RECOMMENDATIONS
In this section you'll find some books and films suggestions from our members.
BOOKS
107 Days: A Critical Reflection on Leadership, Democracy, and Female Political Agency
Introduction 107 Days is a political memoir by former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris detailing her 2024 presidential campaign — the shortest in modern American history — from July 21 to November 5, spanning exactly 107 days. The memoir offers a rare first-hand...
The European Commission under President Ursula von der Leyen Why this book matters for feminist and political debates in Europe
Published by Oxford University Press, The European Commission under President Ursula von der Leyen is the first comprehensive academic analysis of the EU Commission under its first female president. Edited by leading scholars in feminist political science, the volume...
Power & Purpose: Honest Reflections on Leadership
At Gender Five Plus, we are committed to promoting spaces where leadership and equality are examined with honesty and depth. That’s why we recommend Power & Purpose, a podcast hosted by Amanda Sloat and Nathalie Tocci, both former high-level advisors turned...
FILMS
The Best Mother in the World — A Feminist Political Film Worth Your Attention
The Best Mother in the World (A Melhor Mãe do Mundo), directed by Anna Muylaert and showcased at Berlinale Special 2025, is not just another character study — it’s a film that politicizes the personal in a way that few narratives do. On the surface, it follows Gal, a...
“La Petite Dernière”: A Powerful Narrative of Belonging, Resistance & Feminist Solidarity
In the riveting new film La Petite Dernière (2025), director Hafsia Herzi brings to the screen the story of Fatima Daas’s autobiographical novel, about a young woman navigating identity, faith, family, and desire. The protagonist, Fatima, is a 17-year-old daughter of...
Spotlight on the 17th Brussels International Women’s Film Festival – A Celebration of Women’s Voices in Cinema
From October 7 to 15, 2025, Brussels will pulse with the power and creativity of women filmmakers in the highly anticipated 17th edition of the Brussels International Women’s Film Festival (BIWFF). The event kicks off from the 7th to the 12th at cinemas Aventure,...
Support Elles Tournent – Dames Draaien: The Friends’ Fund is Here
Dear friends, We are delighted to announce the launch of the “Friends of Elles Tournent – Dames Draaien Fund”, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation.Through this fund, Belgian residents can benefit from a tax reduction on annual donations of €40 or more, provided...
“Fuori”: Goliarda Sapienza’s Radical Legacy Comes to Life on Screen
In Fuori, director Mario Martone brings the life and spirit of Goliarda Sapienza to the forefront, offering a cinematic exploration of a woman who defied societal norms and championed personal freedom. Premiering at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, this film stands as a...
Cannes 2025: A Women’s Gaze Still Fragile by Agnès Hubert
Cannes Film Festival 2025 brought new hopes — but also familiar frustrations — for gender equality in cinema. Yes, there are fewer women depicted as mere objects on screen, and yes, under Iris Knobloch’s leadership, the Festival is openly committed to defending a...
The Day Iceland Stood Still
🎬 The Day Iceland Stood Still 📍 Documentary – Iceland, 2024 🎞️ Directed by Pamela Hogan (Production: Fork Films / Made in Copenhagen) Gender Five Plus proudly recommends The Day Iceland Stood Still, a powerful and deeply resonant documentary that revisits one of the...
Les Filles du Nil by Nada Riyadh & Ayman El Amir
🎬 Les Filles du Nil (Girls of the Nile) 📍 Directed by Nada Riyadh & Ayman El Amir – Egypt/France, 2024 Official selection – Cannes Film Festival 2024, ACID program Gender Five Plus proudly recommends Les Filles du Nil, a stirring and uncompromising documentary by...
All We Imagine as Light by Payal Kapadia
🎬 All We Imagine as Light 📍 Directed by Payal Kapadia – India/France, 2024 Gender Five Plus is proud to recommend All We Imagine as Light, a poetic and powerful film by acclaimed Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia, known for her deeply feminist and socially engaged...