5 must-see films about women's struggle for the right to vote

You know about Watch great films during Women's History Month that the female half of humanity has made great contributions. You may find it hard to believe, but there was a time when women were not allowed to vote until female protesters known as suffragettes made it happen. Here are five must-see films to learn more about the women who fought the good fight for the right to vote.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Suffragette (2015)

Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham Carter Uprising in Suffragettewhich is about the women's movement that took place in Great Britain in 1912. In one of the first films shot in the House of ParliamentIn “The Last Man,” Mulligan plays a 24-year-old laundress who becomes caught up in a suffragette protest and becomes involved in the women’s movement inspired by people like Edith Ellyn, Emily Davidson and Emmeline Pankhurst (played by Meryl Streep).

I must say, this historical drama was hard to watch because you had to see the heartbreaking struggles women went through, like marital disputes, prison sentences, and force-feeding, just so they could vote like the men in their lives could. Their actions may have been radical and a bit extreme. But their intentions were sincere: they wanted to spread the message of gender equality and not give up no matter how hard the government made it for them. Ultimately, those tough times laid the foundation for the privileges women have today.

Hilary Swank and Brooke Smith in Iron Jawed Angels

(Image credit: HBO Films)

The Iron Angels (2004)

Set in the USA in the 1910s, Angel with iron jaw tells the true story of Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, who led the National Women's Party to win women's suffrage. These best friends endured many hardships, including inhumane treatment during their arrests and personal sacrifices for the cause.

Hilary Swank and Frances O'Connor had great chemistry and portrayed a friendship that no one would risk while fighting for a good cause. Not to mention that this is one of the The best films by Vera Farmigawhen she played the Polish-American women's rights activist Ruza Wenclawska.

Although the film contains some fictional elements, such as the romance between Alice and Ben, the historical drama beautifully illustrates the importance of women having a say in politics. Angel with iron jaw It also drew attention to the black suffragettes who were fighting to have their presence and voice heard. Women knew at the time that the National Woman's Party had to unite and not back down to fight for unfair working conditions and better pay so that their opinions would be taken as seriously as those of men.

Delta Sigma Theta sisters in the Black Sorority Project

(Image credit: Derek & Jamar Productions)

Black Sisterhood Project (2006)

Derek & Jamar Productions created the documentary Black Sorority Project about 22 black women at Howard University who participated in the women's suffrage march of 1913. Through historical photos and reenactments, we learn that female students at the predominantly black Howard University had problems with racism and sexism that they wanted to solve through the right to vote.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, black women were subjected to negative racial stereotypes that labeled them as uneducated and unsuitable for work outside of the domestic service. After President Woodrow Wilson reinstated racial segregation in public buildings in Washington, D.C., female students at Howard University, encouraged by entrepreneur Madam CJ Walker, formed Delta Sigma Theta with a strong focus on public service and community involvement.

Despite the ostracism, these women were among the 5,000 suffragettes who marched together in the parade to fight for the right to vote. Their historic participation had a profound impact on black women and women in general.

Vroni, Nora and Theresa in The Divine Order

(Image credit: Zeitgeist Films)

The Divine Order (2017)

While women's suffrage was only introduced in the 19th and early 20th centuries, it took much longer in Switzerland. As the comedy drama shows, The divine order, a married housewife is inspired to lead the women's suffrage movement in 1971. This movement began as a way for women to have a voice in politics, but shaped the way women were treated in general. As women assert their independence and sexuality against the limits of rules set by men, we see how this important movement changed a small Swiss village in significant ways with the 1971 referendum.

The most striking character is Nora, played by Marie Leuenberger, who has always believed in the women's movement but was afraid to speak out. As she witnesses the protests on the streets of her Swiss farming village, she realizes that she is fed up with the way women are treated by their men and that women's suffrage is just the beginning of women's empowerment.

Protesters march with signs in “She is beautiful when she is angry”

(Image credit: International Film Circuit)

She is beautiful when she is angry (2014)

Even though women gained the right to vote in many parts of the world, there were still many struggles that women could not ignore. The documentary She is beautiful when she is angry, tells of certain movements in which women participated in the 60s and 70s in order to be taken seriously and noticed.

Through a mix of archival footage and interviews with specific activists from those decades, we learn about the strength of women marching through the streets with signs, fighting for reproductive rights, sexual freedom and equal pay. They also raised awareness about issues that were considered controversial at the time, such as changing victim blaming in sexual assault cases so that more people could speak freely about their experiences.

Even though the women’s suffrage movement was not the main topic She is beautiful when she is angry, Yet it played an important role in the film's final section, when activists stood together at the Women's Strike for Equality in 1970 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment. Without this important milestone, women would not have had the courage to fight for further changes over time that would have allowed their needs to be met.

The women's suffrage movement was groundbreaking for women and the nation as a whole. These films represent so many life-changing challenges that the female population tirelessly went through to ensure that everyone, regardless of gender, had a voice in politics. Must-see films like the ones mentioned showcase the courage, resilience, and sacrifices that female activists made in the face of oppression and inspired generations of women afterward to fight for other causes that deserve attention. You can add these women empowerment films to your Streaming schedule on YouTube, Tubi or with your Max subscription.

5 must-see films about women's struggle for the right to vote

Suffragette (2015)

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Suffragette (2015)

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