Best Films with Women and Girls in the Lead

Description: Salma Hayek stars as Frida Kahlo, the iconic Mexican artist, exploring her tumultuous life, her art, and her relationship with Diego Rivera, showcasing her resilience and creativity.

Fact: Hayek was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress, and the film was co-produced by Hayek herself.

Description: Julia Roberts delivers a compelling performance as Erin Brockovich, a single mother who becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city's water supply.

Fact: Erin Brockovich herself made a cameo in the film. Julia Roberts won an Academy Award for Best Actress for this role.

Description: This film intertwines the lives of three women, portrayed by Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, and Nicole Kidman, each connected by Virginia Woolf's novel "Mrs. Dalloway," highlighting their struggles with identity and mental health.

Fact: Nicole Kidman wore a prosthetic nose to resemble Virginia Woolf, for which she won an Oscar.

Description: Charlize Theron's transformative role as Aileen Wuornos, a real-life serial killer, earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress, showcasing the depth of her character's descent into violence.

Fact: Theron gained 30 pounds for the role and spent time with Wuornos' former girlfriend to understand her mannerisms.

Description: This film showcases Helen Mirren's Oscar-winning portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II during the week following the death of Princess Diana, highlighting the monarch's struggle with public perception and personal grief.

Fact: Helen Mirren was the first to portray Queen Elizabeth II in a major film. The film was shot in the actual locations used by the Royal Family.

Description: Meryl Streep plays the formidable magazine editor Miranda Priestly, with Anne Hathaway as her assistant, exploring themes of ambition, fashion, and personal growth in the high-stakes world of fashion publishing.

Fact: Streep's character was inspired by Vogue editor Anna Wintour, and the film was shot in real fashion offices.

Description: Meryl Streep's portrayal of Margaret Thatcher, the first female Prime Minister of the UK, captures her political life and personal struggles, offering insight into one of the most controversial figures in British history.

Fact: Streep spent time with Thatcher's daughter, Carol, to prepare for the role, and the film was shot in Thatcher's actual home.

Description: This film, set in the 1960s, features Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer in powerful performances, telling the story of African-American maids in Mississippi who share their experiences with a young white journalist.

Fact: Octavia Spencer won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and the film was based on a best-selling novel.

Description: This inspiring film tells the true story of three African-American women at NASA who were instrumental in the success of the space program, showcasing their intelligence and determination against racial and gender barriers.

Fact: The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, and the real-life women portrayed in the film were awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Description: This film features Holly Hunter as Ada McGrath, a mute woman who expresses herself through her piano in 19th-century New Zealand, exploring themes of communication, passion, and independence.

Fact: Holly Hunter learned to play the piano for the film, and the film's score was composed by Michael Nyman.