Films about social movements

Movie selections

Films About Social Movements

Films about social movements capture the essence of collective struggle, activism, and the fight for justice. They explore the lives of those who stand up against oppression, inequality, and systemic injustice, often highlighting the personal sacrifices and triumphs of activists. These films serve as both educational tools and sources of inspiration, reflecting the challenges and victories associated with various social causes.

“Selma”, 2014

Director: Ava DuVernay

films about social movements - Selma

This historical drama chronicles the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches led by Martin Luther King Jr., highlighting the struggle for African American voting rights and the intense opposition faced by activists.

Starring: David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tom Wilkinson, Tim Roth, Lorraine Toussaint, Common, Giovanni Ribisi, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Oprah Winfrey, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Wendell Pierce, Dylan Baker, Tessa Thompson, Colman Domingo, Jim France, Trinity Simone, Mikeria Howard, Jordan Rice, Ebony Billups, Nadej K. Bailey, Elijah Oliver, Clay Chappell, Haviland Stillwell, André Holland, Omar J. Dorsey, David M. Morizot, David Dwyer, E. Roger Mitchell, Ledisi, Kent Faulcon, Stormy Merriwether, Niecy Nash, Corey Reynolds, John Lavelle, Stephan James, Trai Byers, LaKeith Stanfield, Henry G. Sanders, Charity Jordan, Stan Houston, Chandler Maness, Nigel Thatch, Stephen Root, Michael Papajohn, Brian Kurlander, Jeremy Strong, Elizabeth Diane Wells, Tara Ochs, David Silverman;
Production year: 2014;
Genre: drama, biography, history;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 128 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,5;

More information about the film “Selma” on the website imdb.com

“The Help”, 2011

Director: Tate Taylor

films about social movements - The Help

Set during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, this film tells the story of African American maids in Mississippi who share their experiences with a young white writer, shedding light on racism and the fight for equality.

Starring: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, Ahna O'Reilly, Allison Janney, Sissy Spacek, Cicely Tyson, Mary Steenburgen, Anna Camp, Eleanor Henry, Emma Henry, Christopher Lowell, Mike Vogel, Brian Kerwin, Wes Chatham, Aunjanue Ellis, Ted Welch, Shane McRae, Roslyn Ruff, Tara Riggs, Leslie Jordan, Tiffany Brouwer, Carol Lee, Carol Sutton, Millicent Bolton, Ashley Johnson, Ritchie Montgomery, Don Brock, Florence Roach, Nelsan Ellis, David Oyelowo, La Chanze, Dana Ivey, Becky Fly, Sheerene Whitfield, Cleta Elaine Ellington, Henry Carpenter, John Taylor, Charles Cooper, Diana Cooper, Coyt Bailey, Wade Cottonfield, Kelsey Scot, Amy Beckwith, Sloane Fair, Anna Jennings, Lauren Miller, Elizabeth Smith;
Production year: 2011;
Genre: drama;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 146 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,1;

More information about the film “The Help” on the website imdb.com

“Milk”, 2008

Director: Gus Van Sant

films about social movements - Milk

A biographical film about Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California, who became a prominent figure in the LGBTQ+ rights movement and fought against discrimination and oppression in the 1970s.

Starring: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, James Franco, Victor Garber, Denis O'Hare, Diego Luna, Emile Hirsch, Alison Pill, Joseph Cross, Stephen Spinella, Lucas Grabeel, Brandon Boyce, Howard Rosenman, Kelvin Yu, Jeff Koons, Ted Jan Roberts, Boyd Holbrook, Frank M. Robinson, Allan Baird, Tom Ammiano, Carol Ruth Silver, Hope Tuck, Steven Wiig, Ashlee Temple, Wendy Tremont King, Kelvin Han Yee, Robert Chimento, Ginabel Machado, Daniel Landroche, Trace Webb, Velina Brown, Scott Patrick Green, Mary Dilts, Roman Alcides, Robert George Nelson, Brian Danker, Richard Gross, Borzin Mottaghian, Brian Yates Sharber, Cameron Palmer, Cully Fredricksen, Mark Martinez, Catherine Cook, Joe Meyers, Dominic Sahagun, William McElroy, Joey Hoeber, Mark E. Stanger, Christopher Greene;
Production year: 2008;
Genre: drama, biography, history;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 128 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,5;

More information about the film “Milk” on the website imdb.com

“12 Years a Slave”, 2013

Director: Steve McQueen

films about social movements - 12 Years a Slave

Based on the autobiography of Solomon Northup, this powerful film depicts the brutal realities of slavery in America and Northup's fight for freedom, serving as a reminder of historical injustices.

