When we think of why children love watching cartoons and animated movies, well the answer is pretty simple. Children love stories! They travel with their favourite characters to these different worlds as they learn and derive values from these tales.
For the longest time, the narrative for little girls has been the tale of the princess, a damsel in distress, waiting years for her knight in shining armour to arrive and save her. But thankfully, gone are those days! We want young girls to be independent, face challenges and find the solutions for it on their own. We wish for them to grow up to be strong and confident about who they are and for them to live the life they choose to. Maybe even saving the hero along the way!
And we are so glad that we have such female characters in the animated space who are sure to inspire every young girl out there! Check out these films that you can watch along with your young girls!
Mulan
Breaking orthodox ideas of gender has never been better portrayed than in Mulan. Mulan’s father is a war veteran who is summoned to fight a war despite being physically challenged and old. Mulan, a brave and confident girl, disguises as a man to take the place of her father and enlists herself in the army. The movie showcases an era where gender equality was laughed at and women doing anything that was not written in the books was considered shameful. And here is Mulan, rewriting the norms and being a badass at that! Watch Mulan on Disney+Hotstar.
Frozen
Princesses Elsa and Anna are strong female characters, yes. But not without their own flaws, which in turn make them real and relatable and of course, unique in their own way. The story narrates the journey of these princesses towards self-discovery and is a treat to watch with some great music and visuals! Most importantly, the story of Frozen brings a whole new subversion to the usual fairytales where it’s not about a prince and a princess finding love but about sisterhood and two siblings discovering their magical bond. No wonder it’s a cult favourite, no? Watch Frozen and Frozen 2 on Disney+Hotstar.
The Breadwinner
A 2017 Oscar nominated film, The Breadwinner is set in Afghanistan where the Taliban rule under the Sharia law. A 11-year-old girl, Parvana is shouldered with the responsibility of feeding her family as her father is arrested by the soldiers of Taliban. Disguising herself as a boy, in the society that saw women and girls as second-class citizens with no rights, a fearless Parvana ventures a dangerous path to find her father and bring him back home. This critically acclaimed film can be streamed on Netflix.
Moana
Moana is a curious girl who is the daughter of a chief of an island. Her father says she ‘is destined to take his place and lead the tribe’. But even as a little girl, Moana is drawn to the ocean like a moth to a flame. Aware of an upcoming danger, she ventures alone into the ocean to find Maui – the demigod – to save the tribe. No love story, no hero, just a determined damsel who solves her own distress, thank you! Watch her story on Disney+Hotstar.
Raya And the Last Dragon
Set in the fantasy world of humans and dragons in a place called Kumandra, Raya is the latest addition to the list of powerful female warriors in the Disney animation family. On a quest to search for the last legendary dragon, Raya defies all odds to restore peace and save the world. Voiced by an incredible cast that includes Kelly Marie Tran and Awkwafina, the film will take you on a journey of a lifetime with its magnificent visuals. If you’ve missed going to the cinemas with your little ones in the past year, this film that released on March 5 is the perfect one for you all!
So which one are you guys going to binge on next?