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20 Inspiring Movies About Heroines

Seeing strong female characters on screen has always drawn me in as a passionate moviegoer. I find great inspiration in the bravery and conviction of female protagonists who face opposition to stand up for their freedoms, families, or beliefs, whether they are in period dramas about queens regaining independence over their realms or girl-power teen comedies. Even so, a lot of movies about fearless female leads also celebrate the nurturing qualities of being a woman: sisterly loyalty, compassion for the downtrodden, and upholding morality. These movie heroines inspire me to embrace the fiery inner fire of the feminine spirit as well as the soft warmth that fosters a sense of community because they are multifaceted representations of bravery, vulnerability, and womanhood in all its diversity.

Here are some of my favorite films that show fearless female heroes pushing back against societal norms to bring about social change or awakening. Their main theme is resilience, which eventually makes room for others to thrive. These characters are strong and compassionate in equal measure. Women on screen who bravely spearhead revolutions, whether small-scale or large-scale, serve as role models for the bravery we must muster to fight for justice, respect women, and stand up for our values in our own lives.

These are twenty films about heroines:

1. The Women (1939)

Opening the list is the film The Women which follows divorced mother and wife Mary Haines as she handles her husband’s extramarital affair with unwavering grace, amidst catty socialites consumed with men and gossip. Mary defends herself and her family and inspires her circle to pursue greater goals beyond their husbands’ whims, instead of wallowing in self-pity or seeking retribution against the other woman. With confidence, she starts a new chapter and exemplifies inner poise and resilience. In addition to celebrating and criticizing womanhood, the film highlights the quiet strength that lies beneath Mary’s gentle candor as the drama revolves around her and her elaborate group of female friends.

2. Kill Bill Volume 1 (2003) and Kill Bill Volume 2 (2004)

The Bride, a heroine of the day, having been left for dead in a brutal massacre at her wedding, sets out on a ferocious and relentless mission in Kill Bill to exact revenge. The Bride fights off numerous assassins with almost superhuman fortitude, fighting prowess, and a resolve to exact revenge on those who dashed her dreams of starting a family. She bravely, creatively, and resiliently endures numerous horrific battles to defeat evil forces that underestimate the wrath of a woman scorned. In a world ruled by men, The Bride becomes a legendary heroine who will do anything to assert her authority.

3. A League of Their Own (1992)

A league exclusively for female players is formed when World War II threatens professional baseball, providing talented players like pitcher Kit and catcher Dottie with their first opportunity at fame. Playing America’s pastime, the teammates find courage and pride in playing despite doubts that women could ever captivate fans. Together, these fearless female role models bring courage and expertise to become formidable sports trailblazers who champion their nation and open doors for other women in the sports world. An intense account of how this group of trailblazing athletes bravely asserted their status as the game’s heroes can be found in A League of Their Own.

4. 9 to 5 (1980)

The film 9 to 5 shows the power of women when they come together. Violet, Judy, and Doralee decide to kidnap their oppressive boss, Mr. Hart, to exact revenge for the mistreatment they have been through at work. With hilarious irony, these sassy working women take the misogynist executive by surprise. The women take over the office when Hart is away and bring about progressive change. It’s half accident, half sweet retaliation. They demonstrate that women can manage the business more effectively by empowering one another after being freed from denigration and harassment. As they victoriously overthrow the man holding them down, these three heroines summate courage.

5. Hidden Figures (2016)

Heroines come from all parts of the world. here are three exceptional mathematicians Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Katherine Johnson who break down barriers of color and gender to make significant contributions to NASA’s space program while illuminating their brilliance and resilience. These three black women bravely declare their qualifications and strive to be where no woman, especially a woman of color, has gone before, despite discrimination’s decree that they should be inferior candidates restricted to menial jobs. Dreamers are given hope by their incredible ascents, which propelled astronaut John Glenn into orbit thanks to their drive for excellence and ambition. The movie shows how a few brave people can transform the world once their marginalization no longer overshadows their brilliance by showcasing visionary heroines who were too long hidden from history.

