Netflix Films That Inspired Groundbreaking Women In Entertainment

It's already 2020, but unfortunately, a lot of us are still struggling with issues of inequality. Sure, we've come a long way — women are now allowed to vote, be more liberal in their self-expression, and so on. We could list all the progress we've attained but still, "there remains an overwhelming injustice" against women across the globe, according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres. We're more or less still subjected to stereotypes, traditional gender roles, harassment among many others. With the International Women's Day coming this Sunday, everyone's ramping up efforts to help amplify women's voices and let their stories be heard. In the entertainment industry, Netflix does its part by working together with UN Women to launch a special collection entitled Because She Watched. 

Available all-year-long, the collection unveiled today was created for International Women's Day, whose official theme this year is I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights. It features series, documentaries, and films that have inspired women celebrated for their work behind and in front of the camera. The titles, ranging from Unbelievable to The Keepers, have sparked discussions and challenged perspectives. In a press release, Anita Bhatia, UN Women Deputy Executive Director says, "It's about making visible the invisible, and proving that only by fully representing and including women on screen, behind-the-camera and in our narratives overall, society will truly flourish.”

There are 55 titles included in the collection, but here's a sneak peek of a few of the titles curated by women that inspire us:

Lana Condor: Grace and Frankie

Promo narrator and To All The Boys I Loved Before 2 actress Lana Condor picked Grace and Frankie as a title that inspired her. The comedy series stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as the titular characters, whose lives are brought upside down when their husbands fall in love with each other. Despite their differences, Grace and Frankie become two unlikely friends who help each other cope with their difficulties. Despite its light-hearted hilarity, the sitcom is a testament as to how we women can overcome anything as long as we set aside our differences and unite.

Laverne Cox: A Call to Courage

Meanwhile, Laverne Cox's Women's Day pick is Brené Brown: The Call to Courage. The documentary film features research professor Brené Brown as she discusses how bravery could arise as we deal with fear and uncertainty. And more than that, what pushes us to choose courage over our comfort. The Orange is the New Black actress perhaps chose this, because, according to Netflix's press release, for her, "truly seeing ourselves allows us to envision endless possibilities for ourselves and each other.” 

Millie Bobby Brown: Miss Americana

Like Laverne Cox, Milli Bobby Brown's chosen title for the Because She Watched collection is also another documentary. What touched the Stranger Things actress is Miss Americana, the biographic film that offered an emotionally revealing look into the lives of our favourite stars. Debuted at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, it follows along Taylor Swift during the transformational period of her career. We see that as a fellow celebrity as well, Millie was empowered as to how Taylor harnessed her full power as a woman to showcase her abilities as a performer unapologetically.

Salma Hayek: Unbelievable

Another notable title included in Netflix and UN Women's collection was Unbelievable. The miniseries chosen by American-Mexican actress Salma Hayek dramatises the serial rape cases in Washington and Colorado. It follows a teenager, accused of lying about the crime, and two female detectives who uncover the truth. It's dark and tragic, but it gives us a glimpse to the experiences of survivors who are, more often than not, shamed for telling the truth. 

Netflix and UN Women's partnership comes in support of the Generation Equality Campaign, which marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, an agenda working towards women empowerment. See the complete collection that's filled with other titles worth your view here or by searching Because She Watched on your Netflix account. We're still a long way from true equality, but hopefully, with these stories, we are one step closer to that.

(Cover photo from: netflix.com)

Meanwhile, see our picks from Netflix that also feature strong women leads.