There are multiple ways to celebrate Women’s History Month and the achievements and milestones of some of history’s loudest and proudest voices, whether it be reading about trailblazers or watching great movies highlighting their lives. Another way – one that will hopefully shed light on some of those voices – is to watch great documentaries that focus on some of history’s most notable singers, actors, and writers, as well as some lesser known movements like those carried about by largely nameless groups of women putting everything on the line for equality.
Below is a collection of those documentaries and information on what they’re about and where you can watch them. They’re moving, empowering, and enlightening in their approach to their respective subjects. Let’s get started…
My Mom Jayne: A Film By Mariska Hargitay (2025)
In My Mom Jayne, Mariska Hargitay examines the life and legacy of Jayne Mansfield, both as a Hollywood legend and the mother she never got to know. At times heartbreaking and others incredibly joyful, this impactful and emotional documentary goes beyond that of a simple biography and instead tells a complex and powerful story of a woman trying to discover her roots and her place in the world. Absolutely eye-opening, this was one of the best documentaries of 2025 and recent memory.
Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold (2017)
Throughout her life, Joan Didion, who passed away in December 2021, left it all on the page and wasn’t afraid to lay herself bare in her revolutionary and thought-provoking writings. That said, it should be no surprise that the 2017 documentary about her life and legacy, Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold, which came out a few years before her death, creates a similar experience. Featuring archival footage and conversations about everything from her successes as a novelist and essay writer to the immense tragedy (anyone who’s read The Year of Magical Thinking knows), this wonderful examination of one of the strongest voices of the 20th century is a must.
Selena y Los Dinos (2025)
Few singers had as much of an impact on a style of music or culture as Selena Quintanilla in her transformative yet tragically short career. The 2025 Netflix documentary, Selena y Los Dinos, which came out 30 years after her murder shocked the world of Tejano music, and the world in general, tells the unforgettable story of her rise from a member of her family’s band to one of the brightest stars of the ‘80s and ‘90s. More of a celebration of her life and legacy than anything else, this touching and inspirational examination of what made Selena beloved by so many is masterful.
Queen Of Chess (2026)
Not to be confused with the equally great 2020 limited series, The Queen’s Gambit, the 2026 documentary, Queen of Chess, tells the real-life story of trailblazing grandmaster Judit Polgar and the impact she made on the world of chess. This 2026 Netflix original follows the young prodigy from her days of training under her father to the series of landmark matches she had against Garry Kasparov over the years. This inspirational tale of a young woman who refused to buckle under the pressure or let the naysayers in a male-dominated sport get the best of her is something to behold.
Naked Ambition (2023)
Even if you haven’t heard the name Bunny Yeager before, there’s a very good chance you’ve seen her work, both as a pinup model and photographer. The 2023 documentary, Naked Ambition, which came out a little less than a decade after the icon’s passing, explores her impact on the world of modeling, American pop culture in the mid-20th century, and the various feminist movements that took place in the years and decades after she started taking pictures. No matter if you’re a fan of her work or are just now hearing about her, this eye-opening documentary is a powerful experience.
Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes (2024)
Few names or faces have ever been as recognizable as Elizabeth Taylor, a titan of any and every industry she entered throughout her 79 years on this planet. The 2024 HBO original documentary, Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes, explores the life, career, and impact of the on-screen legend, both as an actor and an activist who cashed in on her fame to bring awareness to countless causes. However, it’s not a bunch of talking heads waxing poetic about Taylor, but instead, much of this is through her own words and recordings long thought to be forever gone.
Homecoming: A Film By Beyonce (2019)
There are concert documentaries, and then there is Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé, the 2019 Netflix exclusive that showcased the most decorated artist in the history of the Grammys during her landmark performance at the 2018 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. In addition to featuring incredible standout moments from the now iconic concert, including the long-awaited Destiny’s Child reunion, the empowering documentary film also focuses on Beyoncé’s personal life and everything it took for the chart-topping performer to get back to the stage after a difficult pregnancy.
Saudi Women’s Driving School (2017)
In 2017, a long-standing royal decree in Saudi Arabia was lifted, allowing women to drive for the first time in more than half a century. This monumental change in Saudi policy was seen as a major step in the right direction for the extremely conservative kingdom, but there was only one problem: so many of the women who could now drive didn’t know how to do so. The 2019 HBO documentary, Saudi Women’s Driving School, follows a group of those prospective drivers as they learn how to operate a car and take to the streets for the first time in several generations.
Reversing Roe (2018)
tooth and nailReleased four years before Roe v. Wade was overturned by the United States Supreme Court, the Netflix original documentary film Reversing Roe breaks down the controversial 1973 ruling, the women who were given the freedom to make their own decisions because of it, and the various pro-life groups who have fought tooth-and-nail to have it overturned. It’s strange looking back on a documentary based on hypotheticals that eventually became reality, but it paints an enlightening picture of the drama surrounding the case.
What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)
One of the loudest and proudest voices of her time, Nina Simone was a titan of the music industry who refused to back down from a fight and stood up for what she believed was right. Liz Garbus’ Primetime Emmy and Peabody Award-winning 2015 Netflix documentary What Happened, Miss Simone? explores Simone’s life and legacy through a combination of interviews and archival footage (some of which had never been seen before the film’s release).
Everything Is Copy — Nora Ephron: Scripted And Unscripted (2015)
More often than not, when Nora Ephron’s name comes up, people think of When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and other great romantic comedies she either wrote or directed over the years. Ephron, who passed away in 2012, did in fact give the world some of the most timeless romance stories of the past 40 years, but that’s only one part of her life.
The 2015 HBO documentary Everything Is Copy — Nora Ephron: Scripted and Unscripted touches on the late writer’s life and career from her days as a low-level Newsweek employee to one of the most unique voices of her time, first in the newspaper industry and later on in Hollywood.
Becoming (2020)
In 2018, former First Lady Michelle Obama released the successful memoir, Becoming, which talked about her experiences in life (before and after spending eight years in the White House) and her philosophies on life, creating an amazingly detailed exploration of what makes her tick. Two years later, Nadia Hallgren’s documentary of the same name was released and touched upon some of the book’s bigger points while also expanding upon Obama’s way of thinking. Six years later, this introspective look at the life of one of the brightest voices in American politics is just as powerful.
A Thousand Cuts (2021)
One of the best PBS Frontline documentaries, A Thousand Cuts, tells the story of Maria Ressa, the founder of online news outlet Rappler, who came under fire from Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for covering his government’s corruption and the proliferation of misinformation on social media outlets like Facebook.
Released prior to Ressa being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, Ramona S. Diaz’s movie paints a portrait of a woman who refuses to back down even when everything is on the line, including her own life.
Jane (2017)
For more than half-a-century Jane Goodall, who passed away in October 2025, was one of the most well-known and impactful conservationists on the planet, due to her never-ending service to the world’s animals, specifically primates. There have been countless documentaries and specials about Goodall over the years, but few compare in terms of scope and intimacy as Brett Morgan’s stunning nature documentary, Jane, which draws from 100 hours of never-before-seen footage from her life and research. A touching and empowering tribute to one of nature’s best friends, this is an utter achievement.
Hopefully, you get as much out of these documentaries as we did.
