March is Women’s History Month!
The Committee for Belonging and Opportunity is hosting an opportunity for you to interact with women’s stories through an online film festival. Participating is simple: using your MACC login credentials, access Swank Digital Campus via the Library Resources webpage. Search for any of the selected films and watch for free from your device of choice.
Once you’ve watched at least two of the films (or more!), complete this survey to tell us a little about what you learned. You must be logged in to complete the survey. Watching two films and completing the survey will allow you to enter a prize drawing for a book from a prominent woman author.
Films to Choose From:
Thelma & Louise
Thelma & Louise
Synopsis: Louise is working as a waitress in a diner, and Thelma is married to a man who only wants her quiet and in the kitchen. One day, the two break out of their normal lives and hit the road. Everything changes after a dangerous encounter that causes them to head towards Mexico. They are soon hunted by American police and must decide what to do. The 1991 film was directed by Ridley Scott.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Mad Max: Fury Road
Synopsis: In this post-apocalyptic world, a woman rebels against tyranny while searching for her homeland. On the journey, she receives help from a group of female prisoners, a drifter named Max, and more. The 2015 film was directed by George Miller.
The Punk Singer
The Punk Singer
Synopsis: This move offers a personal peek into the life of the activist, musician, and iconic Kathleen Hanna, founder of the punk band Bikini Kill and pioneer of the “riot grrrl” movement of the 1990s. This 2013 movie was directed by Sini Anderson.
The Color Purple (1985)
The Color Purple (1985)
Synopsis: Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, The Color Purple is an epic tale spanning 40 years in the life of Celie, an African-American woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. After Celie’s abusive father marries her off to the equally debasing “Mister” Albert Johnson, things go from bad to worse, leaving Celie to find companionship anywhere she can. She perseveres, holding on to her dream of one day being reunited with her sister in Africa. The critically acclaimed 1985 adaptation was directed by Steven Spielberg.
A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own
Synopsis: A look at the first women’s professional baseball league is set during World War II and focuses on the rivalry between sisters, one a sweet-swinging catcher and the other a pouty, impulsive pitcher, who play on the same team, which is managed by a washed-up, hard-drinking ex-Major Leaguer.
On the Basis of Sex

On the Basis of Sex
Synopsis: Young wife, mother and lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg battles the U.S. Supreme Court for gender equality and women’s rights. She works with the American Civil Liberties Union to argue cases on behalf of both men and women, demonstrating that discrimination “on the basis of sex” is unconstitutional. Her trailblazing work paved the way for her to become a beloved Supreme Court Justice.
Erin Brockovich
Erin Brockovich
Synopsis: Erin is a sassy single mother and low-level law-office worker who becomes obsessed with a case involving a California utility company that’s accused of polluting the drinking water in a small town. She puts everything into fighting the corporation.
The Farewell
The Farewell
Synopsis: After her beloved grandmother is diagnosed with terminal cancer, a Chinese-American woman returns to China for a family gathering secretly designed to say goodbye to the matriarch. However, when it becomes apparent that grandma is the only one unaware of the diagnosis, she struggles to keep the secret.
She Said
She Said
Synopsis: New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey try to piece together the details of one of the most controversial stories in recent history, one that would help launch the #MeToo movement. Their objective is to find out the truth about the sexual harassment allegations against Hollywood heavyweight Harvey Weinstein. Yet they face the obstacle of no female survivors of the incidents seem to want to go on the record to corroborate their story.
Harriet
Harriet
Synopsis: The incredible true story of one of America’s greatest heroes, Harriet Tubman. From her escape from slavery to the dangerous missions she led, setting free hundreds of slaves through the Underground Railroad.
Till
Till
Synopsis: The story of Emmett Louis Till and the legacy of his mother who pursued justice for her lynched son.
Little Women (2019)
Little Women (2019)
Synopsis: Four sisters learn about love, life, and loss as they grow through their young womanhood against the backdrop of post-Civil War America. At the heart of the family is the headstrong Jo who aspires, above all else, to forge her own path. Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Synopsis: In 1951, cancerous cells from Henrietta Lacks lead to breakthroughs that change the face of medicine forever. Aided by writer Rebecca Skloot, Deborah Lacks embarks on a quest to learn about the mother she never knew. The 2017 film was directed by George C. Wolfe and is based on the book of the same name by Rebecca Skloot.