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o, Sarah Paulson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brad Pitt, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Alfre Woodard, Adepero Oduye, Quvenzhané Wallis, JD Evermore, Garret Dillahunt, Robert Martin Steinberg, Dwight Henry, Dickie Gravois, Bryan Batt, Ashley Dyke, Kelsey Scott, Cameron Zeigler, Tony Bentley, Scoot McNairy, Taran Killam, Christopher Berry, Bill Camp, Mister Mackey Jr., Chris Chalk, Craig Tate, Storm Reid, Tom Proctor, Marc Macaulay, Vivian Fleming-Alvarez, Michael Kenneth Williams, Douglas M. Griffin, John McConnell, Marcus Lyle Brown, Richard Holden, Anwan Glover, James C. Victor, Liza J. Bennett, Nicole Collins, Andy Dylan, Deneen Tyler, Mustafa Harris, Gregory Bright, Austin Purnell, Thomas Murphy, Andre De'Sean Shanks, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Scott Michael Jefferson;
Production year: 2013;
Genre: drama, biography, history;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 133 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,1;

“The Butler”, 2013

Director: Lee Daniels

films about social movements - The Butler

This film follows the life of Eugene Allen, an African American butler who served in the White House for decades, while also witnessing and participating in the civil rights movement, portraying the evolution of racial relations in America.

Starring: Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Cuba Gooding Jr., David Oyelowo, Terrence Howard, Robin Williams, Liev Schreiber, Alan Rickman, John Cusack, David Banner, Lenny Kravitz, Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave, Michael Rainey Jr., LaJessie Smith, Mariah Carey, Alex Pettyfer, Aml Ameen, Clarence Williams III, John P. Fertitta, Jim Gleason, Isaac White, Joe Chrest, Colman Domingo, Adriane Lenox, Tyson Ford, Pernell Walker, James DuMont, Robert Aberdeen, Yaya DaCosta, Jesse Williams, Margaret M. Owens, Eric Ducote, James Marsden, Minka Kelly, Chloe Barach, Clara Hopkins Daniels, Elijah Kelley, Dana Gourrier, Shirley Pugh, Bill Newman, Nelsan Ellis, Colin Walker, Alex Manette, Mo, Rusty Robertson, Nealla Gordon, Stephen Rider, Andre Allemand;
Production year: 2013;
Genre: drama, biography;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 132 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,2;

“Spotlight”, 2015

Director: Tom McCarthy

films about social movements - Spotlight

This investigative drama tells the true story of the Boston Globe's Spotlight team and their groundbreaking work in uncovering the widespread sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, showcasing the importance of journalistic integrity in social justice.

Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, Brian d'Arcy James, Elena Wohl, Gene Amoroso, Doug Murray, Sharon McFarlane, Jamey Sheridan, Neal Huff, Billy Crudup, Robert B. Kennedy, Duane Murray, Brian Chamberlain, Michael Cyril Creighton, Paul Guilfoyle, Michael Countryman, Tim Whalen, Martin Roach, Brad Borbridge, Don Allison, Patty Ross, Paloma Nuñez, Robert Clarke, Gary Galone, David Fraser, Paulette Sinclair, Laurie Heineman, Elena Juatco, Nancy Villone, Wendy Merry, Siobhan Murphy, Eileen Padua, Darrin Baker, Brett Cramp, Joe Stapleton, Maureen Keiller, Jimmy LeBlanc, Tim Progosh, Neion George, Laurie Murdoch, Zarrin Darnell-Martin, Krista Morin, Paula Barrett, Mairtin O'Carrigan, Rob deLeeuw, Nancy E. Carroll;
Production year: 2015;
Genre: drama, crime, biography;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 129 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,1;

“Erin Brockovich”, 2000

Director: Steven Soderbergh

films about social movements - Erin Brockovich

Based on a true story, the film follows Erin Brockovich, a legal assistant who uncovers a major environmental scandal involving a power company contaminating a town's water supply, leading to a significant legal battle for justice.

