Feminist Tendencies
Feminism as a concept has gone in and out of vogue since the first suffragette demanded the right to vote, but throughout history there have always been remarkable women, prepared to claim their power in the name of a cause ('Ride to Freedom: The Rosa Parks Story', 'Veronica Guerin'), or just to rediscover their own self-worth ('Shirley Valentine', 'My Brilliant Career'). This collection does not only contain films about the political struggle of women to achieve equality ('Iron Jawed Angels'), if it did it would be a very short list because despite the fact that the rise of women in the workforce and in politics was one of the defining movements of the 20th century, very few films have been made on the subject - filmmaking being still a largely male-dominated pusuit. Now, as women are making films in greater numbers than ever, our own Niki Caro is a good example of someone ready and willing to tell a story about the oppression, and ultimate triumph of women in the 'post-feminist' 1980s ('North Country'). Perhaps women as an audience are now ready and willing to hear their own stories.
The Source (2011)
7.3/10
Director: Radu Mihaileanu
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Leila Bekhti, Saleh Bakri, Hafsia Herzi, Biyouna , Sabrina Ouazani,...
A.k.a. "La source des femmes". Romanian-born filmmaker Radu Mihaileanu ("The Concert") directed and co-wrote this 'battle of the sexes' comedy drama s... Read more
Eat Pray Love (2010)
5.7/10
Director: Ryan Murphy
Starring: Billy Crudup, Javier Bardem, Julia Roberts, Richard Jenkins, James Franco, Viola...
Believing there's more to life than a husband, house and career, Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) finds herself with a new appetite for life in this inspir... Read more
Whip It (2009)
6.9/10
Director: Drew Barrymore
Starring: Daniel Stern, Drew Barrymore, Juliette Lewis, Marcia Gay Harden, Jimmy Fallon, E...
Drew Barrymore's feature directing debut (she also produced and co-stars) is this hilarious comedy starring Ellen Page ("Juno") as Bliss Cavendar, a s... Read more
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Margaret Cho: Beautiful (2009)
6.4/10
Starring: Margaret Cho
Learning to love her luscious self over the past forty years, comedian Margaret Cho realised that the eye of the beholder doesn't hold all the power w... Read more
Yes Madam, Sir (2008)
8.6/10
Director: Megan Doneman
Filmed in India over six years and narrated by Academy Award winning actor, Helen Mirren, "Yes Madam, Sir" is an epic story profiling Asia Nobel Prize... Read more
Frozen River (2008)
7.2/10
Director: Courtney Hunt
Starring: Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, Charlie McDermott, Michael O'Keefe, Mark Boone Junior
A powerfully unflinching tale of two women, who, driven by economic hardship, form an unlikely partnership smuggling illegal immigrants across the Can... Read more
Female Agents (2008)
6.8/10
Director: Jean-Paul Salome
Starring: Sophie Marceau, Julie Depardieu, Marie Gillain, Deborah Francois, Moritz Bleibtr...
In May 1944, a group of French servicewomen and resistance fighters are enlisted into the British Special Operations Executive commando group for two... Read more
The Duchess (2008)
6.9/10
Director: Saul Dibb
Starring: Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Charlotte Rampling, Dominic Cooper, Hayley Atwel...
Keira Knightley is back in sumptuous period garb for this bio-pic of flamboyant 18th century trend-setter Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire.... Read more
The Duchess ( Blu-ray ) (2008)
6.9/10
Director: Saul Dibb
Starring: Charlotte Rampling, John Shrapnel, Ralph Fiennes, Keira Knightley, Dominic Coope...
Keira Knightley is back in sumptuous period garb for this bio-pic of flamboyant 18th century trend-setter Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire.... Read more
Forbidden Lies (2007)
Director: Anna Broinowski
In 2003 Norma Khouri's book 'Forbidden Love' was published as the true account of the so-called 'honour killing' of her best friend, Dalia. Eighteen m... Read more