As recently as 40 years ago, women were systematically oppressed both in society and in the eyes of the law. Libbers tells the story of the ideological development of feminist politics and explains how impossibly constrained women's lives were until well into the last century. Well-known feminist ideologues explain how and why they became involved in the women's liberation movement, describing the battles they fought both privately at home and on the broader political stage. The women have all lived passionate and unusual lives and, in a set of candid interviews, they explain the crucial role of consciousness-raising, the direct action they took against beauty pageants and women's magazines and discuss the sexual impact of the movement from orgasms to experimenting with lesbianism. The film also includes the last interview with novelist Marilyn French, who died in May 2009. The programme features interviews with key figures from the movement from the US and the UK, including Ann Oakley, Susan Brownmiller, Germaine Greer, Kate Millet, Sheila Rowbotham, Lynn Alderson and Robin Morgan.
While many women may feel themselves free and equal to men, it is when they become mothers that equality is truly put to the test. In this programme, eight middle-class women discuss their differing attitudes to feminism. Some are working, others are full-time mums. All have, knowingly or otherwise, benefited from the gains of the women's movement. They have degrees and have been in a position to make choices about their lives. Through interviews and observational footage, the film documents their domestic lives to find out whether gender roles have changed and whether they are living the dream that feminism imagined for them.
Acclaimed filmmaker Vanessa Engle turns her attention to sexual politics in a three-part documentary series about feminism and its impact on women's lives today. The concluding part looks at a small group of passionate and committed young activists, who believe that the need for feminist politics is now more urgent than ever. The film follows them as they prepare for their first ever conference as well as a march through central London.
