Hidden Figures is a must-watch Women’s History Month movie
March is Women’s History Month! Here are 12 fact-based films about women that can spark great conversations with your kids. From a 1960s classic about Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan to new documentaries chronicling women and girls all around the world, these powerful Women’s History Month movies are an excellent way to celebrate the strong females of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
A Ballerina’s Tale
Misty Copeland was the first African-American principal dancer for New York's American Ballet Theater. Copeland's place in ballet history—and American history—comes to life in this engrossing documentary.
Recommended for ages 9 and older
Directed by Nelson George
(Sundance Selects, 2015)
Anne Frank Remembered
Through interviews with schoolmates, relatives, camp survivors, and the family's heroic protector, Miep Gies, this powerful documentary completes the story of young Anne Frank’s last days.
Recommended for ages 9 and older
Directed by Jon Blair
(Columbia Tristar, 1995)
Hidden Figures
Based on the nonfiction book by Margot Lee Shetterly, Hidden Figures is the true story of three brilliant African-American women who worked for NASA in the 1950s and '60s as "human computers.”
Recommended for ages 10 and older
Starring Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughn, Janelle Monae as Mary Jackson, and Taraji P. Henson as Katherine Johnson.
Directed by Theodore Melfi
(Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, 2016)
The Miracle Worker
This outstanding classic is based on the true story of two of the great figures of American history, Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan Macy.
Recommended for ages 10 and older
Starring Patty Duke as Helen Keller and Anne Bancroft as Annie Sullivan
Directed by Arthur Penn
(MGM/UA, 1962)
RBG
This riveting documentary chronicles the extraordinary life and career of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, highlighting the esteemed jurist's lifelong fight for gender equality.
Recommended for ages 10 and older
Directed by Julie Cohen and Betsy West
(Magnolia Pictures, 2018)
Amelia
A historical biopic about the famed female pilot Amelia Earhart offers an uplifting message and a strong role model for preteen girls and boys.
Recommended for ages 11 and older
Starring Hilary Swank as Amelia Earhart
Directed by Mira Nair
(Fox Searchlight, 2009)
Betty & Coretta
This is a poignant tribute to the courage and fortitude of two lesser-known civil rights heroes: Dr. Betty Shabazz and Coretta Scott King, the widows of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Recommended for ages 11 and older
Directed by Yves Simoneau
Starring Angela Bassett as Coretta and Mary J. Blige as Betty
Directed by Yves Simoneau
(Lifetime, 2013)
Speed Sisters
Spirited, inspiring documentary teaches kids about the first all-female car racing team in the Middle East and the stark realities of Palestinian life on the West Bank.
Recommended for ages 11 and older
Directed by Amber Fares
(Dogwoof Global Sales, 2017)
A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story
This moving documentary is about a woman who was born with a very rare congenital disease that makes her look unlike anyone else. The inspiring story is a must-see for anyone who's ever felt like they just didn't fit in, and Lizzie—who has fought tirelessly against bullying—is an amazing role model.
Recommended for ages 12 and older
Directed by Sara Hirsh Bordo
(Cinedigm, 2015)
Girl Rising
Girl Rising is an informative, educational documentary about the lives of impoverished girls living in countries where education for girls isn't a priority. It’s the kind of stirring film that parents should watch with their mature tweens or teens and then discuss the ideas it raises—girl empowerment, education, and equality.
Recommended for ages 12 and older
Directed by Richard Robbins
(GathrFilms, 2013)
He Named Me Malala
This inspiring and deeply affecting documentary explores the life of iconic teen Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.
Recommended for ages 12 and older
Directed by Davis Guggenheim
(Twentieth Century Fox, 2015)
On the Basis of Sex
On the Basis of Sex is another 2018 film about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, this one a biographical drama that covers her time as one of a handful of women attending Harvard Law School in the late 1950s to her first groundbreaking gender-discrimination case in the early '70s.
Recommended for ages 12 and older
Starring Felicity Jones as Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Directed by Mimi Leder
(Focus Features, 2018)
