“All of us gained from the fact that there was a women’s rights movement,” says one of the characters in “Feminists: What Were They Thinking?” The upcoming Netflix doc explores feminism of the past, present, and future. Using a 1977 photography book of women’s portraits as a springboard, Johanna Demetrakas’ (“Relocation, Arkansas: Aftermath of Incarceration”) feature “takes aim at our current culture revealing all too vividly the urgent need for continued change,” according to its official synopsis.
The doc revisits the photographs from the book — and the women in them — to consider the evolution of the feminist movement.
“We’re all uniting and we’re building solidarity across these different struggles,” an interviewee emphasizes, nodding to the importance of intersectional feminism and politics. While the trailer hints that the film will acknowledge the movement’s less than stellar track record when it comes to inclusivity and features women of color, Netflix’s promotional materials for the doc only mention white interviewees, and the project’s website suggests that “What Were They Thinking?” was mostly made by — and mostly showcases — white women.
The doc features interviews with women such as “Grace and Frankie” stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, and tackles subjects including abortion, race, and motherhood.
“Feminists: What Were They Thinking?” drops on Netflix October 12.
