For me, movies and meaning are inseparable; I process my daily life through this art form. The cinema is not just entertainment—it’s a vital lens through which I understand the world, a constant source of introspection, and a mirror reflecting the complexities of the human experience. Every frame, every performance, every narrative beat contributes to a deeper understanding of my own existence and the journeys of those around me.
That is why it is important to feel seen in cinema. I’ve been reflecting deeply on this, feeling seen, through films in over the 120-plus years of cinema, starting with the foundational magic of Alice Guy Blaché’s early work, like her pioneering silent film “La Fée aux Choux” (“The Cabbage-Patch Fairy”), playfully taking babies out of a cabbage patch. I think of the unforgettable, mythical power of Judy Garland’s ruby slippers in “The Wizard of Oz,” a comforting symbol of home, yearning, and transformation. Then comes the characters who were breaking through the studio system they were caged in, channeled through Barbara Stanwyck’s soul-piercing words and uncompromising presence in classics like “Double Indemnity”—a masterclass in expressing intelligence and vulnerability simultaneously.
My cinematic journey moves fluidly across borders and decades, landing on the French New Wave, exemplified by Jean Seberg dreamily closing her eyes in “Breathless” (“À bout de souffle”), capturing a sense of spontaneous, existential freedom that redefined cool. The reflection then focuses on the fierce, unapologetic voices of independent cinema—the powerful assertiveness and revolutionary nature of Lizzie Borden’s characters in films like “Born in Flames,” challenging patriarchal structures with visceral energy. Alongside this revolutionary fire, I find the profound, empathetic humanity of Kelly O’Sullivan’s written characters in contemporary films like “Saint Frances,” offering nuanced, honest portrayals of modern womanhood, motherhood, and self-discovery. This journey is further deepened by the sheer, electric complexity of Tessa Thompson’s portrayal of Hedda in Nia DaCosta’s film “Hedda,” a character who manages to be both arrestingly evil and profoundly human. In another pivotal moment for independent film, Cheryl Dunye’s “The Watermelon Woman” introduces Cheryl, a young Black lesbian working in a video store and making a film about a Black actress from the 1930s who was often seen in the stereotypical “mammy” roles—a groundbreaking work as the first feature film directed by an openly Black lesbian. I also embrace the self-aware mean girl of Jennifer, Megan Fox’s Jennifer in Karyn Kusama’s “Jennifer’s Body,” whose raw honesty about her period and every line—soaked in candy and venom simultaneously—redefined the horror heroine for a new generation.
Across this vast, diverse spectrum of cinema, I am consistently and inextricably drawn to the female characters. They are the anchors of my viewing experience. I seek reflections of my own journey in these women on screen—their resilience, their flaws, their triumphs, and their quiet moments of profound realization. They are the educators and companions in my lifelong engagement with film.
Currently, my mind is a flurry of recent viewing experiences, and I’m doing a brain dump of recently viewed films and their incredible female characters. This process isn’t just a list-making exercise; it’s an acknowledgment of how deeply these portrayals have resonated, acting as new touchstones in my ongoing exploration of cinema and life. I am energized by the persistent, vital legacy of women on both sides of the camera.
I use she/her pronouns, and while I often discuss characters who identify as women, I also include gender-expansive individuals. I refer to all these characters collectively as “female characters,” while fully respecting any different pronouns they may use.
Eleanor the Great — Directed by Scarlett Johansson
After the death of her closest friend, 94-year-old Eleanor Morgenstein leaves Florida for New York City in search of a fresh start. What begins as a small act of reinvention takes an unexpected turn when Eleanor wanders into a Holocaust survivors’ support group—and tells a story that begins to take on a life of its own.
The film hit me personally. My grandmother passed away in January at 100—just days before what would have been her 101st birthday—and grief has a strange way of surfacing when you least expect it. Watching June Squibb in this role helped release some of the tears I’d been holding in. She’s a powerhouse here: funny, stubborn, tender, and quietly devastating. I also feel lucky to have met her during the “Thelma” press circuit while covering the film for Cinema Femme.
This is the kind of performance that reminds you how luminous a long life can be when it finds its way onto the screen.
“Eleanor the Great” is now streaming on Netflix. Read my interview with June Squibb here about her film “Thelma”
For Worse — Directed by Amy Landecker
In this sharp, tender dramedy, a newly divorced mother attends a wedding with a much younger date. What begins as a playful weekend reclaiming her youth slowly evolves into something deeper when she unexpectedly connects with another divorcee navigating the same emotional terrain.
