5 Must-Watch Documentaries about Female Empowerment

Get inspired by these five documentaries that share the experiences of women around the world. Ranging from Oscar nominated documentaries like RBG to the empowering Girl Rising, you are sure to enjoy the films on this list.

• RBG

  
  Image: ‘HDS_2019_PHOTO-3.jpg’ | Found on flickrcc.net

  RBG recounts the true life story of United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. The film follows her life story, starting from her New York upbringing all the way to her time in the Supreme Court. RBG will give you a new lens into how Ginsberg was able to overcome times in her career where many people underestimated her due to her gender. Ginsberg was able to prevail against all odds, and is an inspiration to women around the world, as illustrated by this documentary.

• Period. End of Sentence.

  
  Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

  Following the story of a small group of women in India, Period. End of Sentence. documents their mission to create low-cost, biodegradable sanitary pads which could be easily accessed by women in their community. The film induced more open conversations about the taboo topic of menstruation, and brought attention to how much work still needs to be done in order for womanhood to be embraced around the world.

• Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)

  
  Photo by Suliman Sallehi from Pexels

  The 2020 Academy Award winning short documentary Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl) tells the story of a group of girls learning to read, write, and skateboard in Afghanistan. This was all possible due to a non-profit organization called Skateistan which provides education to girls who live in poor areas of the country. The documentary features girls making the best of their current situations, having fun with each other despite their daily struggles. This documentary sheds light on the unfortunate realities in third world countries, while also staying optimistic for the future.

• Miss Representation

  
  Photo by Sam McGhee on Unsplash

  This documentary focuses on the lack of female representation in mainstream media. The media’s portrayal of women is often based on sexist stereotypes. The filmmakers interview women that are well known names in media such as Rachel Maddow, Katie Couric, Lisa Ling and many more. Here, we hear about the trials and tribulations they face as women working in the media, and learn from the experiences of young women who are fed up with the unrealistic standards that they are expected to obtain. This is a truly eye opening story and will have you seeing the media in a completely different light.

• Girl Rising

  
  Photo by Terry Boynton on Unsplash

  Girl Rising chronicles the lives of nine girls living in developing countries. The film provides a glimpse of what it is like to be a young woman growing up in Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Haiti, Egypt, India, Peru, Nepal, and Sierra Leone. It closely follows and documents the daily struggles to overcome societal obstacles as a woman, and their fight to obtain an education that could provide them with opportunities they could only dream of.

  Be sure to check out these documentaries — they help amplify the voices of women all around the world!