Grab a bottle of something tasty and put on your comfiest comfies, because Womann finishes with a classic sleepover party! We’ve got candles, cosy duvets, chocolate covered popcorn, and a projector especially for an International Women’s Day movie night.

First up in tonight’s showings of fantastic feminist films and shows we have:

Director: Coralie Fargeat

Writer: Coralie Fargeat

This one’s a great social commentary on women’s ‘shelf life’ in society and how women have to contort themselves to stay relevant in the western world. And seeing as the western world is still run predominantly by straight, white men, ‘relevant’ womanhood relies on the approval of the male gaze, which means you have to be young, white, thin, able bodied, and conventionally attractive. You have to be Margaret Qualley, who plays the younger counterpart of Demi Moore, who’s been dismissed from her job because of her age. Both are brilliant in this.

The ‘substance’ is something Demi Moore takes that allows her to be young again for two weeks at a time, but leads to a battle within the self. The script is powerful, cool, funny, and refreshingly original. It ends in an awesomely unexpected, over the top, grotesque fashion that echoes Frankenstein’s monster being hunted down by an angry mob. An ugly monstrosity reflecting the ugliness of western beauty pressures placed on women’s shoulders in order to be accepted.

Right. Nip to the loo, grab the chips and dip on your way back, and I’ll line up film two:

Director: Halina Reijn

Writer: Halina Reijn

Not one to watch with your parents if you get awkward watching sex scenes. Although the sex scenes aren’t massively sexy. Apparently, people have been up in arms about this, but it’s not meant to be especially sexy. This film isn’t giving a 50 Shades of Gray vibe. The acting is much better.

It’s a film exploring a middle-aged woman’s sexuality. A sexuality that has been suppressed by society and is aching to be brought out. It’s confusing and messy because she’s been led to believe her sexual urges and desires as a woman are wrong, which means she hasn’t communicated them to her husband, because she doesn’t know how to. This leads to problems in the marriage. It takes a sexy younger man who’s good with unruly animals to come along and help her release herself.

The film highlights the importance of communication before, during, and after sexual experiences. Consent is shown as an ongoing negotiation throughout the experience, not just a hurdle to jump over at the start that can’t be revoked.

These types of chats are rarely shown in Hollywood films. Usually, two people get down to it immediately, which is why many people think conversations about what each other wants is unsexy. This is a damaging norm and has very real consequences. Babygirl tries to normalise these conversations. Yes, they can be clunky and a bit awkward, but it’s incredibly normal and vital for having enjoyable, safe sexual encounters.

Seriously, what’s sexier than someone asking you how they can respect your boundaries while making you feel good? The only valid answer is a cheese board. Which I’m going to go and bring out especially for our final film of the night.

Screenplay: Winnie Holzman / Dana Fox

A film about witches, female friendship, acceptance, and taking ownership of your anger and power in the face of adversity. It’s about doing what’s right, even when everyone is telling you you’re wrong.

With an incredible soundtrack that you can sing along to, Wicked: Part One will make you feel like you can defy gravity and take over the world. Fans of the original musical know Part Two ends badly, but we’re just going to suppress that knowledge because the film isn’t out yet and bask in the goosebump-inducing, visually magnificent high of how Part One finishes.

Don’t think you can hack 7 hours-worth of film viewing? Fine. Here’s something equally awesome that’s episodic so it’s nice and bite sized.

Directors: Rachel Goldberg, Gandja Monteiro, Jac Schaeffer

If you have the following checklist, do I have the show for you. Are you after some drama? Check. Humour? Check. Strong female characters? Check. Queer representation? Check. A killer soundtrack that will be stuck in your head for weeks. Check. And (most importantly???) some Manx representation? CHECK.

Agatha All Along is the strongest Marvel Cinematic Universe show currently streaming on Disney+. Where others have shot too high and fallen short, this show contains succinct storytelling, which wraps up with a satisfying conclusion.

Featuring our very own Joe Locke as Teen, the show contains heart and soul, and just enough mystery to keep you rushing to watch the next episode. The incomparable Kathryn Hahn takes centre stage in this WandaVision spin-off, rightly given the spotlight to showcase her acting chops, complete with all the one-liners you’d come to expect of her. She plays brilliantly opposite the fantastic Aubrey Plaza. I can’t tell you much about the plot, but trust me, it’s worth it, and this is a trip down, down, down the Witches Road you don’t want to miss.

It’s the morning after the night before and we need to sort out those square eyes from all that screen watching.

I’ve put the kettle on and got some background music playing (Slipknot, Frail Limb Nursery), so settle in on the comfy sofa and grab a book from the International Women’s Day bookshelf. What would I recommend? Well, thank you for asking. No one ever asks.

First, it’s time to get your activist cap on. A trigger warning though, this book might resonate with you in a way you might not have expected.

Between these covers lies a non-judgmental safe space for swapping sex stories, but not in a gossipy way. In Rough, women of all sexualities, races, and gender identities share their stories of sexual assault. It happens with partners, during one-night-stands, and in a whole host of different ways, with the commonality being the people sharing their stories didn’t necessarily realise they’d been assaulted until years later.

It delves into the dark depths of the so-called ‘grey area’ in sexual encounters and takes a long, hard look at where that grey area has come from: oppressive systems (the patriarchy), our laws (pitiful), sex education (or lack thereof) and a gap in language to define unpleasant experiences. These are the things that define societal attitudes of both women and men towards what is ‘okay’ and not okay to do to someone and have done to you sexually. That grey area is not as grey as you may have been led to believe.

In need of something a little lighter than grey? I got you. Let's try...

I love books unconditionally, but I consider myself a relatively slow reader. I amble through pages at the pace of a care home chairlift. I remember seeing Yellowface on a lot of people’s ‘2024 Must Read’ book lists, which annoyed me for some reason, so I didn’t read it because I was feeling petty and pathetic. Then my friend gave it to me for Christmas and I’d finished it in 5 days.

It is FABULOUS. Such great writing, sharp, nuanced, funny, and wonderfully dark. It tackles female frenemies, cultural appropriation, external validation, and the toxicity of the online world.

The main character is someone you hate and pity one minute, then find yourself rooting for the next even though you know it’s wrong. R. F. Kuang’s characters are fantastic because they are human. Not all good, not all bad, just like you and everyone else.

I, on the other hand, am nothing but good.