24 Feminist Films to Watch for an Empowering Movie Night

“Instead of focusing on the life and background of William Shakespeare, Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet turns the camera on Agnes and lifts her story out of obscurity. Agnes is presented as an equal parts intelligent and intuitive mother who goes through the loss of her child, which sees her confined to the household and wracked with grief due to the limiting nature of 16th-century gender roles. Hamnet also challenges the traditional role of the provider—while Shakespeare is away from home and earns praise for his literary genius, Agnes performs both physical and emotional labor, and she doesn’t shy away from confronting her husband about his lack of presence at home.”—SB

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“Marie Antoinette might be one of French history’s most incendiary female characters, but Sofia Coppola humanized her in her 2006 reimagining of the historical figure’s story. Kirsten Dunst’s Marie is effervescent, young, and, most importantly, lonely. Her passion for fashion, food, and other luxuries—perceived as shallow by her detractors—serves as a coping mechanism against a patriarchal world that sees her as nothing more than a vessel to bear an heir to the throne. She leans into female friendships and sisterhood to escape her gilded cage, leading viewers to empathize with her instead of vilifying her, much like history has done through the ages.”—SB

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“In But I’m a Cheerleader, Natasha Lyonne stars as Megan, a doe-eyed teenage girl who has questionable thoughts about other girls and is sent to an anti-gay conversion therapy camp to stamp out her lesbian urges. While many queer stories often lean into tragedy, the film instead offers an extreme, camp, and satirical take on society’s heteronormative views and challenges traditional roles within both straight and queer communities. Through Megan’s time at the camp, she learns not to love the opposite sex, but to embrace herself as she is, realizing that she doesn’t have to leave her femininity behind to be validated as a queer person.”—SB

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“In Hedda, writer-director Nia DaCosta puts a modern, feminist twist on Henrik Ibsen’s iconic 19th-century play, Hedda Gabler. What was once a story about an unfulfilled wife caught between two men is reimagined by DaCosta as a tale centered on a Black woman with a penchant for luxury, now navigating a love triangle between her husband (Tom Bateman) and a former female lover (Nina Hoss). Tessa Thompson is a revelation as the titular Hedda. The film is sexy, dark, and clever, with plenty to say about women’s desire and interiority.”—Juliana Ukiomogbe, contributor

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“The complex portrayal of female friendship is one of cinema’s most valuable currencies, and when Black women are at the center of those stories, their worth increases tenfold. From Issa Rae, Syreeta Singleton, and Lawrence Lamont, One of Them Daysfollows best friends Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA) over the course of 24 hours as they attempt to recover their stolen rent money before they get evicted. It’s a hilarious look at how strong friendships rarely buckle under pressure, and how powerful the connection between two besties can be. I’m already seated for the upcoming sequel.” —JU

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“Let’s make some noise for a classic. Set It Off, featuring an all-star cast of Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise, follows a tight-knit group of friends who band together to start robbing banks in order to create better lives for themselves and their families. It’s intense and charming, with just the right amount of badass stunt sequences.”—JU

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“When the men went to war, the women went to the factories…and the baseball diamond. A League of Their Own tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League that was created to prop up the sport during World War II. Though many men—even the team’s coach (played by Tom Hanks)—scoffed at the idea of women playing a ‘man’s game’ at first, the players win their doubters over through their talent, sweat, and determination. The film serves as a powerful reminder that women can truly do anything men can do, if they are given the opportunity.”—Kayla Webley Adler, features director

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“Where were you when you first watched Angela Bassett blow up her cheating husband’s car? That iconic scene tells you everything you need to know about the 1995 film Waiting to Exhale. Based on the novel by Terry McMillan, the story follows four friends (Bassett, Whitney Houston, Lela Rochon, and Loretta Devine) as they take their power back from the men who’ve done them wrong. Come for the female rage, and stay for the ode to friendship and sisterhood.” —JU

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“Thelma & Louise, written by Callie Khouri, is an amazing film for its portrayal of two women who embark on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. There are so many beautiful, raw scenes, but the most iconic and satisfying is when they set a truck ablaze in self-defense against a man who had been harassing them for most of the film. Their journey, though at times challenging to watch, is ultimately a testament to the enduring bond between women and the importance of supporting each other in times of struggle. I first saw this film with my best friend, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way!” —Leah Romero, senior digital designer

