10 Movies and Series that Show How Inequalities Intertwine

A selection of films and series that invite us to reflect on how gender, race, class, and sexual orientation intersect and shape our experiences.

[This post was jointly written by Raül Toran and Minerva López, science communicators at the Scientific Culture Unit (UCC+i) of ISGlobal.]

What do a series about a transgender activist, a movie about a wealthy 1950s housewife, and a drama about a police officer in northern India have in common? More than it seems. Cinema and series allow us to see how inequalities intersect in people's lives and condition their opportunities, their well-being, and even their health.

Gender, origin, social class, sexual orientation, or age do not act in isolation: they combine and reinforce each other, leading to very different experiences of vulnerability or privilege

Gender, origin, social class, sexual orientation, or age do not act in isolation: they combine and reinforce each other, leading to very different experiences of vulnerability or privilege. This approach, known as intersectionality, helps us understand precisely how these inequalities cross paths.

In scientific research —and especially in the field of global health— this perspective is fundamental. Ignoring the intersection of social factors can lead to incomplete studies and interventions that do not reach those who need them most. Incorporating it, however, allows us to move towards a more rigorous, inclusive, and equitable science.

From ISGlobal's Scientific Culture and Innovation Unit, and within the framework of the European project INCLUDE, we bring together a selection of films and series that invite reflection on these issues from different perspectives.

1. Hidden Figures

This 2016 film tells the unknown story of three African-American female scientists, Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, who worked at the NASA space agency in the early sixties on the project to put the first American, John Glenn, into orbit.

Scientific knowledge is not neutral

This serves as an example of how intersectionality allows for a critical rereading of the history of science. It shows how scientific knowledge is produced within institutional contexts shaped by hierarchies of gender and racialization. The systematic exclusion of highly qualified African-American women highlights how structural racism and sexism operate together to invisibilize key scientific contributions. For contemporary research, this work invites us to question the criteria for merit, authorship, and recognition, and to reflect on how current scientific systems continue to reproduce inequalities under seemingly objective logic.

Where to watch: RTVE, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV, Rakuten TV, and Prime Video.

Filmaffinity Profile

2. Rurangi

This production, awarded the International Emmy for Best Series, tells the story of Caz Davis returning to his hometown, Rurangi. It is a conservative New Zealand town with an economy based on dairy farming. Caz wants to reunite with his father, whom he hasn't seen since before his transition.

Identity, territory, and indigenous roots

Recognized in festivals such as San Francisco, Melbourne, and LesGaiCineMad, the series explores the difficulties faced by the LGTBIQA+ community when coming out in rural environments. Furthermore, it focuses on the Māori community, showing the daily challenges they face in achieving respect for their language, traditions, culture, and territory.

Where to watch: Filmin.

Filmaffinity Profile.

3. Far from Heaven

A 2002 American film set in the 1950s in the United States. It tells the story of a wealthy woman whose seemingly perfect life begins to unravel following a marital crisis.

The silent oppression of social norms

Far from Heaven offers a critical look at how dominant social norms generate inequalities at the intersection of gender, race, class, and sexual orientation. The film demonstrates that oppression is not only manifested through direct exclusion, but also through the imposition of life models considered "acceptable," which cause silencing, suffering, and social vulnerability.

Where to watch: Movistar Plus+.

Filmaffinity Profile.

4. Moonlight

This film, which won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2017, follows the life of Chiron, a gay African-American young man, from childhood to adulthood. It shows his process of identity construction and his relationships in a complex environment in Miami. The work addresses, among other topics, the intersection between homosexuality, racism, and social discrimination in the United States.

Surviving violence, stigma, and precariousness

Moonlight offers an intimate approach to identity construction at the intersection of racialization, masculinity, social class, and sexual dissidence. The film is especially relevant in demonstrating how structural violence, stigma, and precariousness impact mental and emotional health in a cumulative way. It invites us to think about the social determinants that shape these experiences.

Where to watch: Filmin, Amazon Video, and Apple TV.

Filmaffinity Profile.

5. Santosh

After her husband's death, Santosh inherits his position as a police officer in a police station in a rural area of India. The station is led by Inspector Sharma. The film was the UK's candidate for the Oscar for Best International Feature Film in 2024.

Gender, caste, and institutional power structures

This work highlights how gender inequalities are reinforced by economic precariousness and deeply rooted hierarchical systems. For scientific research, it is particularly relevant as it shows how institutions —including those responsible for ensuring justice and security— can reproduce violence and exclusion, a key aspect for studies on governance, ethics, and equitable access to rights and services.

