7 Documentaries Featuring Inspiring Women to Watch on Netflix
We could all use a bit of inspiration these days, and that's where a cozy night in with Netflix comes in. While binging reality TV and re-watching comfort shows can be tempting, consider giving yourself a burst of motivation instead via these documentaries featuring strong women, from Lady Gaga to AOC to Pricess Diana.
"Gaga: Five Foot Two"
At 33, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, aka Lady Gaga, has established herself as the queen of pop music. Released in 2017, her documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two presents the singer as we have never seen her, completely stripped of her costumes, glitter, and glamour. Instead, we sit with Germanotta through her anxieties as she gets vulnerable about the realities of working on an album and preparing for her Super Bowl performance.
"Homecoming"
In 2019, Beyoncé made global buzz by unveiling her surprise documentary Homecoming on Netflix, as well as an accompanying live album. The film focuses on the two weekends the artist performed at Coachella in 2018, and the eight months of preparation preceding the festival. The performance, which included a Destiny's Child reunion, made history, namely because Queen Bey is the first Black woman to headline the festival, but also because the nearly 2-hour-long show revealed the depths of the singer's dedication to her craft.
"Knock Down The House"
At just 28, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest representative ever elected to the United States Congress. Born in the Bronx, Ocasio-Cortez is today one of the main voices against the policies of Donald Trump, embodying the new wave of the nation's young Democrats. But how was this former waitress elected? The documentary Knock The House Down, directed by Rachel Lears, followed Ocasio-Cortez in her run for Congress. The documentary also portrays three other candidates: Amy Vilela, whose 22-year-old daughter died after being turned away from the emergency room because she was not insured, Cori Bush, an African-American woman inspired by Ferguson's protests against police violence (and who now represents Missouri's 1st congressional district), and Paula Jean Swearengin, the daughter of a family of minors from Virginia.
"Whitney"
Unveiled during the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, the documentary Whitney gives viewers a closer look at who the real Whitney Houston really was behind the records, the rumors, and the scandals. Directed by Kevin Macdonald, who won an Oscar in 2000 for Un Jour en Septembre, a film which details the hostage situation during the Munich Olympic Games in 1972, the documentary gives voice to many people close to the star. It also contains a shocking revelation, which has so far never been disclosed.
"Serena"
Serena Williams is well-regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time thanks to her 23 Grand Slam titles as well as her four Olympic gold medals. Released in 2016, the documentary Serena takes an intimate look at the life of the tennis star during her 2015-2016 season.
"The Story of Diana"
The documentary The Story of Diana chronicles the life and personal struggles of Lady Di through various interviews with experts and relatives, in particular that of her brother Charles Spencer. Princess Diana, whose untimely death is still a source of mystery, was notably the emblematic figure of humanitarian causes, yet she often felt alone. The documenary pays homage to the life and times of one of the most beloved royal figures in history.
"What Happened, Miss Simone?"
The documentary What Happened, Miss Simone? tells the story of singer Nina Simone, one of the most gifted vocalists of the 20th century. The film features many never-before-released recordings as well as archive footage, all backed by her most famous titles such as "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," "I Put a Spell on You" and "Feeling Good." Not one to be confined by genre, the American pianist, singer and songwriter explored jazz, blues, soul, R&B, gospel, and pop, and was also a civil rights activist in the mid-1960s.
