Inspirational Women's History Trailblazer Biopics
Each March in the USA, we recognize female achievements during Women's History Month. Biographical movies are a great way to educate the public about landmark events in the struggle for gender equality. At the same time, these movies honor and celebrate each woman's achievement with the star power they deserve. Bios Source: Wikipedia.com
Which of these select trailblazing or pioneering female* in their field inspires you the most, or alternatively their biopic does? * Explorers, Scientists, Pioneers, Discovers, Rebels, Etc.
Women's History Month Companion Polls Leader Biopics : Trailblazer Biopics : Humanitarian Biopics : Sports Biopics : Writer Biopics : Singer/Musician Biopics : Visual Artist Biopics : Performance Artist Biopics
Discuss the topic here.
Which of these select trailblazing or pioneering female* in their field inspires you the most, or alternatively their biopic does? * Explorers, Scientists, Pioneers, Discovers, Rebels, Etc.
Women's History Month Companion Polls Leader Biopics : Trailblazer Biopics : Humanitarian Biopics : Sports Biopics : Writer Biopics : Singer/Musician Biopics : Visual Artist Biopics : Performance Artist Biopics
Discuss the topic here.
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- DirectorLuc BessonStarsMilla JovovichJohn MalkovichRab AffleckA young girl receives a vision that drives her to rid France of its oppressors.Joan of Arc: Warrior General, led her country's army to victory over England. Alternate Biopics: Joan of Arc (1948), Saint Joan (1957), The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)
- DirectorMira NairStarsHilary SwankRichard GereEwan McGregorA look at the life of legendary American pilot Amelia Earhart, who disappeared while flying over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 in an attempt to make a flight around the world.Amelia Earhart: Aviator, was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean and inspiration to millions of girls worldwide.
- DirectorTheodore MelfiStarsTaraji P. HensonOctavia SpencerJanelle MonáeThe story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program.Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan or Mary Jackson: NASA Pioneers, who helped get the space program off the ground and into space.
- DirectorMichael AptedStarsSigourney WeaverBryan BrownJulie HarrisThe story of Dian Fossey, a scientist who came to Africa to study the vanishing mountain gorillas, and later fought to protect them.Dian Fossey: Naturalist, who was a pioneer in the fields of zoology, primatology, anthropology and a fervent conservationist.
- DirectorKimberly PeirceStarsHilary SwankChloë SevignyPeter SarsgaardA young man named Brandon Teena navigates love, life, and being transgender in rural Nebraska.Teena Brandon: Trans Man, whose story highlighted the legal and medical discrimination she suffered to live as a transgender man. Her murder led to the establishment of hate crime legislation and a better understanding and acceptance of transgenders. Alternate Biopic: The Brandon Teena Story (1998)
- DirectorAnne FontaineStarsAudrey TautouBenoît PoelvoordeAlessandro NivolaThe story of Coco Chanel's rise from obscure beginnings to the heights of the fashion world.Coco Chanel: Chanel Founder, a pioneering lifestyle designer and business founder who changed the look of women's fashion far beyond couture clothing. Alternate Biopic: Coco Chanel (2008)
- DirectorArthur PennStarsWarren BeattyFaye DunawayMichael J. PollardBored waitress Bonnie Parker falls in love with an ex-con named Clyde Barrow and together they start a violent crime spree through the country, stealing cars and robbing banks.Bonnie Parker: Bank Robber, an American legend participating in more than hundred or more robberies. Although, her portrayal was greatly exaggerated by the press during the hardscrabble times of Great Depression, but nonetheless elevated her to mythical stature in her day and beyond.
