BCLS invites you to celebrate the stories of the women who broke the mold by learning about them, their indomitable spirit, and their contributions to women’s rights. Check out some films available below! 

DVDs Available to Check Out

• Hidden Figures (2016) – Rated PG
  Based on a true story, this film follows three African American women mathematicians at NASA and their contributions in the early years of the United States’ space program. This biographical drama focuses on the work Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson who helped send John Glenn into orbit and into history.
• A Ballerina's Tale (2016) – Not Rated
  This documentary follows Misty Copeland, who made history as the first African American principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre. The film explores her rise in the performing world, an injury that threatened it all, and the road back to recovery and dance.
• Served Like a Girl (2017) – Not Rated
  (Trigger warnings: PTSD, mentions of sexual assault, physical/mental illness and war)
  This is a candid look at the lives of American women veterans as they return to civilian lives and grapple with a veteran care system not designed to support them. Learning to live with and overcoming struggles, these women veterans participate in the "Ms. Veteran America" competition.
• The Color Purple (2023) – PG-13
  (Trigger warnings: mature thematic content, sexual content and violence)
  This American musical-period drama based off the musical and 1982 novel of the same name follows the hardships and triumphs of Celie as she navigates through an abusive marriage and finds strength in the unbreakable bonds she makes with the women around her.
• Joan Baez: I Am a Noise (2023) – Not Rated
  This nontraditional biopic and concert film offers an in-depth look into the life of folk singer and activist Joan Baez throughout the years. This film illustrates the life of Baez on and off the stage from her civil rights activism with MLK to her own lifelong struggles.

Stream on Kanopy!

• One Woman, One Vote (2020) – Not Rated
  While claiming to be a shining example of democracy, America in the past did not allow women to vote without a fight. This PBS documentary covers the woman’s suffrage movement and how it led to the passing of the 19th Amendment.
• Becoming Helen Keller (2021) – Not Rated
  Although she lived a vibrant 87 years as an activist for disability, civil and women’s rights, Helen Keller’s life is often reduced to her struggle to overcome her disabilities as a child. This PBS documentary instead provides a critical look at her work as an adult as well as some of her controversial positions.
• Plan C (2023) – Not Rated
  Following the grassroots organization of the same name, Plan C tells the story of a group of women, doctors, and midwives spreading the word about access to abortion pills online and through the mail. The documentary covers the time between 2020 and the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.
• Running with My Girls (2021) – Not Rated
  Five female activists from different backgrounds decide to run for municipal office in Denver, Colorado and rally for change in their community. This documentary explores the value of community engagement with government and making the changes you want to see.
• Move When the Spirit Says Move: The Legacy of Dorothy Foreman Cotton (2023) – Not Rated
  As the only woman on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s executive staff, Dorothy Foreman Cotton’s contributions to the Civil Rights Movement were often overlooked and undervalued. This documentary follows her work as a leader and voice to inspire activists for years to come.