Strong and Independent. 7 inspiring movies about women

7. "The Zookeeper's Wife" 

• 2017
• USA, UK, Czech Republic
• Drama, war, biography, history
• Director: Niki Caro
• Starring: Jessica Chastain, Johan Heldenbergh, Daniel Brühl, Timothy Redford, Efrat Dor
• IMDb Rating: 7.0

1939, Poland. A married couple, Jan Zabinski (Johan Heldenbergh) and his wife Antonina (Jessica Chastain), run a large zoo in Warsaw. When German troops invade Poland, the Nazis remove all the valuable animals from the zoo. Under inhumane conditions, the couple decide to hide a hundred Jews, who are threatened with imprisonment in the ghetto, in empty cages. The couple have to save people under the close supervision of a high-ranking Nazi official Lutz Heck (Daniel Brühl), who is in love with Antonina.

The movie is based on real events that took place at the Warsaw Zoo during World War II. Antonina and Jan Zabinski, risking themselves, selflessly saved about 300 Jews.

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6. "On the Basis of Sex" 

• 2018
• USA, China, Canada
• Drama, biography
• Director: Mimi Leder
• Starring: Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux, Sam Waterston, Kathy Bates
• IMDb Rating: 7.1

In 1956, young mother and wife Ruth Ginsburg (Felicity Jones) enrolls in Harvard Law School. She performs well and graduates with honors. However, despite her high achievements in her studies, she fails to find a job due to the fact that the legal profession in those years was considered male. Ruth has to face sexist prejudices and prove to everyone that she is worthy of success in her chosen profession.

The movie is based on the true story of Ruth Ginsburg, the first female member of the U.S. Supreme Court in the country's history. Ruth fought for gender equality all her life. The screenplay was written by her own nephew.

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5. "Becoming Astrid" / Unga Astrid

• 2018
• Sweden, Denmark
• Drama, biography
• Director: Pernille Fischer Christensen
• Starring: Alba August, Maria Bonnevie, Trine Dyrholm, Henrik Rafaelsen, Magnus Krepper
• IMDb Rating: 7.2

the year 1923, the small Swedish town of Vimmerby. Young and perky Astrid Erikson (Alba August) gets an internship at the local newspaper. There the girl has an affair with the editor-in-chief (Henrik Rafaelsen), who is 30 years older than her. Astrid gets pregnant by him. The girl goes to give birth to a son in Copenhagen, after which she gives him to other people for upbringing. The first years of life the child will have to spend in a foster family.

A real story about a famous Swedish writer who wrote a lot for children. In the movie you can see the most difficult period of her life, when Astrid was forced to solve problems alone in unfair circumstances for a woman.

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4. "The Wife"  

• 2017
• UK, Sweden, USA
• Drama
• Director: Björn Runge
• Starring: Glenn Close, Jonathan Pryce, Christian Slater, Max Irons, Annie Starke
• IMDb Rating: 7.2

One day, famous American writer Joseph Castleman (Jonathan Pryce) learns that he will finally receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. In his speeches of gratitude, he admits that he would have achieved nothing without his faithful wife Joan (Glenn Close), and this is indeed true. 40 years ago, she sacrificed her career as a writer to develop her husband's talent. Joan forgave Joseph's infidelities, justifying all transgressions by his genius. Before the award, she decides to step out of her spouse's shadow and reveal the family secret to biographer Nathaniel (Christian Slater).

Actress Glenn Close won the Golden Globe Award for her role in the movie. The film was also nominated for an Oscar and a BAFTA for Best Actress (Glenn Close).

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3. "North Country"

• 2005
• USA
• Drama
• Director: Niki Caro
• Starring: Charlize Theron, Thomas Curtis, Elle Peterson, Frances McDormand, Sean Bean
• IMDb Rating: 7.3

1989, Minnesota. Josie Ames (Charlize Theron) and her two children have left her abusive husband. She takes a job in an all-male mine to provide food and shelter for herself and her children. Josie's hard work is haunted by humiliation and abuse. Unable to bear such conditions any longer, she decides to sue to protect herself and the other female workers in the mine.

This is a true story about a woman named Lois Jenson. In 1984, she dared to file a lawsuit for sexual harassment in the mine. In the picture, the events develop rapidly, but in real life the legal battle lasted as long as 14 years.

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2. "Frida"

• 2002
• USA, Mexico, Canada
• Drama, melodrama, biography
• Director: Julie Taymor
• Starring: Salma Hayek, Alfred Molina, Valeria Golino, Ashley Judd, Geoffrey Rush
• IMDb Rating: 7.4

Mexico, 1922. 18-year-old Frida Kahlo (Salma Hayek) is involved in a terrible car accident. Afterward, she undergoes many surgeries and is forced to spend almost all of her time in bed. Frida's only outlet is painting. Standing on her feet, the novice artist goes to the famous Mexican painter-muralist Diego Rivera to show his work. Later she becomes his wife, and her talent will conquer Paris.

The movie is based on the facts of the biography of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Julie Taymor's picture received four Oscar nominations and won two of them — for Best Makeup and Best Soundtrack (Elliot Goldenthal's song called Burn it blue).

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1. "Hidden Figures"  

• 2016
• USA
• Drama, biography, history
• Director: Ted Melfi
• Starring: Taraji Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst
• IMDb Rating: 7.8

In the early 1960s, three African-American women — Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) — work at NASA. They have a tough time: they face the double prejudice of being women in science, plus they are black.

The plot is based on the true story of three American female scientists. In life, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson were physicists-mathematicians. They helped do the calculations needed to send the first American astronauts into space. Among other things, their efforts made the U.S. the first to set foot on the moon.

The film received three Oscar nominations in the categories of Best Film, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The movie was not overlooked by other awards: Golden Globe, Saturn, BAFTA, MTV.

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