Six stage and screen picks for International Women’s Day 2025, from dazzling musicals to ground-breaking films, that put women’s voices front and centre.
As International Women’s Day (IWD) approaches, we’re celebrating the extraordinary stories of women across film and theatre. Each of these productions showcases the power, resilience and complexity of women’s experiences in their own unique way.
Whether you’re looking for inspiration, entertainment, or some thoughtful reflection on contemporary women’s issues, these six picks offer something for everyone this IWD.
Why Representing Women’s Voices Matters
Storytelling is a powerful tool that actively shapes our understanding of women’s experiences across the world and throughout history. This is why it’s so important for women to be represented authentically both on and off-screen.
When women tell their own stories as writers, directors, performers or even editors, they expand and enrich our understanding of what it means to be a woman. They can challenge stereotypes, explore unseen aspects of femininity and communicate a sense of belonging to female viewers of all ages.
Men can also benefit. Seeing women as they would like to be portrayed – not as the simplified versions that the ‘male gaze’ has a habit of serving up – can open up whole new areas of understanding. When women get to speak for themselves rather than being spoken for, it can be a non-confrontational way to communicate important messages to the opposite sex and relations across the gender divide can benefit immensely as a result.
We’ve pulled together some of our favourite productions below that showcase women filmmakers and performers doing this vital work – each contributing something unique to this ongoing conversation.
1. Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz
Kerry Ellis made history as the first British actress to play ‘Elphaba’ in Wicked on both the West End and Broadway, delivering a memorable performance as the misunderstood green witch. As the Wicked Witch of the West (set before the events of The Wizard of Oz), Ellis goes on a journey of defiance and self-acceptance, with songs like ‘Defying Gravity’ becoming feminist anthems.
The recent film adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande has brought this empowering story to an even wider audience while retaining its core message about the importance of standing up against injustice, defying expectations and the power of female friendship.
‘Wicked’ is currently on at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London and the film is available to watch in the UK on the Sky Store, Apple TV and Prime Video.
2. The Substance (2024)
The Substance is a body-horror satire featuring Demi Moore as ‘Elisabeth Sparkle’ – an aging actress who uses a mysterious drug to create a younger version of herself, played by Margaret Qualley.
The film tackles Hollywood’s obsession with youth and beauty and delivers a raw feminist critique through Moore’s impressive performance. It highlights the societal pressures women face as they age, the self-destruction that can result from internalising these pressures and the strength that is required for women to reclaim their agency – especially in the entertainment industry.
Spotlight recently hosted a private screening of The Substance, which was followed by an exclusive panel made up of the writer and director, Coralie Fargeat, Marta Balaga (Variety), Lana Veenker (President of International Casting Directors Association) and casting director Marina Wijn.
Coralie’s own experiences helped shape the film. She shared, “From a very young age, I’ve been very conscious and shocked by how much boys and girls are educated to take a different place in society… I still think that most representation still portrays women in a place that is not as loud as men, that doesn’t take the same space. It was the idea in the film, when ‘Harvey’ comes somewhere, he takes all the space – literally!”
The full panel discussion is now available to watch and includes a wide-ranging discussion on the creative casting process, how filmmakers can work with cast members most effectively and the portrayal of women on screen – including what needs to change.
‘The Substance’ is available to watch in the UK on the Sky Store and Apple TV.
3. Nomadland (2020)
Directed by Chloé Zhao, Nomadland offers a poignant exploration of resilience through ‘Fern’ (Frances McDormand), a woman who embarks on an unconventional nomadic life after losing everything in the 2008 financial crash.
Zhao’s Oscar-winning direction and McDormand’s raw performance highlight female independence and the search for freedom in a changing world. Blending fictional elements with real-life nomads, the film celebrates women who manage to forge their own paths in a world where societal expectations often seek to confine them.
The result is a masterpiece that serves as a meditation on personal responsibility, resilience and finding community in unexpected places – capturing the quiet dignity of a woman who chooses freedom over convention and succeeds in her own way against all odds.
‘Nomadland’ is available to watch in the UK on Disney+ and Prime Video.
4. SIX: The Musical
SIX: The Musical reimagines Henry VIII’s wives as pop divas and allows them to reclaim their stories in a celebration of female strength and solidarity. Songs like ‘Don’t Lose Ur Head’ and ‘Heart of Stone’ have strong empowerment themes, making it a perfect IWD pick.
Created by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss while they were university students, SIX: The Musical offers a fresh perspective on the women often reduced to ‘divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived’. Each queen has a distinct musical style inspired by contemporary female pop stars, allowing them to tell their stories on their own terms.
‘SIX: The Musical’ is currently on at the Vaudeville Theatre in London and will also be touring throughout the UK at various dates and locations in 2025.
5. Barbie (2023)
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie saw massive success at the box office and turned a doll into a feminist icon by blending humour with meaningful commentary on womanhood. Starring Margot Robbie as ‘Barbie’ and co-written by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, the film explores self-worth, agency and sisterhood in a patriarchal world.
Even with its glossy and comically pink exterior, Barbie manages to deliver clever cultural criticism through a mainstream blockbuster and is accessible to audiences of all ages. It has already become a culturally significant project and will no doubt continue to be loved for generations to come.
‘Barbie’ is available to watch in the UK on the Sky Store, Sky Cinema and Apple TV.
6. The Color Purple (2023)
The Color Purple, based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, follows ‘Celie’, a Black woman who transforms from a victim of abuse to a beacon of strength and independence in the early 20th century American South. It’s a fresh cinematic take on what has already been a book, a film (directed by Steven Spielberg in 1985) and a Broadway musical that originally ran from 2005 to 2008.
To a musical score that blends gospel, jazz and blues, Celie’s relationships with the independent Shug Avery and the strong-willed Sofia tell a story of how women can lift each other up even in the most oppressive circumstances. These musical elements turn moments of pain into expressions of resistance and joy, honouring the full emotional spectrum of women’s lives with dignity and grace.
‘The Color Purple’ is available to watch in the UK on the Sky Store, Apple TV and Prime Video.
This International Women’s Day, these productions can offer entertainment, as well as many opportunities for reflection on how far women have come – as well as the challenges that still remain. Whether you’re in the mood for a musical spectacle, a thought-provoking drama, or an inspiring true story, these picks celebrate the complexity of women’s experiences and the importance of their contributions both in front of and behind the camera.
Planning to go see ‘Wicked’ or ‘SIX: The Musical’? Don’t forget that Spotlight members can access discounts across hundreds of theatre tickets thanks to our partnership with London Theatre Direct.