Where to watch: Filmin.

Filmaffinity Profile.

6. Master

A 2022 thriller in which two African-American women, a professor and a freshman student, share strange experiences in a predominantly white university in New England (USA).

The hostility of seemingly neutral spaces

Master exposes in both symbolic and explicit ways the tensions that cross academic spaces when gender and race combine as axes of exclusion. The film questions the supposed neutrality of the university environment and reveals how structural racism and sexism affect the experience of students and researchers. Its contribution to the scientific debate is clear: it invites a critical review of institutional cultures, evaluation mechanisms, and the conditions of knowledge production in contemporary academic contexts.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime.

Filmaffinity Profile.

7. Norwegian Dream

The story focuses on Robert, a Polish immigrant working in a fish factory in Norway to pay off his mother's debts. Despite the harshness of the work, he discovers he feels an attraction to Ivar, a colleague at the plant. He decides to hide his feelings for fear of rejection from his Polish coworkers. When a strike breaks out, loyalties between employees are tested, revealing aspects such as the power of desire, solidarity, and the hope for a better life.

Sexual identity in migratory contexts

This film articulates migration, the working class, sexual dissidence, and national belonging, showing how labor precariousness and migratory status condition the possibility of living one's identity openly. From an intersectional perspective, the work is especially relevant for research in occupational health, mental health, and social rights, by evidencing how structural determinants influence well-being and the support networks available to migrant populations.

Where to watch: Filmin.

Filmaffinity Profile.

8. Ciao Bambina

This documentary short film, nominated for the 2025 Goya Awards and co-directed by Afioco Gnecco and Carolina Yuste, follows the gender change of Rafi, who began his transition ten months ago. His testosterone treatment is not being easy as no one told him about the emotional changes this process involved. Together with his friend Carolina, who has accompanied him since the beginning of his transition, he will try to reconcile with his current and former self to finally be able to swim in the sea.

Social determinants and the trans experience

The short film provides a sensitive and rarely represented look at the emotional processes associated with gender transition. By focusing on the subjective experience, it questions reductionist biomedical approaches that address transition exclusively from clinical parameters. From intersectionality, it underscores the importance of integrating psychological, social, and relational dimensions in research and healthcare for trans people, avoiding linear or simplified narratives.

Where to watch: Filmin.

Filmaffinity Profile.

9. 20,000 Species of Bees (20.000 especies de abejas)

This film, nominated for 15 Goya Awards, was one of the great successes of Spanish cinema in 2024. It reveals the necessary story of Cocó, a trans girl in search of her identity. The protagonist achieved a great milestone by winning the Silver Bear of Berlinale at just 10 years old.

Supportive environments and well-being in trans childhood

The film offers a delicate approach to trans childhood, placing gender identity in relation to family, rural environment, and social expectations. Its relevance to the scientific community lies in how it visibilizes early identity construction processes and the importance of supportive environments. The film invites reflection on childhood, gender, and care, fundamental aspects for research in health, education, and public policy.

Where to watch: Movistar + Plus.

Filmaffinity Profile.

10. Carmen & Lola (Carmen y Lola)

Carmen and Lola are two young Roma women. Carmen is about to get married. Lola, an independent girl who only wants to study, is pressured by her father to find a good Roma husband. One day, the two girls meet while selling at a street market. In a culture where homosexuality is a taboo and young women are destined to marry and have children, this film delves into the challenges the two young protagonists face in maintaining their relationship. This film won two Goya Awards: Best New Director (Arantxa Echevarria) and Best Supporting Actress (Carolina Yuste).

Sexual diversity in specific cultural contexts

Carmen & Lola allows for an analysis of how sexual dissidence is experienced specifically at the intersection of gender, ethnicity, social class, and cultural tradition. The film challenges homogeneous readings of the LGTBIQA+ community and highlights the need for intersectional approaches that recognize the internal diversity of communities. For research, it underscores the importance of avoiding generalizations and incorporating methodologies sensitive to cultural context.

Where to watch: Movistar + Plus.

Filmaffinity Profile.

Towards a Science That Sees Us All

This selection demonstrates that the stories we consume are, in reality, mirrors of the structural barriers that science tries to break down. From the INCLUDE project, in which ISGlobal participates, we work to ensure that research leaves no one behind, understanding that to improve global health, we must first understand the complexity of human lives.

Would you add any other movie to this list?