This Week on NFB.ca: Women Take Centre Stage on IWD 2019

It’s International Women’s Day and we’ve been gearing up all week for the occasion. Over the past five days we’ve featured five films that put women’s issues front and centre, from abortion to menopause.

Through a combination of documentary and animated films, we’ve put together an exploration of the complex concerns that face women today. Got a film to add? Leave it in the comment section at the end of this post.

Status Quo? The Unfinished Business of Feminism in Canada

This feature documentary from 2012 reminds us, sadly, that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Karen Cho deftly takes us on a tour through the issues like abortion, violence against women, and universal childcare – all while showing us how much farther we still have to go. It’s an eye-opener and a must-see.

Status Quo? The Unfinished Business of Feminism in Canada, Karen Cho, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

Mabel’s Saga

Well. This one hit a little close to home.

Meet Mabel, your typical super woman – juggling work, family, and responsibility. And now, just to add to the fun, she gets to deal with menopause, too! The film is actually a fun little romp through the various ways menopause affects Mabel’s daily life. Even though it tackles a serious subject, the light touch and vibrant colours are just the bit of sugar needed to make this medicine go down.

Mabel's Saga, JoDee Samuelson, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

Rock the Box

Here’s a film that’s sure to spark discussion among friends and family. DJ Rhiannon is a woman set on breaking the glass ceiling in the male-dominated music industry. She’s decided she’ll do whatever it takes, even if that means posing nude for Playboy magazine. She argues she’s beating the system from the inside. What do you think?

Rock the Box, Katherine Monk, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

Fair Phyllis

I feel that if Mabel and Phyllis had lived in the same century, they’d have been great friends. Like Mabel, Phyllis struggles to meet the demands of work, family, and relationships. But this is a film that celebrates the resilience of women while rooting for Phyllis to find balance in it all.

Fair Phyllis, Beth Portman, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

A Better Man

I long for the day we can write up a post about International Women’s Day and not include a film dealing with violence. Sadly, that doesn’t seem to be in the cards any time soon. But it does seem that more and more women are standing up and telling their stories, and that is progress.

This film from Attiya Khan and Lawrence Jackman takes an intimate and often uncomfortable look at Khan’s own experience with domestic violence. Taking a different approach altogether, the film includes interviews and segments with Khan’s abuser, Steve. You can learn more about the film here.

A Better Man, Attiya Khan & Lawrence Jackman, provided by the National Film Board of Canada