10 Best War Movies That Focus On Women’s Experiences

After World War II, an author named Juliet Ashton forges an unforeseen connection with the inhabitants of Guernsey Island and members of The Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Pie Society when she embarks on writing a book chronicling their wartime experiences. The script, written by Kevin Hood, Don Roos, and Tom Bezucha, combines the typical feel of war movies with romance and drama to create a compelling script that keeps audiences engaged until the end. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was directed by Mike Newell and stars Jessica Brown Findlay, Tom Courteney, Michael Huisman, and Lily James. 

Critics found this war movie to be a traditional and charming period drama that provides comfort food for its viewers. It was lauded for avoiding being overly sentimental, delivering both an old-fashioned romance and a detective story that champions gender equality. However, despite being enjoyable, the film is criticized for being a bit superficial.

The Water Diviner is a drama film that marks Russell Crowe‘s directorial debut. Written by Andrew Anastasios and Andrew Knight, the movie draws inspiration from the book by Andrew Anastasios and Dr. Meaghan Wilson-Anastasios. This war movie revolves around Joshua Connor (played by Crowe), an Australian farmer who embarks on a journey to Turkey shortly after World War I in search of the bodies of his three sons who never made it back home and are presumed dead.

While the movie is primarily focused on Crowe’s character, Olga Kurylenko plays Ayshe, the owner of a hotel in Turkey where Joshua stays. As Joshua embarks on his journey to find his sons, he learns more of Ayshe’s story and her experience in the war as well.

The film was released in 2014 to mixed reviews, with many praising Crowe’s acting prowess, but criticizing the movie for painting Turks as victims despite Turkey having been accused of denying genocide against Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian peoples.

This war movie takes place in 1825 and begins on the eve of the Black War. The film follows Clare, a young Irish convict seeking vengeance against a British officer who committed multiple heinous acts of violence against herself and her family. In her pursuit, she ventures through the unforgiving Tasmanian wilderness and teams up with an Aboriginal tracker whom British colonists named Billy, but whose real name is Mangana, who also bears the scars of a violent past.

The Nightingale was written and directed by Jennifer Kent who tells a violent war story filled with feminine rage that is rarely seen on film. The movie isn’t for all tastes as it is dark and fierce. It isn’t an easy film to watch, but it is one that is important to see.

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Resistance, is a biographical war movie that follows the mime Marcel Marceau and his wife Emma as they team up with the French resistance to save thousands of Jewish orphans during World War II. The film was written and directed by Jonathan Jakubowicz and stars Clémence Poésy next to Eisenberg as Emma.

Critics felt that Resistance is an imperfect yet honorable film that pays sincere tribute to its real-life protagonist, Marcel Marceau, and his work as a French Resistance fighter for Jewish children. Movie watchers were a fan of Eisenberg who they claimed delivered a standout performance, showcasing his physical finesse and emotional depth. However, some critics feel that the film is disjointed, dated, and fails to fully explore Marceau’s character. 

Despite its flaws, Resistance gives a heartfelt look at humanism amidst monstrosity.

Directed by Gillian Armstrong, Charlotte Gray is a dramatic war movie released in 2001, adapted from Sebastian Faulks’ 1999 novel of the same name. Set in Vichy France during World War II, the movie features a star-studded cast including Cate Blanchett, James Fleet, Abigail Cruttenden, Rupert Penry-Jones, Michael Gambon, and Billy Crudup. 

The film is based on the heroic contributions of women from Britain’s Special Operations Executive (SOE) who aided the French resistance in Nazi-occupied France. The lead character, Charlotte Gray, played by Blanchette, is a composite of several real-life SOE agents, including Pearl Cornioley, Nancy Wake, Odette Sansom, and Violette Szabo.

Despite having a star-studded cast, the film was panned by critics who found the movie to be kind of boring. However, it is still a great example of war movies that showcase women’s experiences.

The Keeper is about a young English woman named Margaret who falls in love with a German prisoner of war named Bert, and they bravely overcome societal prejudices, public hostility, and personal tragedies together. While this is a war movie, it’s also a sports film and a biographical drama, written and directed by Marcus H. Rosenmüller. The film stars David Kross as Bert and Freya Mavor as Margaret.

The film was received with positive praise from critics who felt that although The Keeper occasionally veers into easy sentimental tropes, the warmth and sincerity of the film make its occasional lapses into clichés forgivable.

When the majority of the world’s men left their careers to fight in the First and Second World Wars, someone had to pick up the slack at home. The Land Girls tells the true story of the British women who were called to rural England to ensure that the country’s farms continued to work, despite the farmers having been called away on duty. This war movie was written and directed by David Leland, is based on the 1995 novel Land Girls by Angela Huth, and stars Catherine McCormack, Rachel Weisz, Anna Friel, Steven Mackintosh, and Ann Bell.

The Land Girls was released to generally favorable review, though critics thought the film leaned towards prioritizing the historical significance of its characters over their individual stories. The stories of the characters seem to merge into a somewhat idealized representation of the common woman. However, the movie still manages to evoke a nostalgic and emotionally impactful experience that immerses the audience into the tranquil and verdant countryside.

In 2010, a staggering number of military personnel reported incidents of military sexual trauma, with 108,121 veterans screening positive and 68,379 seeking related outpatient treatment from the Veterans Health Administration. The Department of Defense processed 3,198 reports of new assaults, but the estimated actual number of assaults was much higher, at approximately 19,000. However, only 244 perpetrators were convicted as a result of these reports.

These are real facts found in United States military statistics, and The Invisible War aims to spread awareness through this critically acclaimed documentary. Although it’s not a war movie, per se, it is an important film to watch that showcases what the real heroes who serve our country have gone through.

The film made its debut at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and went on to win the U.S. Documentary Audience Award. It has been widely praised by advocates, lawmakers, and journalists for its impact on government policies aimed at reducing the occurrence of rape in the armed forces. It was written and directed by Kirby Dick and produced by Amy Ziering.

Step back in time with Testament of Youth, a captivating 2014 British drama war movie based on the compelling First World War memoir penned by Vera Brittain. Alicia Vikander stars as the trailblazing Vera, a headstrong woman who defies societal expectations by ditching her Oxford studies to work as a war nurse. Directed by James Kent and written by Juliette Towhidi, this poignant film will transport you to a bygone era and leave you inspired by Vera’s courage and resilience.

Critics found the Testament of Youth‘s superb performances and stunning cinematography made the film a rewarding watch for those who appreciate British period dramas, though it may not offer a particularly daring or thrilling experience.

A League of Their Own isn’t directly a war movie, but it does take place during World War II. When the War threatens to shut down Major League Baseball, Chicago Clubs’ owner Walter Harvey decides to open a women’s league. The film tells the fictionalized account of what happens next as the film evolves into a sports-comedy drama. 

The movie has an all-star cast, starring Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna, Lori Petty, Rosie O’Donnell, Jon Lovitz, David Strathairn, Garry Marshall, and Bill Pullman. It was written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel from a story by Kelly Candaele and Kim Wilson.

The film was lauded for being sentimental, light, and charming. A League of Their Own has been preserved in the National Film Registry, and Hanks’ line, “There’s no crying in baseball!” has gone down as one of the most famous movie lines ever.