- DirectorAlejandro AmenábarStarsRachel WeiszMax MinghellaOscar IsaacA historical drama set in Roman Egypt, concerning a slave who turns to the rising tide of Christianity in the hope of pursuing freedom while falling in love with his mistress, the philosophy and mathematics professor Hypatia of Alexandria.Hypatia: Professor, a Greek mathematician, astronomer, educator and philosopher. While in Egypt, she made notable scientific contributions, championed human rights for all and paid the ultimate price for her beliefs.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsMeryl StreepTom HanksSarah PaulsonA cover-up spanning four U.S. Presidents pushes the country's first female newspaper publisher and her editor to join an unprecedented battle between press and government.Kay Graham: Newspaper Publisher was the first female publisher of a major American newspaper. She led The Washington Post for more than two decades, overseeing its most famous period and also won a Pulitzer Prize for her memoir.
- DirectorNora EphronStarsAmy AdamsMeryl StreepChris MessinaJulia Child's story of her start in the cooking profession is intertwined with blogger Julie Powell's 2002 challenge to cook all the recipes in Child's first book.Julia Child: French Chef was a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef, best-selling author and television pioneer.
- DirectorMartin RittStarsSally FieldBeau BridgesRon LeibmanA young single mother and textile worker agrees to help unionize her mill despite the problems and dangers involved.Crystal Lee Sutton: Union Organizer whose early labor organizing work at the J.P. Stevens mills in North Carolina in the 1970's was the basis of this semi-fictionalized account.
- DirectorGarth DavisStarsRooney MaraJoaquin PhoenixChiwetel EjioforTwelve men heard and spread the message of Jesus. Only one woman understood it.Mary Magdalene: Disciple, one of the original advocates of the teachings of Jesus and influential spiritual leader. Alternate Biopics: Mary Magdalene (2000) plus others.
- DirectorMarjane SatrapiStarsRosamund PikeYvette FeuerMirjam NovakThe incredible true story of Marie Sklodowska-Curie and her Nobel Prize-winning work that changed the world.Dr. Marie Curie: Scientist, who won not one but two seperate Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry. Alternate Biopic: Madame Curie (1943) w/Greer Garson
- DirectorSergey MokritskiyStarsYuliya PeresildEvgeniy TsyganovOleg VasilkovA story of Lyudmila Pavlichenko, the most successful female sniper in history.Lyudmila Pavlichenko: Sniper, credited with 309 kills and regarded one of the top military snipers of all time. She was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union medal, the Soviet military's highest military decoration.
- DirectorTony ScottStarsKeira KnightleyMickey RourkeEdgar RamírezA recounting of Domino Harvey's life story. The daughter of actor Laurence Harvey turned away from her career as a Ford model to become a bounty hunter.Domino Harvey: Bounty Hunter, a former Ford model who excelled and was well-regarded in the male-dominated bail recovery field.
- DirectorMick JacksonStarsClaire DanesJulia OrmondDavid StrathairnA biopic of Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who has become one of the top scientists in the humane livestock handling industry.Temple Grandin: Scientist, animal behavioral expert and autism pioneer whose advanced work in the autism field led to the invention of the "hug box". Her shared personal autism experiences led to a better understanding and acceptance of autism.
- DirectorMartha CoolidgeStarsHalle BerryBrent SpinerKlaus Maria BrandauerDorothy Dandridge's way to fame and fortune as a dancer, singer and actress.Dorothy Dandridge: Actress, first African-American actress to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her performance in the 1954 film Carmen. Dandridge's second nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Porgy and Bess demonstrated her widespread appeal to audiences of all races.
