Culture Trip Week Seven: It’s International Women’s Day

It’s that one day of the year we can celebrate women

2 years ago

How is it already week 7? I don’t know. As the end of term draws near, we can reflect on everything that has happened. Personally, when I try, I cannot remember anything except a blur of equations, loud music and formals. With last week’s Lent Bumps on the river done, and boat club dinner hangovers hopefully over, the last week and a half before the Easter break stretches ahead, seemingly never-ending. But enough optimism, it’s time to look forward to International Women’s Day! Here are this week’s recommendations to celebrate female protagonists and equality in their depiction in media.

Film – The Weekend Away

A newly released film on Netflix, this highly praised murder mystery stars Leighton Meester as Beth, whose best friend goes missing on a weekend trip to Croatia. With twists at every corner and an array of characters whom you can never fully trust, the story keeps you constantly guessing. Set in the beautiful backdrop of Split, each clue leads to another reveal and tense moments that have you screaming at the screen. The film delicately and realistically covers a range of topical issues such as harassment, assault, spiking and infidelity.

Even with murder, it will still make you want a holiday (image credits: author’s own screenshot)

Keeping your mind engaged on something other than work, this fast-paced watch is great to mirror the amount of stuff that everyone has been through this term.

TV Show – Political Animals

This Emmy nominated show follows the battling story of divorced former Former First Lady Elaine (Sigourney Weaver) after her failed presidential campaign. Standing as Secretary of State, Elaine fights to maintain both her public image and family life amid scandal and crisis. Hopefully reminding you of the comfort of family drama before returning home for the Easter, the media-pressured family is held under inspection from a journalist that infiltrates the group. Following the struggles of women in the political and media scene, the show is brutal and honest in its depiction of family and marital ideals.

This 2012 show predicted the events of 2016 (image credits: author’s own screenshot of Political Animals)

Another positive of this show is that it also stars Sebastian Stan. Portraying the heartbreak of drug addiction and scrutiny of being an openly gay son in the White House, his performance solidifies him in his top spot as my favourite actor. This short-yet-packed miniseries is perfect for a good distraction and an empowering uplift in lessons of motivation.

Album – Chloe x Halle – Ungodly Hour

Additive to listen to (image credits: author’s own screenshot of Ungodly Hour’s Spotify Page)

A Grammy nominated sister duo, Chloe x Halle produce the perfect R&B album to unwind to. As self-taught musicians, their songs are all written and arranged in their home studio. Their talent is hard to rival, with sugar-coated melodies and deep grooves in every rhythm. Finding themes in drunken mistakes and the aftermath of nights out, the relatability sometimes hits too close to home – unless you end up not remembering the night out at all. As they say, ignorance is pure bliss.

Book – The Mad Girls of New York

Releasing early this year, be on the look out for Maya Rodale’s new novel, The Mad Girls of New York. Set in 1887 in New York City, the story unfolds around a story-hungry reporter determined to prove that women are worth more than writing for shallow ‘ladies’ pages’ in news. When an opportunity arrives to investigate the brutal conditions of a local women’s insane asylum, she must feign insanity to get her story. However, the harder part will be getting out. Exploring the stereotypes around the idea of diagnosed hysteria for women in history, the book combines mystery, humour and historical realism – perfect for an inspiring read.

Feature image credits: Flickr and the Creative Commons License