Happy International Women’s Day! It’s March 08, 2025, and here I am to celebrate you, the women of this world, in all your roles and contributions. I have found this list of the best International Women’s Day movies that will take you through the tales of brave women: some you might relate to, some might inspire you!
These aren’t just films; these are female empowerment movies showcasing intense sagas of female lead tales from around the world.
Let’s dive deeper!
The Woman King (2022, English – Ghanaian Roots)
Watch it on Netflix
Viola Davis as Nanisca in The Woman King is leading an all-female army in 1800s Dahomey.
Her on-screen presence is filled with rage, leadership, and so much passion. The American quasi-historical drama takes you to the tale that is set in the 1820s in the West African kingdom of Dahomey.
Gina Prince-Bythewood directed the movie.
Nanisca’s pure power and sisterhood make this a strong female lead movie you won’t forget. It’s a Women’s Day must-watch that screams strength. Viola has delivered so much of strength through her acting, truly an irreplaceable role.
But it’s the story of Nanisca that gets me more, her will to fight back, to protect the folks she loved, and to sacrifice for her kingdom, that’s just something out of this world and you need to watch the movie to feel what I have felt.
Laapataa Ladies (2024, India, Hindi)
Watch it on Netflix
It’s a funny ride that turns out to be one of the best female empowerment movies you might come across. The tale is of two brides who get swapped on a train, how? That’s the fun part that you should check out yourself.
Just know this, their journey to return where they belong brought too many questions to the light. And you get answers to all of them. Just buckle up, it’s a wild ride!
I am Not a Witch (2017, Zambia, Bemba/English)
Watch it on Mubi
Shula is just a kid victimized by the Government-sponsored witch tourism of Zambia. She is accused of witchcraft, thrown into a prison of witches, controlled by powerful men in the government and shamans.
These so-called ‘witches’ were exploited to death. From manual labor to using them to control local communities, there was nothing government workers didn’t do.
It boils your blood, so probably have your comfort pillow around, you might need to squeeze it a few times, I had to.
Here’s the thing though, Shula’s grit shines through, making this a standout among the best movies for women.
It’s raw, real, and perfect for International Women’s Day vibes.
Mother (2009, South Korea, Korean)
Watch it on Prime Video
In Mother, a Korean mom (Kim Hye-ja) goes full-on detective to save her son from a murder rap. Her love is fierce and unstoppable.
Why She’s Epic: This strong female lead movie proves moms can transition from everyday heroes to passionate detectives anytime they want to.
It’s a thriller that’s perfect for Women’s Day thrills. Keep tissues ready though, there are moments when tears will turn into rivers.
The Great Indian Kitchen (2021, India, Malayalam)
Watch it on Prime Video
It’s an accurate reflection of a patriarchal society.
For some, things have already changed, for some, things are still changing, and for others, there’s time still left.
This is a story of a wife (Nimisha Sajayan), trapped in the kitchen where her duties just never end.
The more she tries, the more she is expected to do. Throughout the movie, you will realize that for her in-laws, nothing was ever enough.
Well, that brings out her rebellion side. This is a tale of that. How hard decisions had to be made.
Her courage is next-level, landing this in the best International Women’s Day movies club.
It’s intense and oh-so-inspiring.
The Seed of the Sacred Fig (2024, Iran, Persian)
Watch it on Prime Video
Najmeh in The Seed of the Sacred Fig is digging up secrets in Iran’s mess, risking it all for what’s right.
Things kick into gear when Najmeh’s husband Iman loses his gun.
He freaks out, unreasonably suspicious that someone’s onto him—or worse, that his own family’s betraying him. As a result, he starts suspecting Najmeh and the daughters, and what was once a tight-knit home turns into a psychological battlefield.
He brings in an interrogator to grill his wife and daughters—yeah, it gets that intense.
The gun’s disappearance isn’t just a plot device; it’s a ticking bomb, a nod to Chekhov’s rule that it’s gotta go off eventually. And boy, does it.
The title’s a metaphor—a sacred fig grows by choking another tree, just like Iran’s theocracy chokes its citizens, or how Iman’s control chokes his family.
It’s heavy, messy, and doesn’t pull punches.
Rasoulof filmed this in secret, risking everything, which makes the plot hit even harder—it’s personal, not just political, making it one of the top women-led films of the year.
That’s All for the List of the Best International Women’s Day Movies
Each of these movies I have featured has given me a demonstration of how women-centric movies can be much more complicated yet, realistic. There’s so much of trauma, years of oppression that is coming out on screens in the form of art. And that is why each of the titles featured here deserves your attention.
These movies might boil your blood, but you will also get to know the strength of each of the protagonists possessed in these sagas.
So, tune in!
Give these best movies for women a shot, and once you are done, tell me in comments, do you like my taste in movies? Or maybe if you have something more to suggest?
I am all ears.
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Once again, Happy International Women’s Day!
One response to “Happy Women’s Day 2025: 6 Best International Women’s Day Movies with Strong Female Leads”
Please review “Punisher: War Zone” in your website. I recently visited it, and I think its amongst the best action movies I have seen of all times without being John Wicky, yet a very faithful adaptation of the comic version of “The Punisher.”