PUBLISHED07 Sep 2021

Our Women in Documentary Doc-List

A selection of impact documentaries showcasing the strength of women

Advances in the fight for gender equality have been hard-won and the battle is still not over.

This selection of stories provides unique insight into the lives of the women who have fought for change here in Australia, the different challenges faced by girls on the brink of womanhood around the globe, and the ongoing social issues of sexism, harassment, isolation, and under-representation.

Take a dive into this playlist and be inspired by their bravery and determination.

Strong Female Lead

Synposis:
One in three Australian women experience discrimination or harassment in the workplace. Australia’s first and only female prime minister, Julia Gillard, was one of them.

Strong Female Lead examines Australia’s struggle with women and power when a strong female takes the lead. Using archival footage, we see the attacks that characterised Gillard’s time in office – ever increasing in their vitriol, and sexual and violent overtones – as well as the gendered response of the public, media and parliament itself to Australia’s first and only female prime minister.

Exploring the themes of sexism, power and misogyny, Strong Female Lead examines the issue of prejudice against women in leadership and its ongoing impact on female participation in our parliament, and society more broadly.

 

Screening on SBS
September 12th 
8:30pm

Brazen Hussies

Synopsis:
BRAZEN HUSSIES shows us how a daring and diverse group of women joined forces to defy the status quo, demand equality and create profound social change – contributing to one of the greatest social movements of the 20th Century.

The film interweaves freshly uncovered archival footage, personal photographs, memorabilia and lively accounts from the bold women who reignited the feminist movement in Australia, at times at great personal cost.

 

Strong Women

Synposis:
From across Australia, four women share their intimate motivations to compete in Strongman and how this progressive strength-based sport is helping them rebuild themselves inside and out. The series shatters stereotypes and tackles women’s health issues through personal accounts, together with the latest in sports science. To be crowned Australia’s next Strongest Woman, these women have to overcome their personal limitations, sacrifice relationships, and struggle with injuries. This uplifting and inspiring series celebrates diversity and the power of inclusion through sport.

 

Tall Poppy

Synposis:
A girl who just loved to skate from the age of eight, Poppy Starr Olsen became the number one female bowl skater in Australia at 14 and went on to take out bronze at the X Games at 17 – the ultimate competition in the world of skateboarding. The same year, skateboarding was announced as an official additional sport category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Now faced with the opportunity to represent Australia on the world stage Poppy grapples with the transition from skater to athlete and the pressure of competition mounts in a way it has never done before. A coming of age story told over 12 years, TALL POPPY documents Poppy’s journey intimately as she navigates the uncomfortable idea of what it means to be a competitive athlete, the complexities of a relationship with a mum turned manager and finding her place in a male-dominated industry.

 

Girl's Can't Surf

The Leadership

Synopsis:

The world is crying out for a new model of leadership, but what is it? One woman thinks she has the answer.

Australian CEO and ‘dreamer’ Fabian Dattner, leads an international group of 76 female scientists on an Antarctic voyage designed to transform them “into the sort of leaders they want to be.” Her hope is that once these women are primed to lead in science, they will be able to make meaningful change around the world. But on board Dattner’s own leadership style and philosophy are both severely tested, as the women’s deeply personal stories of workplace harassment and more are revealed.

Set against the planet’s last untouched wilderness, The Leadership delivers an altogether unexpected and original reflection on what it takes to be a good leader, while unearthing the profoundly troubling systemic obstacles to women’s advancement in science and beyond.

 

Rosemary's Way

Synopsis
Rosemary’s Way celebrates the remarkable Rosemary Kariuki and the group of vulnerable migrant women of suburban Sydney whose lives she helps transform from isolation to connection.

Rosemary is our vibrant host over the course of a year, as we witness her reaching out to isolated migrant women from cultures as diverse as Iraq, the Congo and Peru. Rosemary is our ebullient facilitator; but the key characters are the migrant women who are drawn into her wake, and the Anglo women who agree to host them in their communities. We are moved and inspired by the stories of the women as Rosemary coaxes them to participate in new adventures and share insights into other cultures formerly outside of their experience.

We join in the women’s wonder at the beauty of the Australian bush, where they gather under the trees to be Welcomed to Country by an Indigenous elder. And we witness their gradual transformation, as they find their voices and confidence in this new country that is now their home..

 

Now In Cinemas
Find a screening near you on
Fan-Force

Embrace

Synopsis:
Embrace follows body image activist Taryn Brumfitt’s crusade as she explores the global issue of body loathing, inspiring us to change the way we feel about ourselves and think about our bodies.

 

 

I Am A Girl

Synopsis:
There is a group of people in the world today who are more persecuted than anyone else, but they are not political or religious activists. They are girls. Being born a girl means you are more likely to be subjected to violence, disease, poverty and disadvantage than any other group on the planet. As each girl moves closer to coming of age, I AM A GIRL, a feature length documentary, reveals what it means to grow up female in the 21st century.

As a day on earth transpires from dawn to dusk and into the night, we meet Manu, Kimsey, Aziza, Habiba, Breani and Katie – each on the brink of womanhood and dealing with the realities of what it means to grow up female in their world today. As they come of age in the way their culture dictates, we see remarkable heart-warming stories of resilience, bravery and humour.

 

Visible Farmer

Synopsis:

VISIBLE FARMER discovers the untold stories of Australia’s incredible farming women who have long remained ‘invisible’. Meet Chris, the goat farmer, who has reinvented the family business into a gourmet success. Darrylin, an indigenous cattle farmer and WA’s Rural Woman of the Year, determined to create a better future for her community and Annabelle, a young pastoralist, who fought hard for her place as farm successor, when her mother never stood a chance. From remote outback stations to urban market gardens – it’s a journey that will change your perception of who a farmer is.

VISIBLE FARMER reveals the hidden face of Australian agriculture and the vital and innovative roles women play. The series asks serious questions about contemporary issues facing rural Australia and its future. Ultimately it empowers women to stand up and declare ‘I am a farmer.”