Empowering Women In Film: February 2016

FEBRUARY 2016 // EMPOWERING WOMEN IN FILM

It’s February—and you know what that means. Awards season is just beginning: the Golden Globes took place in January, and the Oscars and Grammys are right around the corner. While there’s definite controversy surrounding the 2016 Academy Awards (and how absolutely white it is—that’s another story), it seems that even in this day and age the film industry is predominantly controlled by men. Movies made that are aimed at women and girls are labeled “chick flicks” and immediately ruled out of being a good movie. When you think of a director, the first image that tends to pop into your head is a man in a scarf sitting in a folding chair with “DIRECTOR” splashed across the back of it. Or—and this has to be the worst—women are often used as mere accessories in male-centered films, lacking depth or any real redeeming qualities.

The truth is, there is so much that women bring to the film industry, whether it’s in acting, directing, producing, screenwriting, or anything else, and as Oscar season dawns on us, it’s high time that we show them some appreciation. So, without further ado, here are five empowering women in film:

1. Viola Davis

Without a doubt, Viola Davis is one of the most sensational actresses of this day and age. Recipient of multiple awards, including two Tony awards, an Emmy, and two NAACP Image Awards, Davis is a graduate of Julliard, and has been in over 30 films. Davis is a role model for women everywhere, and has repeatedly spoken out on the lack of diversity in the film industry. “The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity,” Davis said in her famous Emmy award acceptance speech in 2015. “You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.” With her honest acting style that truly takes you into another world, Davis continues to make her mark on the film industry, and is set to play a villain in the upcoming production Suicide Squad, coming to theatres summer 2016.

2. Angelina Jolie

No matter who you are, you know the name Angelina Jolie. Accomplished, actress, writer, and director, Jolie has won an Oscar, three Golden Globes, two Screen Actors Guild awards, and the hearts of millions. What makes her the most empowering, though, is what she does to give back—speaking out against sexual and domestic violence, becoming a Goodwill Ambassador for the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), and donating over $1 million in a response to a UNHCR appeal. “Figure out who you are separate from your family, and the man or woman you’re in a relationship with,” Jolie said. “Find who you are in this world and what you need to feel good alone. I think that’s the most important part of life. Find a sense of self, because with that, you can do anything else.” Jolie’s latest work is a self-written and directed film starring herself and her husband Brad Pitt, By The Sea.

3. Amandla Stenberg

Most of us know her from her breakthrough role of Rue from Hunger Games, but young actress Amandla Stenberg is as inspirational off screen as she is on screen. An avid supporter of the #BlackLivesMatter movement and vocal black bisexual feminist, Stenberg has accomplished so much at only seventeen. “I honestly think there’s a lot of power in letting people of color be nuanced,” Stenberg told Dazed Magazine. “It’s crucial to talk about important issues—and it’s also crucial to let people of color be indulgent with their artwork. Let us be flawed characters. Let us be messy. Having a ‘token’ person of color or representation once in a while is not enough.” Continuing to make art and radiate black girl magic, Stenberg is a role model for thousands of young people everywhere.

4. Aubrey Plaza

Known best for her beloved role as April Ludgate on NBC’s Parks and Recreation, Aubrey Plaza is an actress and comedian whose style is abundant with portrayal of seemingly deadpan characters. One of her most empowering roles, however, is found in the movie The To Do List (2013), where Plaza plays Brandy Klark, a recently graduated feminist high school student who creates a list of intimate acts she hopes to complete before leaving for college that fall. “Amber, a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle,” Plaza’s character Brandy says to her sister famously in a quote that has since gone viral on the Internet. Plaza’s portrayal of a young woman who takes control of her sexuality in The To Do List shows the world that it’s okay for women to treat sex like men do. Plaza continues to grace the world with hilarious and endearing roles, most recently appearing in Dirty Grandpa.

5. Zendaya

Although her work in film has been limited thus far, it would be a crime to leave Zendaya off of this list. Rising to fame through roles on the Disney Channel, Zendaya has proved a wonderful role model for girls of any age. Between playing the lead on Disney’s K.C. Undercover, being a rising fashion icon, inspiring a Barbie doll based on her famous look from the 2015 Oscars, and fighting against photo retouching that creates unrealistic standards of beauty, it seems that Zendaya has quite frankly done it all. “Anyone who knows who I am knows I stand for honest and pure self love,” Zendaya wrote in an Instagram caption of a comparison photo of an original and retouched shot from a Modeliste Magazine shoot. I think I speak for most when I say we are just so excited to see what Zendaya does next.

So while it still may be a power struggle among this male-dominated industry, it’s important to appreciate the amazing women already making their mark on Hollywood. Each of these women has accomplished so much, and they can only go up from here.