International Women’s Day: March 8

Wednesday, 8 March is International Women’s Day, and here are several titles programmed in recognition.

SBS VICELAND

Women And The Power Of Activism
9.30pm on SBS VICELAND
This Australian documentary shines a positive new light on a group of young female activists who are risking it all to change the future thinking of governments and major companies. These inspirational scientists and conservationists challenge the thinking of out-dated practices that are contributing to climate change. In an emotional and revealing journey, these women have sacrificed everything to take action. Giving their work a new dimension, one of Australia’s top actuaries investigates their actions to calculate the financial value of each of their projects… and the results are astonishing. From sacred ground above Byron Bay to Antarctica, Indonesia and to Pakistan, the women apply their energies to indigenous practices, shark conservation, intensive (factory) farming and antibiotic resistance, the fight against pollution, and the subsequent impact on environmental and human health. Women And The Power Of Activism moves beyond a critique of the world’s inaction on climate change, it celebrates the example set by this group of gutsy future-proofers… Alice Forrest (Marine Scientist, Researcher & Conservation Educator); Ashley Avci (Animal & Environmental Law Advocate); Doha Khan (School Strike 4 Climate Adelaide Founder); Ella Noah Bancroft (Connecting Community Back to Country); Jordyn de Boer (Environmental Scientist and Conservationist) and Madison Stewart (Shark Conservationist) and actually puts a dollar value on the work they are doing.

SBS World Movies

The Hours (2002)
Wednesday, 8 March at 8.30pm **Channel Premiere**
The Hours chronicles a day in the life of three women, all of whom share the feeling that they have been living their lives for someone else. Although they are separated by a span of nearly 80 years, they find themselves weathering similar crises, all linked by a single work of literature. Stars Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman.

Miss Marx (2020)
Wednesday, 8 March at 10.35pm **Channel Premiere**
Bright, intelligent, passionate, and free, Eleanor is Karl Marx’s youngest daughter. Among the first women to link the themes of feminism and socialism, she takes part in the workers’ battles and fights for women’s rights and the abolition of child labour. In 1883 she meets Edward Aveling, and her life is crushed by their passionate but tragic love story. Stars Romola Garai and Maria Vera Ratti.

iWonder

Documentary streaming platform iWonder also showcases several docos this month for International Women’s Day:

Help is on the Way
Help Is On The Way brings to the screen a busy training centre in Indonesia preparing women to take up employment overseas as domestic workers. Every year, hundreds of women like Sukma, Meri, Muji and Tari are recruited by local agents who are remunerated after successfully seeing their recruits enrolled and placed abroad. They are among the many women from rural areas aspiring to work in countries like Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. At times highly emotional, Help Is On The Way is also funny, enlightening, and a little competitive, offering a unique insight into a lifestyle not often seen on screen.

Homebound
Tari longs to return home to Indonesia after more than 10 years working abroad in Taiwan. When COVID-19 struck, her plans unravelled revealing a lack of rights for vulnerable migrant workers. In Homebound, Tari narrates her own journey and reveals personal stories related to her decision to work in Taiwan, her strained family relationships, the risks involved in working abroad, and the traps she has fallen into. She shares intimate details of how her relationship with her son has suffered, revealing the guilt she felt for leaving him behind. Homebound is an intimate, animated portrayal of one migrant worker’s experience abroad, exposing those complicit in a system that takes advantage of thousands of women each year.

The Helper
The Helper chronicles diverse stories from Hong Kong’s domestic worker community, uncovering the inspiring combination of grit, pride and determination that drives them. In a city renowned for wealth and luxury, the film brings to light the sacrifices they make to support families – both in Hong Kong and at home. Often seen as the second mother in many homes, the stories show the immense contribution they make to Hong Kong society; a domestic backbone provided to so many. Yet these contributions regularly feel under-recognised, and the constraints suffered by many leave them feeling exposed, and sometimes even homeless. False accusations, relationships and financial hardship often means they struggle for a fair hearing. But the overriding message is a positive one. This film gives a human face to an often-critiqued community, countering negativity with uplifting stories of personal achievement.