March 8 is International Women’s Day, and the world of cinema provides many great ways to celebrate the holiday. After all, history is filled with tremendous movies about some brilliant historical figures, and what better way to highlight their remarkable accomplishments than by watching their stories unfold as performed by incredibly talented actors?
There are a number of special films you could choose to watch for International Women’s Day, but we especially recommend checking out these titles, available through our On Demand service.
Hidden Figures
Theodore Melfi’s HIDDEN FIGURES is a fantastic movie to watch not just to celebrate International Women's Day this year, but to also celebrate the life of Katherine G. Johnson, the protagonist of the film played by Taraji P. Henson who passed away last month at the age of 101. The movie tells the remarkable true story of how Johnson and a team of female African-American mathematicians crunched the numbers that eventually let NASA put a man on the moon. It was world-changing work, and a story that everybody should know so that the heroes remain hidden no more.
Frida
Over the course of her life, Frida Kahlo painted a remarkable number of works that to this day captivate and fascinate anyone who sees them. These pieces of art were brought to life by a remarkable soul, and in Julie Taymor’s FRIDA, we see Salma Hayek deliver one of the best performances of her career telling Frida's story (and ultimately earning the actress an Academy Award® for her effort).
On the Basis of Sex
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is one of the most incredible and influential women of the modern era, and Mimi Leder’s ON THE BASIS OF SEX is a wonderful film that examines how her work as a lawyer and eventually a Supreme Court Justice helped mold the latter half of the 20th century in the advancement of women’s rights. Felicity Jones plays the lead role and is surrounded by an outstanding supporting cast, including Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux, Sam Waterston, Kathy Bates, Cailee Spaeny, Jack Reynor and Stephen Root.
Erin Brockovich
Prior to 2000, a lot of people had never heard of Erin Brockovich, but thanks to Julia Roberts and director Steven Soderbergh, she has become a household name and a perfect example of a woman who saw a problem and fought tooth and nail for change. Roberts won Best Actress at the Oscars® for her portrayal of Brockovich, a single mother who helped bring down a polluting California power company after getting a job as a legal assistant.
