The following list of suggested films is provided as an introduction to the spectrum of issues connected to violence against women and relationship abuse. This list is intended only as an educational tool for those interested in learning more about violence against women. The Center for Relationship Abuse Awareness does not necessarily support the ideas, opinions, theories or beliefs of the individuals and organizations expressed in materials included on this list.
We encourage viewers to approach these films with a critical eye and to consider perspectives expressed therein as facets of a complex issue.
Nonfiction/Documentary Films
Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes
An in-depth look at the sexism, violence and homophobia in rap music and hip-hop culture through the lens of a former college star athlete.
Tough Guise and Tough Guise 2
Acclaimed anti-violence educator Jackson Katz argues that the epidemic of male violence that plagues American society needs to be understood and addressed as part of a much larger cultural crisis in masculinity.
Miss Representation
Explores how the media’s misrepresentations of women have led to the underrepresentation of women in positions of power and influence.
Defending Our Lives
An Oscar® winning documentary about the magnitude and severity of domestic violence in this country. This educational video features four women imprisoned for killing their batterers and their terrifying personal testimonies.
Wrestling with Manhood
The first educational program to pay attention to the enormous popularity of professional wrestling among male youth, addressing its relationship to real-life violence and probing the social values that sustain it as a powerful cultural force. Richly illustrating their analysis with numerous examples, Sut Jhally and Jackson Katz – the award-winning creators of the videos Dreamworlds and Tough Guise, respectively – offer a new way to think about the enduring problems of men’s violence against women and bullying in our schools.
The Price of Pleasure
Features the voices of consumers, critics, and pornography producers and performers. The film examines the both a nuanced and complex role that commercial pornography now occupies in U.S. popular culture. Going beyond the debate of liberal versus conservative so common in the culture, The Price of Pleasure provides a holistic understanding of pornography as it debunks common myths about the genre.