From Chad to China, these are stories of empowerment brought to the world by the big screen

by Miriam Raccosta

It has always been asserted that, among all the arts, cinema is the most powerful medium for shaping collective images, and possesses the ability to transform them into foundational elements of our understanding of reality.

In practical terms, the very essence of cinema, (keeping in mind what philosopher Edgar Morin affirms), is its capacity to represent what is impossible and often invisible, to generate new perspectives by harnessing its imaginative and formative potential, while escaping the fossilizing force of stasis.

This characteristic, in particular, lends itself well to the exploration of women's issues, while offering critical insights that connect ancient legacies to present-day hopes. These are cinematic narratives of women who have consistently stood out not only by refusing to passively accept injustice, but also by actively opposing it in defence of personal and collective integrity. A perspective suitable for portraying familiar Western cultural settings, and equally pertinent for investigating geographically distant contexts. These stories address specific issues tied to local folklore, inequality, and the ongoing struggle against oppressive ideological practices. Recent non-Western filmographies have provided powerful portraits of empowerment, while taking on the implicit role of social interpreter, and committed to exposing contradictions and portraying modern figures who embody wisdom and a connection to transcendent traditions.

Such is the case of Amina, the single mother in Lingui, who in Chad fights against community-imposed rules to secure her daughter's rights after she becomes pregnant from a non-consensual encounter. Or Noura, in Noura’s Dream, who must face a patriarchal legal ordeal to avoid prison for a relationship deemed illegal, despite it beginning after filing for divorce.

There is also Her Story, which is a subversive comedy that challenges gender-based violence in China. Another example is, Like a Rolling Stone, which confronts the domestic roles imposed on women. In this film, the protagonist rebels while still holding onto the Eastern concept of individual life as an integral part of a larger, interconnected social system.

Teetering between fiction and realism, global cinema has become a witness to unheard stories, which emphasize the importance of women as keepers of memory, bearers of living spiritual traditions, and warriors in the preservation of cultural heritage.