6. Wonder Woman (2017)

If you thought women couldn’t fight, then you haven’t seen Wonder Woman. As pilot Steve Trevor crashes close to Themyscira, the innocent and empathetic Amazon princess Diana recognizes her calling to heroism. Diana uses her swordplay prowess, demigod goddess superpowers, and her Lasso of Truth to venture where no woman has gone before; the front lines of World War I, defying her mother the queen’s orders to protect her innocence. In between her valiant fights to defend the defenseless, Diana advocates diplomacy and acts as an emissary of compassion. Wonder Woman, the first female superhero blockbuster, captures the spirit of nascent feminism on the eve of women’s suffrage with her portrayal of a goddess transformed into a fierce, peace-loving warrior for justice.

7. Hunger Games (2012)

The sixteen-year-old Katniss bravely offers herself as a tribute when her sister is chosen to compete in the despotic Hunger Games and fight to the death. Katniss uses her resourcefulness and archery abilities to survive as she plunges into the melee of combatants with weapons training. Upon triumphing, she unintentionally becomes a symbol of defiance against the totalitarian dictatorship, emerging as ‘the girl on fire’ or a fearless underdog who ignites hope. Katniss unintentionally becomes an inspiring heroic warrior and revolutionary icon, exhibiting conviction, tenacity, and resilience in the face of psychological damage caused by violence.

8. Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Heroines are made in difficult times, as depicted in the 1991 film Silence of the Lambs. Clarice Starling, an FBI trainee, is thrust into a terrifying and morally challenging situation when she is assigned to interview psychotic serial killer Hannibal Lecter. Clarice develops an unsettling relationship with Lecter as she looks for clues that require his cunning manipulation to find another murderer who targets women. She does this with courage and acute insight despite her obvious fear. Despite institutions that allow evil men to hold power, her determination and sharp mind prevail because she is both vulnerable and unrelenting. Clarice, a legendary underdog investigator, epitomizes commonplace heroism through her grace in the face of adversity and her tenacity in facing monsters without turning into one herself.

9. Norma Rae (1979)

A heroine is born when Norma Rae finds her calling in enabling disenfranchised workers to unionize for dignity and safety on the job, amidst harsh working conditions and chauvinism that are reducing opportunities for women at the textile mill. She boldly leads the labor movement despite significant risks to her reputation and family’s security by first inspiring courage in herself and then stoking feelings of solidarity among her peers. Norma Rae, a feminist superhero based on activist Crystal Lee Sutton, is a regular working mother who bravely follows her moral compass to oppose corporate cruelty and organize her community.

10. Thelma and Louise (1991)

The two friends go on the run from the law and find liberation in reckless retaliation against the patriarchal forces oppressing them after a weekend getaway goes south after Louise shoots a man attempting to assault Thelma. However, as their pursuit of justice turns into more violence, their vigilante sisterhood has disastrous results. With guns blazing and pedals pressed hard towards liberation, Thelma and Louise, despite their moral ambiguity, capture the outlaw spirit of wild women bucking against society’s sexist constraints.

11. Mulan (1998)

Heroines can do anything a man can do, and even better, as witnessed in the film Mulan. Mulan, in her 1998 animated Odyssey, disguises herself as a male soldier to save her ailing father and bravely takes on the battlefield in search of honor and self-worth. She gains the respect of Captain Li Shang and aids in the defeat of the Hun army by outwitting her misogynist allies with cunning rather than force. Mulan triumphs by embracing both her vulnerability and her bravery, with her gender identity finally accepted amid cherry blossoms and familial pride. Mulan, the Disney princess who became a cultural icon, is still voiced by Ming-Na Wen.

12. The Last Jedi (2017)

The Last Jedi follows Rey, a young scavenger, on her incredible journey from desert outcast to resistance spark. Rey is torn between the light and dark sides as she trains to become a Force master with a reluctant Luke Skywalker. Seeking inner meaning and abandonment, Rey grapples with her enigmatic connection to the long-standing antagonist Kylo Ren. Ultimately, Rey’s developing abilities and faith in a galactic future overcome both external and internal dangers. Daisy Ridley portraying Rey with determination and spirit paves the way for the following wave of female Jedi heroes.

13. Hush (2016)

When author Maddie Young decides to work alone on her most recent book, Hush, a masked assassin breaks into her secluded hideout. Deaf Maddie battles a vicious killer who targets her isolation and disability after her friend Sarah is killed, using her iron nerve and razor-sharp instinct. As the tenacious Maddie, Kate Siegel gives a commanding performance, using every ill-planned booby trap she can think of to turn her tranquil home into a battlefield. Maddie, a new feminist icon for the emerging home invasion horror genre, was trapped in silence but refused to accept victimhood thanks to her steely resilience.

