Women’s History Month: Women in Cinema

Great cinema consists of one thing. Great women ! Not to be dramatic but I hardly tune into a movie without a strong female lead.

From the Oscars, Golden Gloves and the Emmy’s, women are recognised to wholeheartedly lean into any character they play.

Viola Davis, our EGOT queen, can play literally any character. Like any. Her range is unmatched across the board. She is famously known for fighting for her life every in episode with her character Annalise Keaton in How To Get Away With Murder, that aired in 2014. Her attitude, poise and strained walk in that show left an impression on everyone. A personal favourite of mine is her role in, The Woman King 2022. Viola was strong, sexy and fearless playing warrior Nanisca. Honestly that movie was girl crush heaven.

Halle Berry famously won her first Oscar in 2002 for her role in Monster’s Ball 2001. The speech she gave opened the eyes of filmmakers to see how important it was to commend black women’s work in Hollywood. Halle Berry playing superheroes should be a category in itself, just saying. Stom ? Catwoman ? Man give her another Oscar !

Mother Angela Basset performed a role so good, I too wanted to blow up a man’s car. Waiting to Exhale 1995, is the perfect depiction of womanhood, female rage and freedom. Angela’s style of acting is so distinctive, there could never be another her. What she should’ve won was Best Actress for her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 2022, she was robbed…Nevertheless she won Best Supporting Actress in 2023 for the same role.

When Taraji P. Henson is in a movie, she is everyone’s favourite character. She has a way of commanding every scene she is in, and whatever situation her character was in, you were on her side. Her roles in Think Like a Man 2012 and Baby Boy 2001 are favourites in black cinema. She is yet to win an Oscar but she won a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2017 for her breathtaking role in Hidden Figures 2016.

Zendaya artistically matured before our eyes. Her humble beginnings from Shake it Up to becoming a Golden Globe Winner. Not only does she act but she produces and directs. Her role in The Challengers 2024, proved no matter what who she plays, she immerses herself in every character. A true artist.

Honourable mentions are of course Cynthia Erivio making theatre hot again! Also Meryl Streep and her generational work in The Devil Wears Prada.

In conclusion, women make cinema great and always will. In honour of Women’s History Month, you should watch a movie once a day with a female lead.

Written by Essie Francis