11 Netflix Documentaries About Women That You Need To Watch

Let these ladies inspire you!

1. Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold

Netflix

As a bona fide New Journalism legend and the author of The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion is a woman who has some serious stories to tell, especially about life in the U.S. during the tumultuous '60s and '70s. In this documentary, her own nephew gets us closer to both the woman and the myth, giving us a chance to get to know Didion's real life and her work. Tl;dr, this is the documentary that lovers of journalism and U.S. history buffs won't wanna miss out on.

2. Seeing Allred

Netflix

Meet Gloria Allred, who is arguably the most famous women's rights attorney in the United States. You might know her from representing Nicole Brown's family in the case against O. J Simpson, but also because she's been taking on big-name Hollywood sex offenders and has joined hands in solidarity with Trump's own accusers. In this documentary, we get a better look at the woman behind the media personality and hear her frankly talk about sexual abuse, race, and gender like nobody else can.

3. What Happened, Miss Simone?

Netflix

This documentary dissects the legendary singer and activist's life and work. You won't want to miss witnessing the key moments that made her a legend, but also the rare archival footage that investigates the darker points in her life that made everybody wonder: What happened, Miss Simone?

4. Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise

Netflix

"Still I Rise," one of the most well-known poems by poet, writer, and activist Maya Angelou, is a piece on the difficulties in overcoming prejudice and injustice. It's also the title that the directors have chosen for this documentary that celebrates the story of a woman who truly persevered in the face of adversity — including being a victim of sexual assault as a minor and dealing with encounters with the KKK while living in the South — to become a hugely important activist for black people and women in the United States.

5. Franca: Chaos and Creation

Netflix

The iconic editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia, Franca Sozzani, passed away in 2016. However, her son Francesco Carrozzini decided to turn his elegy into a documentary that dives deep into both the personal life and career of one of Vogue's most controversial and provocative editors. If you loved The September Issue, you'll definitely want to watch this.

6. Mission Blue

Netflix

Oceanographer Sylvia Earle was the first female chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but there's more to her than that. Her life mission: to save the oceans from its greatest threats, including toxic waste and overfishing. In this award-winning 2014 documentary, we come to know the woman who turned ocean environmentalism on its head at a time when the field was dominated by men.

7. He Named Me Malala

Netflix

In October 2012, Malala Yousafzai was shot for her advocacy on behalf of girls' education in Pakistan. This moving documentary tells us the incredibly powerful story of the young activist's life, from her childhood to her unwavering fight for women's rights.

8. Tig

Netflix

Comedian Tig Notaro was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 right before one of her performances at Club Largo in LA. The comic then decided to make light of the diagnosis during her performance, and the results quickly went viral. This award-winning documentary now follows the comedian through the progression of her illness and shows us there are other ways to deal with life's unexpected twists.

9. Ladies First

Netflix

Growing up, Deepika Kumari was told that girls belong at home, not on a sports field. And despite being born into poverty in rural India, where women's rights are severely limited, she went on to become the the best female archer in the world at just 18 years of age. This documentary chronicles her journey and triumph.

10. The Hunting Ground

Netflix

Annie E. Clark and Andrea Pino are two former University of North Carolina students who have filed complaints against the university in response to being sexually assaulted as students. In this bold documentary, the students decry the fact that the majority of universities keep campus rapes severely under wraps so as not to spoil their reputation — motivating Annie and Andrea to then forge a network for other victims at other universities.

11. Gaga: Five Foot Two

Netflix

This documentary gives us an inside look into the life and persona of Lady Gaga. Throughout the film, the songstress grapples with retaining power in an male-dominated industry, managing fame and exposure in the midst of gossip-obsessed media, and living with illness that doesn't always allow her to be at her best.

This post was translated from Spanish.