WOMANHOOD is something to be honoured every day, not just on special occasions. However, every year on March 8, the world recognises International Women’s Day as a significant occasion to honour the contributions and accomplishments of women in society, the economy, culture, and politics.
International Women’s Day serves as a focal point in the women’s rights movement, drawing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and also violence and abuse against women.
And there is no better way to mark the occasion than by watching great films that wonderfully represent womanhood. These movies do more than just entertain; they make you feel strong and proud to be a woman.
The films listed below depict and serve as a reminder that, once women set their minds to something, anything is possible.
Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)
Let’s start the list with this award-winning movie helmed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (collectively known as “Daniels”). The 2022 American comedy-drama film Everything Everywhere All at Once stars our national icon Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Wang, an older Chinese American immigrant who runs a laundromat with her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan).
They don’t get along well with her daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu), and they are in serious trouble with the IRS. Evelyn is then tasked with saving the universe through an incredible, mystifying journey through parallel universes.
This movie is a mind-boggling mix of genres that no synopsis could ever do justice to. It’s strange, complicated, and definitely one of the best movies ever made. It was named one of the top 10 movies of 2022 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute.
The Woman King (2022)
The Woman King, one of the biggest blockbuster spectacles of the year, brings viewers to the Kingdom of Dahomey in nineteenth-century West Africa.
Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and written by Dana Stevens, based on a story she wrote with Maria Bello, The story focuses on the Agoje (Dahomey’s elite, all-female military unit), with Viola Davis portraying General Nanisca as she trains her troops for combat and prepares for a battle against slavers.
Even though the film did not receive any nominations for the 2023 Academy Awards, it is still a must-see movie. What could be more empowering than a group of fierce women standing up for their kingdom and one another?
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Million Dollar Baby is a 2004 American sports drama film directed and co-produced by Clint Eastwood, who also stars in it. It is based on stories from F.X. Toole’s 2000 book Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner, which he wrote under the pen name Jerry Boyd, a fight manager and cutman.
The film depicts Margaret ‘Maggie’ Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), an underdog amateur boxer who is helped to achieve her dream of becoming a professional by an underappreciated boxing trainer (Eastwood).
Warner Bros. Pictures released Million Dollar Baby on Dec 15, 2004. It was a critical success, grossing US$216.8 million (RM1.18 billion) worldwide. The film received seven nominations and four awards at the 77th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (for Swank), and Best Supporting Actor (for Freeman).
The Blind Side (2009)
The film follows Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a homeless African-American teen who has drifted in and out of the school system for years. Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) and her wealthy husband Sean (Tim McGraw) decide to take him in. Once the Tuohys are appointed as Michael’s legal guardians, both their lives and his are changed.
As Leigh Anne Tuohy, Bullock delivers a performance that is characterised by an ethical clarity and a clear, no-nonsense, alleviating love that can win over even the most difficult of toughs.
Bullock’s performance received universal acclaim, earning her the Academy Award for Best Actress. Bullock also won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama. The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
The Devil Wears Prada, an iconic American drama directed by David Frenkel and based on Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel of the same name, features an all-star cast.
Meryl Streep assumes the role of Miranda Priestly, the editor-in-chief of the high-end fashion publication Runway Magazine. Anne Hathaway portrays Andrea Sachs, aka Andy, her second assistant, while Emily Blunt portrays Andrea Sachs, Miranda’s chief assistant.
Andy, a young graduate aspiring to be a journalist, moves to New York and works as an assistant to one of the city’s biggest magazine editors, Miranda Priestly, who is also ruthless and cynical.
The Devil Wears Prada is one of the highest-grossing films of all time, with an accurate depiction of the fashion industry that makes for an excellent film to watch on International Women’s Day.
