Women's emancipation and revolt in cinema since the 1980s

Abstract

Cinema is one of the main tools in constructing a socially shared imaginary: the stories presented by cinema shape our perception of gender identity, both individually and collectively. With no claim to be exhaustive, this article outlines four recurring thematic strands in women’s cinema from the 1980s to the present (historical- biographical, realistic, rebellious, authorial), considering for each theme a significant example. Building on previous studies on the topic, cinema is then analyzed as a vector for emancipation, revolt, and breaking the norm, so as to overcome inequality and injustice toward an inclusive and peaceful society.