily tasks and housework are.
Sita Sings the Blues (2008)
The American artist Nina Paley wrote, directed, produced, and animated the 2008 animated musical romantic comedy-drama film Sita Sings the Blues. It tells the story of the Ramayana from the point of view of Sita, the main character who is a woman. The story is broken up with autobiographical stories from the director’s own life that feel strangely like the story in the epic.
The famous American jazz singer Annette Hanshaw’s music is used in the movie, and it makes the scenes seem magical. It was a big hit at all international film festivals the year it came out, and it has continued to get good reviews ever since.
The Beguiled (2017)
“What did you do to me, you mean girls?”
I have to admit that I have always liked Sofia Coppola’s work, especially her colourful pop version of Marie Antoinette, in which she tells the story of the famous queen’s teenage years. She is a creative member of the hardworking Coppola family, and she brings her own style and verse to making movies. In The Beguiled, she turns the original 1971 Don Siegel movie starring Clint Eastwood on its head by putting women at the centre of the story. This set a clear precedent for a “female gaze” in movies. “Transparent” creator Jill Soloway made the phrase popular when she said, “I’m trying, if there is such a thing. Maybe it’s the gaze of the queer, the gaze of the other, or the gaze of the one being looked at.
The movie is about an injured Union soldier who causes trouble at Miss Farnsworth’s School for Girls in Virginia during the Civil War. The Irish actor Colin Farrell plays a soldier who takes refuge in a girls’ boarding school. The girls fall in love with him, which causes jealousy and fights among the girls. Coppola turns the male gaze on its head by making Colin Farrell an object and making him sexual, which makes him less manly.
The Incredibles 2 (2018)
“When done right, parenting is a heroic act… when done right.”
The Incredibles 2 is another great movie from Pixar Animation Studios. It is a refreshingly cute action-comedy superhero movie that breaks gender norms with each mission. Brad Bird brings humour and girl power to it, making it a good-natured and entertaining thriller. Helen and Bob have a mission to get people to believe in superheroes again.
In an unexpected turn of events, Helen goes on a mission to catch a supervillain and save the world, while Bob (Mr. Incredible) stays home to take care of Dash and Violet and deal with the challenges of being a stay-at-home parent. The superfamily comes up with new ways to work together, while our amazing Elastigirl steals the show with her cool stunts and attacks on bad guys. What’s better than a movie about a hero? I say we need a superhero movie where the gender roles are switched. Here’s the second animation on the list of great films about women.
The Wife (2017)
The Wife is a great movie that stays with you for a long time after you’ve seen it. The story is about Joe Castleman, a writer who is getting the Nobel Prize for his work. In the days that follow, this news opens up old wounds and brings to light secrets, betrayals, and sacrifices that put his 30-year marriage at risk. In the movie, Glenn Close plays Jenn’s self-effacing and elegant wife, Joan. This is one of her best Oscar-worthy roles to date, and it’s played by the great Glenn Close.
Joan, a talented writer who isn’t recognised as a person in her own right, feels like she doesn’t exist because she is always called the Nobel winner’s “wife” in the movie. On screen, her shame at being mistreated and her feeling of suffocation in her marriage are shown in a moving way. In the end, this is a loud reminder of the silent gender battles that go on inside the home, where self-centered men stand tall on years of women’s work and talents, feeding off them without the slightest bit of regret or shame.
Two Days, One Night (2014)
“I don’t exist. I’m nothing. Not a thing!”
Two Days, One Night is a movie about a working-class woman who struggles to keep her job. It was directed by the Dardenne brothers and stars the French actor Marion Cotillard. Sandra works at a solar panel factory. When she comes back from being sick with depression, she finds that her coworkers have agreed to let her go in exchange for a big bonus. She and her husband only have a weekend (two days and one night, hence the name) to persuade sixteen of her coworkers to give up their bonuses so that she can keep her job.
“All I want is to work and get paid, because we need it at home to stay alive,” she tells one of her coworkers. Work is both a religion and a way to stay alive for her. She only feels alive when she is working. Move over, Cinderella. This movie is about a modern working woman because Sandra fights so hard for her right to work.
Toni Erdmann (2016)
“You have to do this or that, but life just goes on in the meantime”
Maren Ade wrote, directed, and co-produced the German-Austrian comedy-drama film Toni Erdmann, which is a lot of fun. In the main roles, Peter Simonischek and Sandra Hüller play a father and daughter who are both sweet and new. When her father shows up at her apartment out of the blue, Ines, a young businesswoman who is focused on her career, doesn’t want to spend time with him. She tries to ignore him because she is angry and busy with work, which makes him sad. The father, who likes to play silly tricks on his kids, changes his name to “Toni Erdman” and pretends to be the CEO’s life coach to make her laugh and get closer to him.
One meeting at a time, the father and daughter work out their problems and get to know each other better. The next three hours are some of the craziest and most thought-provoking movies I’ve ever seen. One interesting thing about the movie is that the father’s character is loosely based on Ade’s own father, who used to play jokes by wearing a set of fake teeth she gave him as a joke gift.
Women at War (2018)
“There’s no one else you need. You know you can get it done. You’re the mom, and you won’t let anything stop you. Moms can do everything.”
This Icelandic-Ukrainian comedy-drama starring Halldóra Geirharsdóttir and written, produced, and directed by Benedikt Erlingsson is a gem that doesn’t get enough attention. Halla, an angry and fearless environmental activist who is 50 years old and lives in Iceland, takes on the aluminium industry in her country. She is inspired by real-life environmental activists, so she goes against the law and fights against corporate greed all by herself. Set in the beautiful countryside of Iceland, the movie gives hope and comfort.
Halla wants to save the world from being destroyed in a cruel way, and she also wants to adopt a child. When the chance comes up, she finds herself in a tough spot and has to decide if she can have it all. Halla is the kind of superhero we really need. She is a wise activist and concerned citizen.