The film understands the strange geography of divorce—the grief, the absurdity, the flashes of liberation. Watching it reminded me of the films I loved in the early 2000s: stories about complicated women standing at the threshold of change. These films didn’t rush their characters toward tidy conclusions. They let them exist in the messy, transitional spaces where real life tends to unfold.
The film had a special screening at the Music Box theatre last week, and is now playing at select theaters: https://forworsemovie.com/
Galaxy 360: A Woman’s Playground — Directed by Anna Fishbeyn
“Galaxy 360: A Woman’s Playground” is a wildly entertaining sci-fi comedy set in 2195, a future where women run the world and men dream of the day they might finally get married. What begins as a sharp, playful satire on the cultural aftermath of #MeToo and the Epstein files quickly evolves into something deeper. The film is bold, hilarious, and unexpectedly thought-provoking.
Packed with wit, imaginative world-building, and clever role reversals, “Galaxy 360” delivers big laughs while quietly asking big questions about power, love, and equality. You’ll come for the comedy but stay for the twist beneath the surface.
Written, directed by, and starring Anna Fishbeyn, the film blends bold humor with imaginative world-building, flipping cultural expectations on their head. It’s a wildly entertaining ride that sneaks in bigger questions about power, gender, and equality along the way.
Cinema Femme will be co-hosting a screening and Q&A with Fishbeyn at the Logan Theatre this Thursday—a great reminder that satire often lands best when experienced together in a room full of people laughing at the same truths.
The Day Iceland Stood Still — Directed by Pamela Hogan
In 1975, something extraordinary happened in Iceland: 90 percent of the country’s women walked off their jobs—and out of their homes—refusing to work, cook, or care for children for a single day. The effect was immediate. A nation came to a standstill.
“The Day Iceland Stood Still” tells this story through the voices of the women who lived it, blending humor with a sharp reminder of the invisible labor women carry every day. The strike helped push Iceland toward becoming one of the most gender-equal countries in the world.
Watching it now is impossible without thinking about the present moment. In the United States, the fight for reproductive rights and gender equity remains unfinished in 2026. The film left me energized—and reminded me that collective action, like collective storytelling, can reshape the future.
This film screened at the Siskel Film Center last week as part of DOC10’s Speak Truth Series, which showcases powerful documentary films and features conversations with filmmakers to create space for meaningful dialogue, community engagement, and civic participation.
Hekla — Directed by Michael Smith
Some films move in straight lines. “Hekla” does not.
Built around one chaotic day in the life of an actor, the film swerves between auditions, rehearsals, and moments of private reckoning. At the center is Elizabeth Stam, who not only plays Hekla but helped write the character into existence. Around her orbit a group of collaborators—including Wendy Robie, Brookelyn Hebert, and Mary Tilden—who collectively capture the strange contradictions of an artist’s life.
The film rushes, collides, then bursts into color at the precise moments when performance becomes oxygen. It’s funny, chaotic, and quietly heartbreaking in its portrait of a performer who gives everything to the world—and still ends the day alone with herself.
I’m especially proud of the interview Cinema Femme published last week with the filmmakers and cast. The conversation revealed just how collaborative and vulnerable the process behind “Hekla” truly was.
Ugly Cry — Directed by Emily Robinson
Emily Robinson’s feature debut, “Ugly Cry,” set to premiere at the highly anticipated SXSW festival, is far more than a simple narrative; it offers a penetrating and acutely observed commentary on the relentless pressures that young women confront within the unforgiving landscape of Hollywood. From its opening frames, the film projects a palpable sense of cinematic greatness, immediately establishing Robinson’s exceptional aptitude for crafting deeply nuanced and authentic female characters. Serving as both the film’s director and its lead actress, Robinson’s dual role lends the project a profound authenticity. She masterfully channels the exhausting and often futile struggle for personal and professional acceptance in an industry perpetually obsessed with image, superficial perfection, and rigidly controlled on-screen portrayals of emotion.
Emily Robinson emerges from this project not just as a promising new voice, but as a formidable force both behind and in front of the camera. Her performance as Delaney is heartbreakingly authentic, and her direction is confident and insightful. I am extraordinarily eager for audiences to experience the full scope of this film, especially its utterly unforgettable and powerful conclusion, which cements “Ugly Cry” as a truly essential debut.
Read interview with Emily Robinson by Cinema Femme contributor Matt Fagerholm.
In 2019, I edited a video showcasing some of my most cherished female character performances across both film and television from that year. Given the subject matter and spirit of this feature, I believe this video would serve as a perfect, resonant addition, offering a visual and in-depth look at the strong, compelling portrayals that have resonated with me over the years.