- DirectorGeorge SidneyBusby BerkeleyStarsBetty HuttonHoward KeelLouis CalhernThe story of the great sharpshooter Annie Oakley, who rose to fame while dealing with her love/professional rival, Frank Butler.Annie Oakley: Sharpshooter, whose shooting prowess was legendary, well-deserved and unrivaled. Alternate Biopic: Annie Oakley (1935)
- DirectorRudolph MatéStarsFred MacMurrayCharlton HestonDonna ReedAfter purchasing Louisiana from France, the USA sends surveyors Lewis and Clark, assisted by a Shoshone guide, to chart the new territory.Sacajawea: Explorer, showed Lewis and Clark how to get from one end of United States to the other. Upcoming Biopic: Sacajawea: The Windcatcher
- DirectorBrian GibsonStarsLynn WhitfieldRubén BladesDavid DukesBorn poor in St. Louis, Missouri, Josephine Baker achieved fame and fortune through her sizzlingly exotic, erotic performances. Starting life on the American Vaudeville circuit, success takes Josephine to Paris where her semi-nude dancing causes an international sensation. Through her marriages to an Italian pseudo-count and an orchestra leader, to her bond with army officer Sydney Williams, Josephine's life is a rollercoaster ride of love and rejection from both her lovers and her country. But semi-nude, or head-to-toes in sequins; in battle fatigues or rags - her beauty and ambition ensured that Josephine Baker will always be remembered as the first, and possibly most loved, truly international star.Josephine Baker: Entertainer, was a civil rights activist/pioneer, a French Resistance agent and a symbol of the Jazz Age and the 1920's. Baker was the first person of color to become a world-wide entertainer and to star in a major motion picture, Zouzou (1934).
- DirectorAlexandra DeanStarsHedy LamarrMel BrooksJennifer HomThe life and career of the hailed Hollywood movie star and underappreciated genius inventor, Hedy Lamarr.Hedy Lamarr: Actress, a mathematical prodigy and little-know inventor who co-developed with composer George Antheil a radio guidance system for Allied torpedoes. It pioneered spread spectrum and frequency hopping technology to defeat the threat of jamming by the Axis powers. The principles of their work are the foundations upon which Bluetooth, CDMA (wireless phones) and Wi-Fi are built. This work led to their induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014.
- DirectorDudley NicholsStarsRosalind RussellAlexander KnoxDean JaggerAn Australian nurse discovers an effective new treatment for infantile paralysis, but experiences great difficulty in convincing doctors of the validity of her claims.Elizabeth Kenny: Medical Pioneer, who developed a polio treatment that ran counter to conventional medical wisdom of the day. Kenny showed the need to exercise muscles affected by polio instead of immobilizing them. Her principles of muscle rehabilitation became the foundation of physical therapy, or physiotherapy we know today.
- DirectorGary GlassmanStarsBarbara FlynnVittorio LuzzatiBrenda MaddoxRosalind Franklin: Scientist, led pioneering work on the molecular structure of DNA and viruses before an early death at 37 years old. Her work garnered two Nobel prizes for others with her own omission only due to the Nobel Committee's policy against posthumous nominations.
- DirectorGeorge C. WolfeStarsRenée Elise GoldsberrySylvia Grace CrimReed BirneyAn African-American woman becomes an unwitting pioneer for medical breakthroughs when her cells are used to create the first immortal human cell line in the early 1950s.Henrietta Lacks, progenitor of the HeLa immortalized cell line, one of the most important medical research discoveries ever made. The theft of her cells for commercial purposes made a groundbreaking impact on medical research. While highlighting concerns for both medical privacy and patients' rights.
- DirectorLawrence SchillerStarsFarrah FawcettFrederic ForrestDavid HuddlestonBiographical account of pioneering photographer's career.Margaret Bourke-White: War Correspondent, who is best known for her work as a world-traveled photojournalist for Forbes and Life magazine.
- DirectorDaryl DukeStarsJaclyn SmithClaire BloomTimothy DaltonThe fact-based story of the pioneer of nursing, known as "the Lady with the Lamp".Florence Nightingale: Nursing Pioneer, who forever bettered society in a number of ways. She professionalized nursing through the establishment of the first nursing school. She improved health care for all classes, elevated the treatment of the war wounded and established an new, acceptable female profession, when there were few. Upcoming Biopic w/Elisabeth Moss
- DirectorAaron SorkinStarsNicole KidmanJavier BardemJ.K. SimmonsFollows Lucy and Desi as they face a crisis that could end their careers--and another that could end their marriage.Lucille Ball: Studio Founder, the star comedian dominated the airwaves for over a decade. The first woman to run a major television studio and the executive responsible for some of the 1960's biggest shows. (updated 25 January 2022)
Alternate Biopic: Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter (1991) - DirectorGillian JacobsStarsKurt BeyerGrace HopperKathy KleimanGrace Hopper dedicated her life to bringing computers to the masses, when most supposed the technology was only useful for scientists and the military. Through her genius, she taught software English, so that everyone could communicate with computers.Grace Hopper: Computer Pioneer, one of the first computer programmers and greatly shaped the direction computer science. She was one of first women to achieve the rank of admiral in the US Navy.