14. Holiday (1938)

In the beginning, heroes are despised before they let everyone know their story. Here, Linda, the black sheep of the Seton sisters in Holiday, defies stereotypes of the perfect debutante and upends standards for women in high society. Linda is attractive because of her progressive modern outlook, endearing candor, and ambition to carve out a niche for herself in the world. She prefers lively conversation to stuffy parties. The free-spirited Linda defies expectations from her strict family and pursues her own goals despite being pressured to fit in. She eventually falls in love with Johnny, who is also out of the ordinary. Linda turned out to be a true original, acting as Katharine Hepburn’s skillful counterpoint to submissive ladyhood.

15. Captain Marvel (2019)

She is arguably the most dangerous woman with unstoppable powers. The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s heroine made her debut on screen in a blaze of energy beams and girl power in Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel. Pilot Carol Danvers used her newfound power to use photon force to become an intergalactic warrior who used her sarcasm to defeat militaristic Skrulls and alien threats. After being rendered mute by Kree’s attempts to repress her humanity, Carol’s release enables her to realize her true potential and rescue the planet. Claimant to the Captain’s mantle and an inspiration to women everywhere, Carol was at once genuinely extraterrestrial and human.

16. Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Here is a heroine from the future in the film Ghost in the Shell. Major Motoko Kusanagi is the spirit of an eternal woman in a futuristic world where technology and humanity collide. Her synthetic body is tailored for her counter-cyberterrorism missions. The appropriately named Motoko is contemplating existential issues and is committed to serving the public despite experiencing her dehumanization. Motoko is a remarkable woman who stands strong against corruption in both man and machine. She is an expert hacker with the ability to “ghost hack” into both assassins and computer systems.

17. Atomic Blonde (2017)

In Atomic Blonde, MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton navigates Cold War-era Berlin with bone-crunching force and icy determination. Casting Charlize Theron as a hyper-stylized action movie, the film is a sophisticated spy thriller that fully unleashes her fighting skills and dramatic intensity. Lorraine is extremely skilled at her craft, whether she’s using her martial arts skills to batter opponents or coerce French spies into giving her confidential information. With Lorraine Broughton, Atomic Blonde heralded the arrival of a new breed of battered, fearless, and unashamedly bisexual heroine.

18. Princess Mononoke (1997)

Raised by wolves and fighting to protect the forest spirits, San strides powerfully through Princess Mononoke, face marked symbolically in blood. Though living among beasts, San’s humanity bursts through in righteous rage and tears shed over the environment’s destruction by greedy invaders. Her fierce devotion and physical prowess allow her to hold her own against seasoned samurai. San refuses to compromise her values even for the man who wins her heart. With courage, compassion, and a steadfast connection to nature, she represents animated filmmaking at its most iconic.

19. Mad Max Fury Road (2015)

Here is a film that shows women’s power and endurance in adversity. Imperator Furiosa stands tall in the desolate post-apocalyptic wasteland where water and gasoline are most valued. She rebels against the despot Immortan Joe after being forced to serve him for years, risking everything to release his ‘breeders’ who are imprisoned. Furiosa leads Max, the Vuvalini, and the Five Wives across the desert, defeating legions of War Boys while maintaining her unwavering focus on freedom. She has a steely glint in her eye and a mechanical arm that serves as a badge of honor. Furiosa became a legendary feminist icon and heroine via tenacity and selflessness in Mad Max Fury Road.

20. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)

Sarah Connor completes her transition from helpless victim to tough warrior in Terminator 2. While wrongfully detained in a mental health facility, she remained steadfast in her goal to prepare her son John to spearhead the resistance movement after the end of the world. Sarah eventually came to realize that the machine possessed free will, despite her initial distaste for the reprogrammed Terminator sent to keep John safe. Her combat experience and quick thinking came in handy when she joined forces with John and the Terminator to destroy the sophisticated T-1000 killer cyborg. Sarah’s unwavering commitment solidified her status as one of the best female heroes in movies.

I’m inspired to embrace my inner warrior as the credits roll on these amazing stories of fearless movie heroines. It inspires me to take action and bring about positive change in my community when I see women on screen who can turn the tide of history and attitudes. It is the right of every girl to see representations of strong, multifaceted female heroes so that she too can find her inner lion.