FILMS
Thelma and Louise – Ridley Scott – 1991 – USA
During summer, we don’t all have the chance to travel but we might have some time to watch some great feminist films allowing us to travel through memorable films.
Thelma and Louise is unquestionably a classic for a comforting and humorous tour through the United States paired with serious subjects. Two ladies decide to take a weekend getaway since they are tired of their routines and their boyfriends, but the trip turns out to be quite unexpected and unpleasant. Even though the movie tackles a lot of undesirable events that can happen to women, it nevertheless has a strong message and a positive vibe. It provides us with valuable insight into the gender dynamics of the middle and lower classes in the US during the 1980s and 1990s.
I warmly recommend it if you’re looking for an old film with stunning shots of the US Southwest.
Finding Ola – Hamdi El Bagoury – 2022 – Egypt
In this brief Egyptian television program, Ola, a recently divorced woman, discovers new facets of her life while coping with her ex-husband and the breakup. She meets new hurdles and takes on new duties as she explores her new self. This television program demonstrates the challenges and stigmas associated with being a divorced woman in Egypt. It’s also a fascinating observation of how society views older women. Ola is a charming and endearing girl that is fun to follow as she takes new steps in her life.
It’s also a very pleasant and simple TV program that gives viewers a glimpse into the upper-class Egyptian lifestyle.
Caramel – Nadine Labaki – 2007 – Lebanon
« Sukkah banat » in Lebanese Arabic is the original title of this sweet film picturing the daily lives of five Lebanese women in Beirut.
Through this movie, we participate in the daily conversations of four women working in their hair salon about sex, love, work, and motherhood.
It’s a heartwarming movie that shows us the difficulties of being a woman, leading a romantic life, or being gay in Lebanon. These ladies support one another, share their experiences and anxieties, and have lovely friendships.
DOCUMENTARIES
Period. End of sentence – Rayka Zehtabchi – 2018 – USA
Here is an interesting documentary about periods in the countryside of India.
In the documentary, women are leading a quiet revolution in a village outside of Delhi, called Kathikhera. They battle the pervasive shame associated with menstruation. The lack of access to pads among these women for decades resulted in health issues, school absences, and eventual dropout of the girls. However, when a sanitary pad factory is set up in the hamlet, the women are taught how to produce and sell their own pads, which empowers the women there. They chose the moniker “FLY” for their company because they want women to “soar.”
A secret love – Chris Bolan – 2020 – USA
This documentary depicts the love story of two elderly women who long kept their relationship a secret due to social stigmas associated with lesbian relationships. They describe their courtship and how they first met. During the same conversation, they also discuss the challenges they faced throughout the course of their 65-year covert love affair.
Pride – Alex Stapelton 2021 – USA
Pride is a short documentary serie that offers an overview of LGBTQ+ lives from the 50s to the 00s. Each episode focuses on a decade and explains important LGBTQ+ events in the US while interviewing people that lived through them. It condenses decades of history, acknowledging both achievements and unresolved challenges. Most documentaries covering America’s LGBTQ+ history follow a similar route from Stonewall to AIDS to the transgender-rights movement, but this collection stands out by including lesser-known moments while also covering major events.