This post started life as a roundup of films built on female power - a good tie-in to the upcoming release of the historical epic starring featuring Viola Davis The Woman King, about the 100% female fighters of the kingdom of Dahomey (current Benin) in the 19th century, right? But history moved beyond that idea with the death of Queen Elizabeth II. It is impossible to consider the relationship between women and power without considering the end of the longest period of rule by a woman in human history.
To some, she was a beloved grandmother figure; for others, a steadfast leader who leads with the softest touch imaginable. Still others could not separate it from the dark specter of British colonialism. None of these interpretations is exhaustive and none supersedes another. Power, whether inferred through inheritance, politics, or other means, is a complex matter, which is probably why its consideration has served as the material for so many interesting films.
Take The Woman King, which isn't about an actual monarch but follows a powerful female ruler and is set in Dahomey, a country that was later colonized by France. A group of highly skilled warrior women protecting their land from outside invaders is the subject of murderous tales, but some have quibbled that the film evades Dahomey.
This post started life as a roundup of films built on female power - a good tie-in to the upcoming release of the historical epic starring featuring Viola Davis The Woman King, about the 100% female fighters of the kingdom of Dahomey (current Benin) in the 19th century, right? But history moved beyond that idea with the death of Queen Elizabeth II. It is impossible to consider the relationship between women and power without considering the end of the longest period of rule by a woman in human history.
To some, she was a beloved grandmother figure; for others, a steadfast leader who leads with the softest touch imaginable. Still others could not separate it from the dark specter of British colonialism. None of these interpretations is exhaustive and none supersedes another. Power, whether inferred through inheritance, politics, or other means, is a complex matter, which is probably why its consideration has served as the material for so many interesting films.
Take The Woman King, which isn't about an actual monarch but follows a powerful female ruler and is set in Dahomey, a country that was later colonized by France. A group of highly skilled warrior women protecting their land from outside invaders is the subject of murderous tales, but some have quibbled that the film evades Dahomey.
Screenshot: The Queen/HBO Max
Screenshot: The Queen/HBO Max
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