What to watch in Milwaukee Film’s Women’s History Month program
Milwaukee Film’s first-ever Women’s History Month program includes 31 movies and eight events — all designed to share, amplify and celebrate women and their stories, throughout the month of March.
Because the coronavirus pandemic effectively shuttered Milwaukee Film’s Oriental Theatre for the duration, the 31 days’ worth of movies and conversations are all online, via the nonprofit’s Sofa Cinema portal
and on Milwaukee Film’s social media sites.
Passes for access to all of Milwaukee Film’s Women’s History Month films are $24.99, or $19.99 for Milwaukee Film members. Tickets for individual films and shorts programs, available starting March 1, are $3.99 or $1.99 for Milwaukee Film members.
The online events are all free. The topics range from “Black Crowns: The Politics of Hair Within Black Communities,” a moderated panel discussion on the politics of identity and skin color, at 5 p.m. March 3; to “Identity, Sexuality and Success: A Keynote Conversation With Sophia Chang,” with the hip-hop pioneer sharing her story of success and the obstacles she overcame to achieve it, at 5:30 p.m. March 25.
For a full programming lineup, go to
The movies being shown reflect an impressive diversity of topics and perspectives. Here are nine movies worth checking out to get you started.
“Coded Bias”: One of the best movies showing at both the 2020 Milwaukee Film Festival and February’s Black History Month program, this documentary about the gender and racial biases built into facial-recognition software and other artificial intelligence is also showing as part of this month’s programming. And, thanks to support from Northwestern Mutual, the movie is available for free for Milwaukee-area high schools and colleges.
“End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock”: This new documentary focuses on the efforts of Indigenous women to lead the fight against the oil pipeline planned to run through their community’s land.
“Lift Like a Girl”: This film follows a 14-year-old Egyptian girl’s fouryear quest to compete at the Olympic level in weightlifting.
“Once Upon a River”: Fleeing danger at home, a young woman uses the survival skills her father taught her to follow a Midwestern river to safety, and maybe some closure, in this filmfestival favorite based on Bonnie Jo Campbell’s celebrated novel.
“Represent”: Three very different women take on very similar challenges in running for local offices in three Midwest races (none in Wisconsin though) in this revealing, fly-onthe-wall documentary.
“Strive”: A teenager from Harlem battles the odds and obstacles to pursue her dream of getting into Yale in this 2019 drama. Joi Campbell and Danny Glover star.
“Through the Night”: In this cinema-vérité-style documentary, the lives of three women — two working mothers and a child-care provider — intersect at a 24-hour daycare center.
“Unapologetic”: The Movement for Black Lives in Chicago and its millennial organizers’ efforts to take on the local establishment, are the focus of this new documentary.
“Women in Blue”: This documentary chronicles the efforts of women police officers in Minneapolis to lead the efforts for reform from within while trying to restore trust in the community.