- DirectorMike SmithStarsRachael BlampiedOwen BlackGavin RutherfordDocu-drama telling the story of an extraordinary undercover agent who worked with the resistance against Nazi Germany, evading the Gestapo while on their most-wanted list.Nancy Wake: British Spy, one of the most decorated servicewomen of the war by the Allies. She topped the Gestapo's most wanted list with a 5-million-franc bounty on her head.
Alternate Biopics: Nancy Wake Codename: The White Mouse (1987), Charlotte Gray (2001) (fictionalized) - DirectorMick CsakyStarsSister Rosetta TharpePauline BlackChris BarberDocumentary about gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who influenced the early rockers.Rosetta Tharpe: Rock & Roll Pioneer, was one of the earliest rock-and-roll musicians. Other pioneers including Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis, all cite her music as influential to them and the foundation upon Rock & Roll was built on.
- DirectorVictoria Lynn WestonStarsKate CapshawEllen Carol DuboisRobert Mayer EvansLittle known 19th-century American feminist, Victoria Woodhull gets an overdue examination via rare archival photos, sketches and interviews from historians, writers and an admiring Gloria Steinem. Actress Kate Capshaw lends her voice to this flamboyant suffragist who became the first woman to run for US President in 1872. A "free love" advocate, Woodhull blazed the trail in male domains such as publishing (Woodhull & Claflin's Weekly) and financial investing made her a social force to be reckoned with, as depicted in this biography.Victoria Woodhull: First U. S. Female President Candidate who is best known for her presidential campaign run in 1872. She also was the first female stockbroker Wall Street, a brokerage firm founder and newspaper editor/founder. (updated 01 February 2022)
Upcoming Alternate Biopic: Victoria Woodhull (starring Brie Larson) - DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsMichael FassbenderKeira KnightleyViggo MortensenA look at how the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gives birth to psychoanalysis.Sabina Spielrein: One of the first Female Psychoanalysts
Added 15 August 2019 - DirectorMimi LederStarsFelicity JonesArmie HammerJustin TherouxThe true story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, her struggles for equal rights, and the early cases of a historic career that lead to her nomination and confirmation as U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice.Ruth Bader Ginsburg: the second female U.S. Supreme Court Justice who as an ACLU lawyer argued and won five of six U.S. Supreme Court gender equality cases (for both men and women) between 1973 and 1976 and later became one its leading voices on the bench for over a quarter of century on a range of issues.
Added 15 August 2019 - DirectorKasi LemmonsStarsCynthia ErivoJanelle MonáeLeslie Odom Jr.The extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America's greatest heroes, whose courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history.Harriet "Moses" Tubman: the first female to lead an armed expedition in the U.S. Civil War. Prior to the U.S. Civil War, the tireless abolitionist conducted thirteen missions leading southern slaves to freedom using routes of the Underground Railroad. During the war, she served as a scout and spy, highlighted by leading Union troops on the Combahee Ferry Raid freeing some 750+ slaves.
Added 08 October 2019 - DirectorSamantha BuckMarie SchlingmannStarsMichael MosleyJulie WhiteJordan ElsassAmerica’s most famous evangelist is a woman looking for a way out. Fed up with her own success, and swept up in her lover’s daydreams about Mexico, she finds herself on a wild road trip to the border. Based on true events. Mostly made up.Aimee Semple McPherson: Evangelist McPherson pioneered the use of broadcast mass media for wider dissemination of both religious services and appeals for donations. Her use of radio to preach and incorporating stage techniques into her weekly sermons made Angelus Temple, an early megachurch.
Added 05 February 2023