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“Like the Jane Austen novel on which it’s based, Clueless is an undeniably feminist work. The beloved 1995 teen comedy from Amy Heckerling finds a worthy protagonist in Cher Horowitz, who doesn’t need a man to make her happy—she has better things to do, like go to the mall, make a cameo at the Val party, or play matchmaker for her two lonely teachers at Bronson Alcott High School.”—Claire Stern, senior digital director

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“Astronaut John Glenn might have been the first man to orbit the earth in the 1960s, but his achievement was made possible by female mathematicians (literal computers) working on his mission. Hidden Figures tells the amazing true story of three Black women at NASA, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson (played respectively by Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe), who helped give the U.S. a leg up in the space race. This 2016 film, and the Margot Lee Shetterly book it’s based on, shed light on the often-overlooked people who shaped history.” —Erica Gonzales, deputy editor, digital content

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“Booksmart opens with Molly (Beanie Feldstein) listening to a motivational speech in her bedroom before one of her last days of high school. She’s surrounded by photos of Michelle Obama and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and feminist slogans line her walls. The movie, which follows two best friends and straight-A students who attempt to make up for lost time by partying with their classmates on graduation night, has been called ‘the feminist Superbad’ for a reason.”—CS

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“Now and Then follows four girlfriends in the summer of 1970 as they cope with death, divorce, and budding sexuality, by solving a local mystery. It is firmly a coming-of-age story, told through their adult future selves (played by an incredible lineup: Demi Moore, Rosie O’Donnell, Rita Wilson, and Melanie Griffith), but the portrayal of teen girls (a cast that includes Gaby Hoffmann, Christina Ricci, Thora Birch, and Ashleigh Aston Moore) as fully realized humans with deep emotional lives gives the film a feminist bent. This is a movie that takes teen girls seriously (as we all should!) and shows the power of young women as they learn to stand on their own, leave their shitty families behind, and conquer the world.”—KWA

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“In all honesty, I think The Cheetah Girls was my introduction to intersectional feminism. Yes, it was a star-making vehicle for many Disney It Girls, and it’s chock-full of pop hits and aspirational 2000s fashion, but it also centered predominantly on young women of color, who supported one another, pursued their dreams together, and even held each other accountable when necessary. It’s kind of incredible how, in between catchy numbers like ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Cheetah Sisters,’ the film also explored privilege, racial identity, adoption, wealth disparity, and being a child of a single parent. The coordinating tracksuits were great, too.”—EG

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“Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie somehow turned a story of a plastic doll into an entertaining (not to mention billion-dollar-making) commentary on how women must navigate the patriarchy in their daily lives. No matter how you feel about America Ferrera’s monologue, there are mountains of truth in it, from the impossible expectations women must live up to to our crippling feelings of self-doubt. Ken’s shenanigans and musical numbers are just a bonus.”—EG

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“I realize this is perhaps an unhinged choice, but I deeply admire Lilo and Nani, the Hawaiian sisters and heroines in Lilo & Stitch. Lilo is outspoken. She’s feisty. She feeds peanut butter sandwiches to fish! And she navigates a difficult circumstance—she’s an orphan who lives with her teenage sister; she’s bullied by the other girls in her class—by showing complete loyalty and love to her mysterious pet, Stitch. At the same time, her sister, Nani, is doing her best to keep the family afloat—working at a tourist trap and refusing to date in order to put Lilo first. Lilo & Stitch, at its heart, is about two girls who stand their ground and change their immediate circumstances, all because of their deep belief in ’ohana, which means no one gets left behind.”—Madison Feller, former digital deputy editor

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“Eliza Hittman’s moving indie came out in 2020, but it’s even more relevant today. Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) is a pregnant teen seeking an abortion, but there are no viable providers in her hometown. With the company of her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder), she embarks on a journey crossing state lines to receive the procedure legally. The duo’s quest shows the many hurdles young women across the country must face to have a safe abortion.”—EG

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“Women are at the center of this story based on Alice Walker’s seminal, Pulitzer Prize-winning book. Amid the hardship and struggle is a story of resilience and a celebration of the bonds between women, not only between Celie and her sister, Nettie, but also with the glamorous Shug Avery, the headstrong Sofia, and even the soft-spoken Squeak. Whether in the form of the book, the ’80s film, or the 2023 musical movie, The Color Purple is an invitation to see the beauty in everything, and everyone.”—EG

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