7 Women Empowerment Movies You Need to Watch

Movies tell stories that inspire us. They fuel our hope to pursue a life worth telling. Sometimes, they give us the encouragement we need. And sometimes, they let us dream bigger.

Women empowerment movies have characters that embody our ideals. They are empowered women who pursue what is required from them. They break norms. And they show what true girl power is.

We want to inspire you to pursue a life that's full of empowerment. So here, we’ve listed down women empowerment movies with female characters who can inspire you.

  1.   Mulan (1998)

Mulan is more than just a Disney cartoon. It is a film released during the third wave of feminism. The movie is a statement of individual empowerment of women, even it means breaking gender stereotypes. And until now, Mulan remains an iconic feminist character who inspired girls to embrace their own sense of women empowerment.

  1.   Annihilation (2018)

If you’re into dark, mysterious, sci-fi films, Annihilation is the movie for you. The film is about a group of empowered women and their journey to cope with a scientific mutation. It’s a haunting and unnerving film that emphasizes feminine power and strength.

  1.   Legally Blonde (2001)

For many young women, Legally Blonde is a revolutionary chick flick. For some, it was their first introduction to the feminist cinema. With its humor and enduring yet odd appeal of romcoms, Legally Blonde is a movie about girl power. It is an homage to female friendship, self-determination, and the romance of loving her own self.

  1.       Suffragette (2015)

With a female director and screenplay writer, Suffragette has a clear intention: a story of fighting the patriarchal power. It’s one of the women empowerment movies that portray the first horrors of being a feminist. It illustrates the dark parts of history to show how far we’ve come.

  1.   Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)

There’s no denying that George Lucas’ space opera Star Wars is a monumental piece in pop culture. But Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope is a feminist-revolutionary film in 1977, with Leia Skywalker as a strong, independent female character. It’s a cultural landmark that defied 70’s and 80’s film gender archetypes.

  1. On the Basis of Sex (2018)

Ruth (Felicity Jones) is the main character of On the Basis of Sex, a legal pioneer on gender equality. The film has an obvious women empowerment message. She’s a career woman who uses her voice to fight for gender quality. But unlike other women empowerment movies, it shows the true enemy of the unjust system we are in—the patriarchy. The film illustrates how men can be a victim of it. And like her supportive husband, Martin (Armie Hammer), men play an important role to achieve gender equality.

  1.       Mona Lisa Smile (2003)

Mona Lisa Smile is about an art history teacher, Katherine, and her four smart students in Wellesley College. It was set during the 1950s when women were only reduced to housewives and mothers no matter what are their capabilities were. And this is the same assumption that’s expected of the film’s main character. Mona Lisa Smile illustrates the challenges of liberal-minded women who choose a different path.

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