Starring: Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Aaron Eckhart, Peter Coyote, Cherry Jones, Tracey Walter, Conchata Ferrell, Marg Helgenberger, David Brisbin, Dawn Didawick, Valente Rodriguez, George Rocky Sullivan, Pat Skipper, Jack Gill, Irene Olga López, Emily Marks, Julie Marks, Scotty Leavenworth, Gemmenne de la Peña, Erin Brockovich-Ellis, Adilah Barnes, Irina V. Passmoore, Ron Altomare, Charles John Bukey, Randy Lowell, Jamie Harrold, Sarah Ashley, Scarlett Pomers, T.J. Thyne, Joe Chrest, Meredith Zinner, Michael Harney, William Lucking, Mimi Kennedy, Scott Sowers, Kristina Malota, Wade Williams, Cordelia Richards, Ashley Pimental, Brittany Pimental, Larry Martinez, LeRoy A. Simmons, Don Snell, Gina Gallego, Ronald E. Hairston, Veanne Cox, Scott Allen, Sheila Shaw, Matthew Kimbrough;
Production year: 2000;
Genre: drama, biography;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 126 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,4;

More information about the film “Erin Brockovich” on the website imdb.com

“The Trial of the Chicago 7”, 2020

Director: Aaron Sorkin

films about social movements - The Trial of the Chicago 7

This historical drama depicts the trial of a group of anti-Vietnam War protesters charged with conspiracy and inciting riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, highlighting the clash between government authority and civil liberties.

Starring: Mark Rylance, Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Frank Langella, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeremy Strong, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Alex Sharp, John Carroll Lynch, Michael Keaton, Ben Shenkman, J.C. MacKenzie, Dan Flaherty, Noah Robbins, John Doman, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Caitlin Fitzgerald, Brady Jenness, Meghan Rafferty, Juliette Angelo, Brendan Burke, Tah von Allmen, Alan Metoskie, John Gawlik, Kevin O'Donnell, Gavin Haag, Alice Kremelberg, Tiffany Denise Hobbs, Steve Routman, Madison Nichols, John F. Carpenter, Larry Mitchell, Wayne Duvall, Mike Geraghty, Michael Brunlieb, James Pravasilis, Vic Kuligoski, Brandon Fierro, Calvin Ticknor-Swanson, Damian Young, Michelle Hurst, Tony Lawry, Kathleen Garrett, Matthew LeFevour, Christian Litke, Michael Bassett, Shawn Parsons, Julian Hester, John Quilty;
Production year: 2020;
Genre: thriller, biography, drama, history;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 129 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,7;

More information about the film “The Trial of the Chicago 7” on the website imdb.com

“Boys Don't Cry”, 1999

Director: Kimberly Peirce

films about social movements - Boys Don't Cry

Based on the true story of Brandon Teena, a transgender man who was brutally murdered in Nebraska, the film addresses issues of gender identity, systemic violence, and the quest for acceptance.

Starring: Hilary Swank, Chloë Sevigny, Peter Sarsgaard, Brendan Sexton III, Alicia Goranson, Alison Folland, Jeanetta Arnette, Rob Campbell, Matt McGrath, Cheyenne Rushing, Robert Prentiss, Josh Ridgway, Craig Erickson, Stephanie Sechrist, Jerry Haynes, Lou Perryman, Lisa Renee Wilson, Jackson Kane, Joseph Gibson, Michael Tripp, Shana McClendon, Libby Villari, Paige Carl Griggs, Gail Cronauer, Guilford Adams, Chad Briley, Ryan Thomas Brockington, Christophe Dahlkvist, Taylor Eaves, Michelle Fairbanks, Sheila Gordon, Gabriel Horn, Spencer Kayden, Renee McClellan, Gavin Perry, Robert A. Steffenino, Caitlin Wehrle;
Production year: 1999;
Genre: drama, melodrama, crime, biography;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 114 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,5;

More information about the film “Boys Don't Cry” on the website imdb.com

These films not only entertain but also provoke thought and encourage dialogue about the various social movements that have shaped our world.

In conclusion, films about social movements serve as powerful catalysts for awareness and change, illuminating the struggles and triumphs of those who dare to challenge the status quo. From the poignant narratives of civil rights battles to the stirring depictions of environmental activism, these films not only document historical events but also inspire contemporary audiences to reflect on their roles in the ongoing pursuit of justice and equality. By blending artistry with activism, filmmakers have the ability to resonate deeply with viewers, encouraging empathy and action in the face of societal challenges. Ultimately, these cinematic portrayals remind us that the fight for a better world is not only a collective endeavor but also a deeply personal journey that transcends time and borders.

Katie Knight
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