Awards season wraps up with the 87th annual Academy Awards on February 22nd, coming with it nominations for a wide variety of films. Celebrate some amazing female performers, producers, and directors while watching it this upcoming Sunday!
Selma
Oprah Winfrey, one of the most iconic female figures in American culture, produced this film set in the era of the Civil Rights Movement. Selma features strong female characters, highlighting the work of activists Amelia Boynton Johnson, Annie Lee Cooper, and Viola Liuzzo. With its nomination for Best Picture, the film industry celebrates the hard work of women behind the scenes, and the intersectionality of race and what it means to be a woman empowered by the Civil Rights Movement.
Still Alice
At the Golden Globes in January, Oscar Best Actress nominee Julianne Moore proclaimed that the author of this novel believed it was not getting adapted because no one wanted to see a film about a middle-aged woman. This nomination proves that there is still a place for middle-aged women in the movie industry, despite the lack of roles for them. Hopefully the nomination inspires filmmakers to continue pursuing the stories of women and begins a trend of making places for ladies on the silver screen.
The Lego Movie
Although the animated film is about a male Lego who finds his purpose in life and overthrows an authoritarian rainbow brick society, the movie’s most popular song, “Everything is Awesome,” is among the nominees for Best Original Song. The artists, Canadian indie rock duo Tegan and Sara, are self-declared feminists who believe in continuing the fight for gender equality. While the song and film itself don’t celebrate female empowerment and equality, it’s always beneficial to recognize strong feminist figures to continue and inspire others.
Lady Gaga
The iconic female pop performer is not nominated for an Oscar, but on Sunday night, she will be performing at the awards show. Despite saying that she’s not a feminist in the past, Gaga admitted to the Los Angeles Times that she believed women did not get enough say in the media, and that “women need and want someone to look up to that they feel have the full sense of who they are, and says, ‘I’m great.’” Female empowerment is important, providing a strong sense of community, value, and self-worth that strengthens not only women, but people of all genders.
These are only a few of the empowering moments we’ll be looking forward to on February 22nd, when the actors and actresses come up to receive their Oscars. We can’t wait!
Cover image courtesy of Shutterstock.
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