Today, March 8, is the l day dedicated to women,- International Women’s Day, which is a notable day for feminist movements all over the world. Women have been historically put behind the glass in most of the areas of life including, and especially, culture – the arts. The film industry has not escaped this pattern as the male gender has been the main attributions in the key domain of production of films since the creation of the right industry.
In the battle for justice, and a proper share of all voices, those who make a film have doubled since the last decade with conviction in the industry. This grew in women earning a prestige place in cinema and out earning even recognition in the cinematic history. Those like Agnès Varda, Sofia Coppola, Lucrecia Martel, Claire Denis, Jane Campion, and Isabel Coixet have been placed at the forefront of the Seventh, guiding the art over the years.
Here are the titles of five films that must be watched on this 8M:
Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai Du Commerce 1080 Brussels
1976 – Directed by Chantal Akerman.
A recent toppling of Arthur’s throne is Akerman’s documentary, bolstered by the audience of the critic Jessica Branch. This film is centred on a lonely widow who from morning to afternoon takes care of her son, in addition in the middle of the day goes out to do house duties and night times, thrum spends time at a prostitute. The film offers a compelling argument for women as labor, but the issue of sex work is approached from a contemporary and non-abolitionist angle. Discussed above, we are quietly coaxed to accept and appreciate the various roles that are traditionally reserved for women in any patriarchal society.
The Headless Woman
2008 – Directed by Lucrecia Martel
Including Martel among the most interesting and enigmatic of all contemporary directors is justified. The woman driving a car with a little child on the side of the road hears a bang and, without thinking yells out “is that a child?” This title denotes a point where the character’s voice becomes irrelevant to her environment thus she holds her peace. And the film also condemns the high society of Argentina and its tacit endorsement of crimes.
Cleo from 5 to 7
1962 – Directed by Agnes Varda
With the significance of her being a female director, rather a rare phenomenon of her time, Varda took a crucial position in the French New Wave, one of the movements that helped renew cinema and which was dominated by men. Many of her films, I love them largely because they allow me to turn into Cleo, a woman who is on the edge of life filled with dread of the unknown as she waits for her medical diagnosis. The film engages with her misconceptions, impressions, weaknesses and depths.
Persepolis
2007 – Directed by Marjane Satrapi,Vincent Paronnaud
This adaptation of the popular comic tells the story of a little girl living in political Iran during the 1980s. The narrative shifts towards adulthood and deals with the conflict between the East and West with women’s experience of Islam at the heart of it and eventually leading to a very strong note of assertion when the heroine dictates her terms against the repressive order.
Poor Things
2023 – Director Yorgos Lanthimos
This is a recently released movie with a number of Oscars nominations, – 11 in total, and claims to be a feminist’s fairy tale. The Greek director pours new life into the story of Frankenstein expecting what if the monster is a woman and she wants to venture out with curiosity and freewill. The leading lady enjoys sex without guilt and even enters prostitution for the sake of the socialist community.
Should you prefer the film without reading the book first, you may want to find out how to incorporate Fiona’s supercreative genius into the narrative.