Women’s History Month Film Festival: Women's History - Film Festival 2023

Synopsis: A look at the life of legendary American pilot Amelia Earhart, who disappeared while flying over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 in an attempt to make a flight around the world.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFZMrd8fElQ
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, The Color Purple is an epic tale spanning 40 years in the life of Celie, an African-American woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. After Celie's abusive father marries her off to the equally debasing "Mister" Albert Johnson, things go from bad to worse, leaving Celie to find companionship anywhere she can. She perseveres, holding on to her dream of one day being reunited with her sister in Africa. The critically acclaimed 1985 adaptation was directed by Steven Spielberg.

Trailer: youtube.com/watch?v=SYb-wkehT1g
Synopsis: In the early 18th century England is at war with France, and Queen Anne finds herself ill. When a new servant, Abigail, arrives, she soon becomes beloved and is taken under the wing of Sarah, the Queen’s companion. As Sarah’s duties become more time-consuming, Abigail fills in as companion to the Queen and uses the newfound friendship to achieve her goals, letting nothing stand in her way. The 2018 film was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE5gSHJkusU
Synopsis: This film explores the events leading up to the shooting of Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani schoolgirl who was shot in the head by the Taliban after advocating for educational rights for women and girls. The film also chronicles the aftermath of the event, including Malala’s continued activism, including her speech to the United Nations. The film is based on the memoir I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai. The 2015 film was directed by Davis Guggenheim.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEJnMQG9ev8
Synopsis: In this post-apocalyptic world, a woman rebels against tyranny while searching for her homeland. On the journey, she receives help from a group of female prisoners, a drifter named Max, and more. The 2015 film was directed by George Miller.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnq3JE0LGTo
Synopsis: A lonely artist uses her talents to create visions for her life, and a newly-single father is waiting for incredible changes to occur in his life. When these two finally connect, he panics. His children are experiencing their own connections in practicing for their future marriages. The 2005 film was written and directed by Miranda July.

Synopsis: Sally Field won an Oscar for her portrayal of a textile worker whose mundane life is changed by the arrival of a union organizer from New York.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6GNVEWFnCU
Synopsis: Thirteen-year-old Tracy seems like a put-together, straight-A student. When she befriends Evie, the popular girl in school, Tracy is led down a path filled with sex, drugs, and petty crime. As Tracy’s identity changes, so does her relationship with her mother, teachers, and old friends, leaving Tracy in a place to discover who most wants to be. The 2003 film was directed by Catherine Hardwicke.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQGPdXnb2Gg
Synopsis: In a small Texas town, an indie-rock loving misfit rejects the normal traditions of pageantry and instead opts to join the local roller derby team. After discovering she has a knack for it, her next challenge is to keep her parents from finding out that she has her own plans for her life, and they don’t match what they’ve imagined. The 2009 film was directed by Drew Barrymore.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvDT42x_NBk
Synopsis: Following her recent divorce and the death of her mother, Cheryl finds herself hopeless. With a history of reckless behavior, she makes the rash decision to hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail despite having no experience. She embarks on this journey alone, experiencing many obstacles that will challenge, strengthen, and eventually heal her. This book is based on the memoir of the same name by Cheryl Strayed. The 2018 film was directed by Jean-Marc Valée.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AWP1K7FaFI
Synopsis: In the midst of both the sexual revolution and the women’s movement, the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King, women’s world champion, and Bobby Riggs, an ex-men’s champ and known hustler, reached 90 million viewers around the world, officially making it one of the most watched televised sporting events of all time. While King and Riggs were facing off on the court, they were fighting personal battles as well. King works to navigate her sexuality and friendships, and Riggs is forced to examine the loss in his life as a result of his gambling addiction. The two created a cultural spectacle that provoked important conversations. This 2017 film was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MM8OkVT0hw
Synopsis: Starr Carter constantly moves between her two worlds. Finding a balance between her poor, mostly Black neighborhood and the rich, mostly white prep school she attends is difficult enough, but everything changes after she witnesses the murder of her best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Despite being pressured from everyone in her life, Starr works to find her voice and stand up for what she believes is right. This film is based on the book of the same name by Angie Thomas. The 2018 film is directed by George Tillman Jr.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wfrDhgUMGI
Synopsis: In the Space Race between the United States and Russia, NASA was working desperately to put man on the moon. They couldn’t have done this, however, without the help a group of African-American female mathematicians, known as “human computers.” Specifically, the film chronicles the true journeys of three of these women as their contributions not only help put man on the moon, but also change the landscape surrounding gender and racial biases in the workplace. The 2016 film was directed by Theodore Melfi.

Synopsis: JACKIE is a searing and intimate portrait of one of the most important and tragic moments in American history, seen through the eyes of the iconic First Lady, then Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (Natalie Portman). JACKIE places us in her world during the days immediately following her husband's assassination. Known for her extraordinary dignity and poise, here we see a psychological portrait of the First Lady as she struggles to maintain her husband's legacy and the world of "Camelot" that they created and loved so well.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7HkBDNZV7s
Synopsis: Stewardess Jackie Brown is caught smuggling money for an arms dealer. When the agents find her with money and drugs in her purse, they propose a deal to grant her freedom in exchange for her help in arresting the arms dealer, which makes Jackie Brown an instant target. She suspects this and begins her own plot to keep her life & steal half a million dollars in the process. The 1997 film was directed by Quentin Tarantino.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01BW2vGoqbY
Synopsis: This film offers a look into the life and work of world-renowned primatology scientist Jane Goodall (especially regarding her work with chimpanzees) through never-before-seen footage. The 2017 film was directed by Brett Morgen.