A Celebration to Trailblazing Women
In celebration of Women's Equality Day, we spotlight documentary films on the trailblazing women who have challenged the status quo and changed history.
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- 28 titles
- DirectorJulie CohenBetsy WestStarsRuth Bader GinsburgAnn KittnerHarryette HelselThe exceptional life and career of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who has developed a breathtaking legal legacy while becoming an unexpected pop culture icon.
- DirectorBrett MorgenStarsJane GoodallHugo Van LawickHugo Eric Louis van LawickThe life and work of the renowned primatology scientist, Jane Goodall, especially on her research about chimpanzees.
- DirectorRobert NixonFisher StevensStarsBarbara BlockJames CameronMichael deGruyFeature documentary about legendary oceanographer, marine biologist, environmentalist, and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Sylvia Earle and her campaign to create a global network of protected marine sanctuaries.
- DirectorAgnès VardaStarsAgnès VardaAndré LubranoBlaise FournierAgnès Varda explores her memories, mostly chronologically, with photographs, film clips, interviews, reenactments, and droll, playful contemporary scenes of her narrating her story.
- DirectorClara KuperbergJulia KuperbergStarsSherry LansingAlly AckerDorothy ArznerThe first talkie was directed by Alice Guy, the first color film was produced by Lois Weber, who directed more than 300 films over 10 years. Frances Marion wrote screenplays for the Hollywood Star Mary Pickford and won two Oscars, Dorothy Arzner was the most powerful film director in Hollywood. And what do all of them have in common? They are all women and they have all been forgotten. Incredibly, it also took until 2010 for the first woman, Kathryn Bigelow, to win the Oscar for Best Director. Even if underrepresented women have always played a big part in Hollywood and it is this part of the film history left untold that this documentary sets out to uncover.
- DirectorAmy StechlerStarsHeinz BerggruenEstela de BassagodaLila DownsA documentary feature about the life of the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.
- DirectorDavis GuggenheimStarsMalala YousafzaiZiauddin YousafzaiToor Pekai YousafzaiA look at the events leading up to the Taliban's attack on Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai for speaking out on girls' education, followed by the aftermath, including her speech to the United Nations.
- DirectorNadia HallgrenStarsElizabeth AlexanderAdrian K. CollinsValerie JarrettJoin former first lady Michelle Obama in an intimate documentary looking at her life, hopes and connection with others during her 2019 book tour for 'Becoming.'
- DirectorShola LynchStarsAngela DavisEisa DavisBrandon J. DirdenA documentary that chronicles the life of young college professor Angela Davis, and how her social activism implicates her in a botched kidnapping attempt that ends with a shootout, four dead, and her name on the FBI's 10 most wanted list.
- DirectorDavid SingtonHeather WalshStarsWally FunkRhea WoltmanSarah RatleyAfter rigorous testing in 1961, a small group of skilled female pilots are asked to step aside when only men are selected for the spaceflight.
- StarsLaurie SantosEran EgozyNate BallEach episode explores the fascinating "secrets" of one scientist or engineer, like the micro-biologist who moonlights as a professional wrestler or the bio-chemist who is also a beauty queen. Subjects include renowned scientists such as Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michio Kaku, Judy Lee, Colin Angle, Mark Siddall, Gavin Schmidt, and Nate Ball. These intimate and funny videos engage viewers with cutting-edge research and fantastic experiments, while also answering questions like "Can string theory explain Brian Boitono?" and "Could you beat Bill Nye in an arm wrestling match?"
- DirectorDavid FranceStarsKurt WolfeSue YackaCatherine Shugrue Dos SantosVictoria Cruz investigates the mysterious 1992 death of black gay rights activist and Stonewall veteran, Marsha P. Johnson. Using archival interviews with Johnson, and new interviews with Johnson's family, friends and fellow activists.
- DirectorKeri PickettStarsWinona LaDukeWinona LaDuke wants to grow corn and put up solar panels, but when a proposed oil pipeline threatens her sacred wild rice territory she must spring into action and defend clean water with treaties, slow food and spiritual horse rides.
- DirectorShola LynchStarsShirley ChisholmWalter CronkiteGeorge WallaceA documentary on Brooklyn-based Congresswoman Shirley's Chisholm's 1972 presidential bid.
- DirectorPeter BrattStarsDolores HuertaMartin Luther KingLuis ValdezIn the 1950's, a working-class wife and mother of eleven children helps to establish a farmer's union, which later develops into a platform for feminism and gender equality.
- DirectorRoberta GrossmanSophie SartainStarsGloria AllredLisa BloomHillary ClintonWomen's rights attorney Gloria Allred takes on the biggest names in American culture as coverage of sexual assault allegations in the media become more prevalent.
- DirectorFreida Lee MockStarsJill AbramsonJoe BidenJohn CarrA profile of Anita Hill, the African-American lawyer who challenged Clarence Thomas' nomination to the US Supreme Court and thus exposed the problem of sexual harassment to the world.
- DirectorJohanna DemetrakasStarsBella AbzugLaurie AndersonPhyllis CheslerFeminists: What Were They Thinking? takes aim at our current culture revealing all too vividly the urgent need for continued change.
- DirectorLisa CortesLiz GarbusStarsCarolyn AbramsRobert AbramsStacey AbramsThe documentary takes a look at the history, and current activism against voter suppression; barriers to voting that most people don't even know is a threat to their basic rights as citizens of the United States.
- StarsHillary ClintonJennifer PalmieriAmy ChozickA look at the life and work of Hillary Rodham Clinton, interweaving biographical chapters of her life with behind-the-scenes footage from her 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.
- DirectorMary DoreStarsChude Pamela AllenAltaJudith ArcanaA documentary that resurrects the buried history of the outrageous, often brilliant women who founded the modern women's movement from 1966 to 1971.
- DirectorPeter W. KunhardtStarsGloria SteinemPhyllis SchlaflyHugh Hefner[HBO] HD. A vivid portrait of Gloria Steinem whose career as a journalist and a pivotal member of the feminist movement has left an indelible mark.
- DirectorRita CoburnBob HerculesStarsCicely TysonGuy JohnsonDiahann CarrollThe first feature documentary about the remarkable writer, poet, actress, activist Maya Angelou.
- DirectorJaime JacobsenCharles DyeFinding Traction presents the inspirational story of ultra runner Nikki Kimball's quest to become the fastest person in history to run America's oldest hiking trail, the 273-mile Long Trail. Through Nikki's incredible journey, racing towards a dream and against time, we gain a new perspective on what we all share in terms of endurance and the human spirit.