Films to watch this Women’s History Month

This March, celebrate women’s history by watching these six women-made films

Fringe ArtsMaya St-Antoine — Published March 24, 2025 2 minutes

Dream Life/La vie rêvée (1972), Mireille Dansereau

This is the first ever French-Canadian fiction film made by a woman and only the second in Canada as a whole. Dream Life is a feminist critique of 1970s Montreal and women’s place in the filmmaking industry. 

This is a dramatic comedy centring two friends who dream of the perfect man, just to realize he might not exist after all. Dansereau has a beautiful visual style and an intimate way of looking at the city—you might even recognize a few places! It is currently available to watch on YouTube for free. 

Girlhood/Bande de filles (2014), Céline Sciamma

Made by the director of Cannes Award-winning Portrait of a Lady on Fire, this French coming-of-age drama tells the story of Marieme, a teenage black girl in an oppressive family and neighbourhood run by men. Through the female friendships she makes, Marieme attempts to escape this life and begins a journey of self-discovery—and bad choices—when she joins a gang. 

A League of Their Own (1992), Penny Marshall

Watch or rewatch this ‘90s classic about female solidarity, starring Geena Davis, Madonna and Tom Hanks. Inspired by the rise of women’s sports teams during World War II, it tells the story of a women’s baseball team that has to make its place in the sports world and defeat the stereotypes and challenges that come with playing in a male-dominated field. 

Daisies (1966), Věra Chytilová

This avant-garde director was a pioneer of Czech cinema. As the only woman in her film school, her filmography portrays issues of misogyny and the absurdity of the Czech societies of the 1960s. Daisies is the story of two teenage girls causing trouble everywhere they go and defying the norms of how women are meant to behave.

Saving Face (2004), Alice Wu

This is Alice Wu’s first feature film, made 16 years before her award-winning The Half of It in 2020. Chinese-American Wilhelmina avoids telling her traditional family about her sexuality while discovering that she isn’t the only one keeping secrets in her entourage. It is a film about romance, family, and coming to terms with modern love and its complexities. 

Monsoon Wedding (2002), Mira Nair

Mira Nair, better known for the 1991 Mississippi Masala, blends elements of Bollywood, Hollywood, comedy and melodrama in this beautiful Indian film. Monsoon Wedding is about a large Indian family reuniting for an arranged marriage. The film explores family tensions, relationships, solidarity and gender dynamics. 

These are only a few of the many important films made by women. Feel free to explore these directors and other notable figures of feminist cinema such as Agnès Varda, Elaine May and Julia Ducournau.