Tuesday March 8 marks International Women’s Day, on this day the achievements of women right across the world are highlighted and celebrated.
This year's theme, 'Break The Bias' was created with the goal of raising awareness for gender equality, asking people around the world to imagine a gender equal world, free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination, where everyone is included, valued and celebrated for their own individuality and differences.
On International Women’s Day and throughout the month of March, NITV will showcase a collection of specially curated programming including movies, television series and documentaries celebrating and featuring fearless and amazing women from around the globe.
Online, NITV will also feature a dedicated ‘Celebrating International Women’s Day’ collection on our NITV Channel page on SBS On Demand, with all Premiere content to be featured on this list after broadcast.
Warrior Women with Lupita Nyong’o
Lupita Nyong’o, an academy award winning actress, author and producer, travels to Benin in West Africa to discover the Warrior Women’s incredible secrets in this immersive and fascinating documentary.
Warrior Women with Lupita Nyong’o uncovers the history and truth behind the Agoji warriors, who battled against African and European powers throughout the 18th and 19th Century in the Kingdom of Dahomey. This documentary gives the viewers unique access as Lupita goes on a powerful and emotional road trip to discover the remarkable truth behind these women who helped inspire the Dora Milaje of Marvel’s film Black Panther.
NITV Premiere Tuesday 8 March, 6.40pm.
Subjects of Desire
Subjects of Desire Source: Supplied
The documentary features archival footage and interviews from the point of view of women who are challenging conventional beauty standards, the film explores the positive and negative portrayals of Black women in media and asks what the impact is today while deconstructing what we understand about race and the power behind the beauty.
NITV Premiere Tuesday 8th March, 10.35pm.
How it Feels to be Free - Part 1 & 2
How it Feels to be Free is a two-part documentary, based on the book ‘How it Feels to Be Free: Black Women Entertainment and the Civil Rights Movement’ written by Ruth Feldstein. This documentary is a true story of six trailblazing female African American stars as they use their celebrity status to change history and how their artistry and activism has reshaped the entertainment industry today around female identity within Hollywood.
The six women lives explored in this documentary are singer, dancer and actress Lena Horne, Jazz, blues and folk singer Nina Simone, songwriter, actress and vocalist Abbey Lincoln, actress, singer and model Diahann Carroll, actress and model Cicely Tyson and actress Pam Grier. The documentary features unseen archival interviews and performances throughout as well as interviews with superstars such as Alicia Keys, Halle Berry, Samuel L. Jackson and more as they reflect on their legacy.
NITV Premiere Saturday 12 March, 7.30pm.
Photo of Nina SIMONE, posed, studio (Photo by Gilles Petard/Redferns) Source: Supplied
Josephine Baker: Story of an Awakening
Set during the roaring 20’s this feature documentary depicts the extraordinary life story of African American performer and superstar Josephine Baker. Baker was an icon and world-renowned performer who was famous for her banana dance and starring in films before later joining the French Resistance during the Second World War. Baker was also a civil rights activist.
Raised in Missouri, Baker moved to Paris where she became a superstar performer, being the first African-American to star in a major motion picture, the silent film, Siren of the Tropics. Amidst all of her success as an entertainer in Europe, when she later returned home to the United States she faced racism and segregation.
This documentary, by female Director Ilana Navaro, uses rarely seen archival footage to tell an intriguing story about a fascinating woman who lead an extraordinary life and career. From the stage to fighting racism - Baker was an icon of her time.
Saturday 19 March, 7.30pm.
Murray Korman Photo by Bryan Hammon Source: Supplied
Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché
Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché examines the life of Poly Styrene who was the first woman of colour in the UK to front a successful rock band, X-Ray Spex. Poly introduced the world to a new sound of rebellion and used her voice to sing about identity, consumerism and postmodernism, as well as being a key inspiration for the riot grrrl and Afropunk movements. Poly also had a daughter, Celeste Bell, who has become the guardian of her mother’s legacy. Poly’s life was plagued with racism, misogyny and mental illness which had a long-lasting impact on her relationship with her daughter.
Using unseen archival material and dairy entries narrated by Ruth Negga, as the voice of Poly Styrene, and follows Celeste on her journey through her mother’s archives in a very intimate documentary.
Poly Styrene Source: Supplied
Betty Davis – They Say I’m Different
The music documentary directed by Philip Cox, Betty Davis – The Say I’m Different follows the life and career of funk queen Betty Davis, one of the most influential voices in funk, arriving on the scene in the 1970’s and breaking boundaries for women changing the landscape for female artists in America. Betty went on to become the first black woman to perform, write and manage herself.
This documentary blends rare footage, photographs and animation to tell the story, as we trace the path of Betty’s life, coming from a humble upbringing to becoming a Black female pioneer.
Betty Davis Source: Supplied
She Who Must Be Loved
She Who Must Be Loved is the life story of Freda Glynn, a pioneer and trailblazer in Indigenous media and co-founder of Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) and Imparja TV.
Written and Directed by Freda’s Daughter Erica Gylnn and Produced by her Granddaughter Tanith Glynn-Maloney, this documentary follows not only the beginnings of Indigenous media in this country with CAAMA having produced some of our most talented filmmakers such as Rachel Perkins and Trisha Morton-Thomas, but it’s also a very personal journey for the Glynn family as they endeavor to find out the truth behind the passing of Freda’s grandmother.
Freda Glynn Source: Supplied
The Song Keepers
Written, directed, and produced by Naina Sen, The Song Keepers is a beautifully heart-warming and inspiring film about four generations of women that make up The Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir who go on an historic tour of Germany to take back the hymns given to their ancestors by the German missionaries, and now sung in their own Aboriginal languages – Western Arrernte and Pitjantjatjara.
This film is a story about the survival of culture, people and music and told through archival footage and interviews as the women share their music and stories of survival and identity.
Song Keepers Source: Supplied
Our Stories: The Yapas
The Yapas, more than teammates, it's a sisterhood. Coming together through sport and culture, they aim to win both on and off the field.
Yapas team huddle. Source: Nikky Kalitsis
Our Stories: Before Her Time
The story of Aunty Faith Thomas, the ultimate First Nations trailblazer and the first Aboriginal person to play test match cricket for Australia.
Family Rules
NITV reality show, Family Rules isn’t your average reality television show, following the lives of ten strong Noongar women led by the matriarch of the Rule family, mother Daniella and her daughters Hannah, Jessica, Aleisha, Sharna, Kiara, Kelly, Shenika, Helen and Angela.
The heartwarming series gives you an up close and personal exclusive insight into a modern, contemporary Indigenous family through the unique lens of the Rule women from Perth, Western Australia. Watch as the family navigates issues such as parenthood, adolescence and young adult life through their unique humour, connection to culture and love of family.
