Jane Eyre (2011)

One of the reasons I love watching movies is that, much like books, they serve as windows into other times and different places. Productions from around the world offer valuable insights into the history and culture of their respective countries. And just like literature, cinema can help us understand the present by showing us the past.

I put together this list of European films featuring women as the main protagonists because of my interest in the lives of ordinary people throughout history. As I looked through the movies I’ve seen, I realized there aren’t many that center on ordinary women, and even fewer that are set before the 19th century. That’s a shame. The experiences of marginalized people navigating societal change throughout history should be thoroughly explored.