Documentaries

Ascent of Woman: is a documentary about prehistoric and Ancient women's history across cultures. 
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Barbarians Rising: Warrior Queen Boudica shows the rise and fall of Boudica.
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Witches: A Century of Murder is about the witch trials that plagued England under Kings James IV and I and Charles I.

Taking Root is a documentary about the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Wangari Maathai. She was from Kenya and her work was on environmental protection.
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Feature Length Movies

The Last Duel highlights the way that rape was handled in medieval Europe. It barely passes the Bechdel Test, with main actors being the male characters, but the whole theme of sex, sexuality, and gender dynamics cannot be ignored. 
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Elizabeth tells the story of Elizabeth's Golden era.
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Mary Queen of Scots is a film about the relationship between the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I of England and her Catholic cousin Mary Queen of Scots who challenged her throne. 
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Catherine the Great is about the career of Catherine of Russia and her challenges as a female leader.
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The Favorite is about the interesting palace life of Queen Anne and her closest female confidants. This film expands upon rumors of lesbianism within the court. 

The Woman King is a film about the Dahomey "Amazons," women warriors who fought European imperialism in West Africa. 
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Albert Nobbs is a film about the life of a poor woman living in 19th century Ireland who cross dresses in order to improve her station.
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Victoria and Abdul is a film about the interesting relationship between Queen Victoria and Abdul Karim, an Indian man who earned her confidence. 
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Suffragette tells the stories of English women who grappled with a way to have their voices heard in the early movement.
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The Danish Girl is historical fiction based losely on the life and marriage of a transgender pioneer.
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A Call to Spy is about the first British and American women spies that worked on the ground in France during WWII.
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The Guernsey etc. is based on a novel of the same name, about post war England.
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Frida is a film about the first Mexican woman to have her work displayed at the Louvre in Paris, FR.
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The Iron Lady is a biopic of Margaret Thatcher.
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Television Series

The White Queen and the series that follow are based on a historical fiction novel about the rise of the Tudor family in England. The main characters are the women, who through marriage gain and lose the crown.
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The Serpent Queen tells the story of Queen Catherine de Medici of France and the complexities of being a queen regent. 

The Tudors tells the story of Henry VIII and each of his six wives. Remember the old school tale: divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.
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Victoria is a TV series about the rise and career of Queen Victoria, whose reign spanned much of the 19th century.
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The Crown is a TV series that shows the rise and career of the current Queen of England, Elizabeth II. Her reign began shortly after WWII.
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How to teach with film

Remember, teachers want the student to be the historian. What do historians do when they watch films?

1. Before they watch, ask students to research the director and producers. These are the source of the information. How will their background and experience likely bias this film?
2. Also, ask students to consider the context the film was created in. The film may be about history, but it was made recently. What was going on the year the film was made that could bias the film? In particular, how do you think the gains of feminism will impact the portrayal of the female characters?
3. As they watch, ask students to research the historical accuracy of the film. What do online sources say about what the film gets right or wrong?
4. Afterward, ask students to describe how the female characters were portrayed and what lessons they got from the film.
5. Then, ask students to evaluate this film as a learning tool. Was it helpful to better understand this topic? Did the historical inaccuracies make it unhelpful? Make it clear any informed opinion is valid.