In 'The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe', four women learn how to turn their traumatic pasts into a source of strength by taking to the Australian stage; 'My Year with Helen' charts the journey of a New Zealand icon as she breaks down barriers at the highest echelons of the world politics; and 'Mermaids' paints a touching portrait of a subculture of women finding empowerment and inner strength through a spell-binding myth.
Then in this month’s iWonder Top Five, we pull together five films featuring irrepressible women, each trailblazers in their fields.
The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe
#Australia #Uplifting #Personal
Aminata, Rosemary, Yordy and Yarrie all fled violence and sexual abuse in their homelands, eventually finding a safe haven in Australia. For years they each held their pain within, until they decide to join a theatre group and speak out.
Under the nurturing guidance of acclaimed theatre director Ros Horin, the four women came together to let their life stories be transformed into an extraordinary theatrical experience, as 'The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe' travels from western Sydney, to the city, and the international stage.
Heartrending, heartfelt and ultimately uplifting, the film offers a message of hope and support for women and children who have suffered around the world, whether in the context of war, or closer to home.
My Year with Helen
#Politics #Gender #Global
By any measure, Helen Clark is an exceptional woman. Her journey from one of four children on a remote New Zealand farm to becoming New Zealand’s first elected female Prime Minister forms an outstanding and inspirational life story. In 2016, she added an even more ambitious chapter, as she attempted to become the United Nations’ first ever female Secretary-General.
'My Year with Helen' gives a closely observed view of Helen’s bid for the top job, as the UN turns itself inside out in an effort to deliver unprecedented transparency in an historic year.
Gaylene Preston’s cameras follow Helen Clark campaigning for Secretary-General while also carrying out her work as Administrator of UNDP, filming Clark in Botswana, Britain, Spain, and Ukraine as well as the UN’s New York headquarters.
Mermaids
#Subculture #Touching #Myths
Examining an ancient myth’s powerful allure, this film is a journey into the fairytales and universal legends about women of the water as seen through the eyes of five women who are part of a growing “mermaiding” subculture.
Following the stories of these modern-day sirens, viewers voyage between mermaid theme parks, conventions, tail-making studios, and deep into the ocean where escaping reality and transforming into the empowered icon of the mermaid is possible.
iWonder when
March 8th, 1928
First observed in 1909 and expanding to Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland in 1911, it wasn’t until 1928 that International Women’s Day was first observed in Australia.
Sydney saw the inaugural observance of International Women's Day, organised by the Militant Women's Movement. It marked a crucial moment in the nation's history, uniting women to advocate for equality, justice, and empowerment. Amidst banners and speeches, women rallied for suffrage, education access, equal pay, and an end to discrimination and violence. Since then, this event has evolved into an annual tradition, fostering solidarity and highlighting both progress and ongoing challenges in the journey towards gender equality in Australia.
iWonder who
Helen Clark
Former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark, left an indelible mark on the country's political landscape. Serving as the Prime Minister from 1999 to 2008, she was the first woman to hold the office and the second-longest-serving Prime Minister in New Zealand's history. Clark initiated numerous progressive policies during her tenure, focusing on social welfare, environmental sustainability, and economic development.
Post-political career, Clark became deeply involved in international affairs, notably as the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) from 2009 to 2017. Her leadership within the UNDP reinforced her reputation as a global advocate for gender equality, human rights, and sustainable development.
Clark continues to inspire generations with her commitment to public service and her relentless pursuit of a fairer, more equitable world.
iWonder what
Irrepressible women
Where most people see immovable obstacles, some women cannot help but find a path to greatness, whether that’s through a blazing trial to stardom, or relentless self-sacrifice for the betterment of others.
In this month’s iWonder Top Five, we profile five unique women who have each earned their place in the history books.
1) Whitney
#Culture #Music #Bio
An intimate, unflinching portrait of Whitney Houston and her family that probes beyond familiar tabloid headlines and sheds new light on the spellbinding trajectory of Houston’s life. Using never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive demo recordings, rare performances, audio archives and original interviews with the people who knew her best, Oscar®-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald unravels the mystery behind “The Voice,” who thrilled millions even as she struggled to make peace with her own troubled past.
2) Nasrin
#Justice #Powerful #Revealing
Narrated by Academy Award-winner Olivia Colman and secretly filmed in Iran by women and men who risked arrest, this film follows the work and life of renowned human rights lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh. In the courts and on the streets, Nasrin has long fought for the rights of women, children, LGBTQ, religious minorities, journalists, artists, and those facing the death penalty. She was arrested in June 2018 and sentenced to 38 years in prison, plus 148 lashes. But even from prison, she continues to challenge the authorities.
3) Ready to Fly
#Sport #Equality #Campaign
Since she started ski jumping at the age of seven, Lindsey Van dreamt of winning an Olympic medal. By the time the Olympics came to her home country of Canada in 2010, she had already won countless competitions, including 13 national championships, and was setting records that beat even the men’s. When the IOC refused to recognise women’s ski jumping as an Olympic sport, Lindsey and her teammates decided to sue the organisers of the Vancouver Olympics to force them to include female ski jumping on the basis of gender equality.
4) Motley’s Law
#Justice #Law #Human Rights
Kimberley Motley left her husband and three kids in the US in order to work as a defence lawyer in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Today, she is the first and only foreign lawyer who litigates in Afghanistan’s courts. For over five years now, human rights cases and troubled expats have motivated her to stay, but personal threats and general conditions in the country, make it harder and harder for Kimberly to continue her work.
5) Janis: Little Girl Blue
#Music #Bio #Revealing
Janis Joplin was one of the world’s most influential rock icons and a goddess of sound, but there was far more to her than that. Academy® Award nominated director Amy Berg strips away Janis’ rock ‘n roll persona to reveal the raw, sensitive, innocent, uncensored and powerful woman behind the legend, in the quintessential story of the short, turbulent and epic existence that changed music forever.
