We were moved to see four films distributed by Women Make Movies included in The New York Times recent roundup of this century’s critics’ favorites, The Movies We’ve Loved Since 2000—a curated reflection on the most impactful films of the last 25 years. These documentaries expose truths, amplify voices too often unheard, and ignite the conversations that move us forward.
2002:
LOVE & DIANE
A film by Jennifer Dworkin
Filmed over five years in New York City, this unforgettable documentary follows three generations of the Hazzard family as they confront poverty, drug recovery, and the broken welfare system. With raw honesty and empathy, Dworkin captures a mother and daughter’s fight for stability, love, and hope amid America’s most challenging social realities. LOVE & DIANE won the Golden Leopard at Locarno and the Film Independent Spirit Award Truer Than Fiction Award among other awards and was broadcast on PBS’s POV.
2004:
HIGHWAY COURTESANS
A film by Mystelle Brabbee
This provocative coming-of-age documentary follows a bold young woman from the Bachara community in Central India—where the oldest girl in every family is expected to work as a courtesan to support her household. As Guddi, Shana, and Sungita navigate their inherited roles serving roadside truckers, their growing desire for freedom and self-determination challenges the cultural traditions they were born into. HIGHWAY COURTESANS won the President’s Jury Award at the Chicago International Film Festival.
2020:
CODED BIAS
A film by Shalini Kantayya
When MIT researcher Joy Buolamwini uncovers racial and gender bias in facial recognition algorithms, she embarks on a powerful investigation into the dangers of AI and systemic inequality. A timely and eye-opening film that ignited widespread conversations about digital justice and tech accountability. After premiering at Sundance, CODED BIAS had a virtual theatrical release during the COVID-19 pandemic, screened at hundreds of corporations and universities, was released on Netflix, and was broadcast on PBS’s Independent Lens.
BELLY OF THE BEAST
A film by Erika Cohn
Shot over seven years, this Emmy-winning film exposes modern-day eugenics and illegal sterilizations in California’s prison system. Through the voices of currently and formerly incarcerated people, it reveals ongoing reproductive injustice and systemic abuse within the criminal legal system. After premiering at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival of New York, BELLY OF THE BEAST had a robust virtual festival and theatrical release during the COVID-19 pandemic, screened at hundreds of colleges/universities and community organizations, was nominated in four categories and won a News & Doc Emmy for Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary, broadcast on PBS’s Independent Lens, and ran a highly successful impact campaign.
We’re honored to see these films included and invite you to revisit or discover them for the first time. Each of these documentaries are available to purchase or book!
