Movies Similar to We Weren't Given Anything for Free

T'Ain't Nobody's Bizness: Queer Blues Divas of the 1920s(2013)

The 1920s saw a revolution in technology, the advent of the recording industry, that created the first class of African-American women to sing their way to fame and fortune. Blues divas such as Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, and Alberta Hunter created and promoted a working-class vision of blues life that provided an alternative to the Victorian gentility of middle-class manners. In their lives and music, blues women presented themselves as strong, independent women who lived hard lives and were unapologetic about their unconventional choices in clothes, recreational activities, and bed partners. Blues singers disseminated a Black feminism that celebrated emotional resilience and sexual pleasure, no matter the source.

The Thomas The Tank Engine Man(1995)

Semi-Biographical film documenting the life of The Reverend Wilbert Awdry, creator of the beloved Thomas The tank Engine Stories

Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché(2021)

The death of punk icon and X-Ray Spex front-woman Poly Styrene sends her daughter on a journey through her mother's archives in this intimate documentary.

Schindler's List(1993)

The true story of how businessman Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his factory during World War II.

Sissi: The Fateful Years of an Empress(1957)

After a wonderful time in Hungary Sissi falls extremely ill and must retreat to a Mediterranean climate to rest. The young empress’ mother takes her from Austria to recover in Madeira.

Grizzly Man(2005)

Werner Herzog's documentary film about the "Grizzly Man" Timothy Treadwell and what the thirteen summers in a National Park in Alaska were like in one man's attempt to protect the grizzly bears. The film is full of unique images and a look into the spirit of a man who sacrificed himself for nature.

Larisa(1980)

Elem Klimov's documentary ode to his wife, director Larisa Shepitko, who was killed in an auto wreck.

Black Women and World War II: The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion(2023)

In the midst of World War II, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-female African-American unit, undertook the monumental task of sorting and delivering a massive backlog of mail for the U.S. military. Despite facing deplorable working conditions and the pervasive dual discrimination of race and gender, these women served their country with unbreakable determination and pride. Led by the formidable Major Charity Adams, they not only achieved their mission in half the expected time but also broke barriers, standing firm against inequality and inspiring future generations. Tragically overlooked for years, the story of the 6888th sheds light on a remarkable, untold chapter of American history, reflecting both the triumphs and injustices that shaped the nation's path towards civil rights. Their courage and resilience continue to resonate, a poignant reminder of the societal strides still needed to fully recognize and honor their invaluable contribution.

Gobseck(1985)

Introducing, Selma Blair(2021)

In a quest to take control of her personal health, actor Selma Blair adapts to new ways of living while pursuing an experimental medical procedure, after revealing her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis in 2018.

Lily Topples The World(2021)

Follow 20-year-old Lily Hevesh — the world’s greatest domino toppler and the only woman in her field — in a coming-of-age story of artistry, passion, and unlikely triumph.

Blokada: Pulkovskiy meredian(1975)

Autumn 1941. German tank troops are making another attempt to break through to the Uritsk and Pulkovo Heights. During heavy fighting, Soviet troops managed to stop the offensive of fascist tanks one and a half kilometers south of the Pulkovo Observatory. The 900 days of the blockade and the incredible courage of the Soviet people were approaching ...

Moonface: A Woman in the War(2019)

A walk through the life and career of the legendary French photojournalist Christine Spengler, known as Moonface, one of the few female war reporters in the seventies, also a writer and surrealist painter, who worked in Chad, Northern Ireland, Vietnam, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq and other places where unfortunately war and death prevailed for years.

Das Boot(1981)

A German submarine hunts allied ships during the Second World War, but it soon becomes the hunted. The crew tries to survive below the surface, while stretching both the boat and themselves to their limits.

Red Army(2014)

A documentary highlighting the Soviet Union's legendary and enigmatic hockey training culture and world-dominating team through the eyes of the team's Captain Slava Fetisov, following his shift from hockey star and celebrated national hero to political enemy.

Mapplethorpe(2019)

A look at the life of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe from his rise to fame in the 1970s to his untimely death in 1989.

Life of Klim Samgin(1986)

D-Day to Berlin: A Newsnight Special(1985)

George Stevens's remarkable film is acclaimed by historians as the most important colour footage taken during the war. Milestones covered include the liberation of Paris, the link-up between the Russian and American armies on the River Elbe and the Allied capture of the Dachau concentration camp.

When My Sorrow Died: The Story of Armen Ra and The Theremin(2015)

Glamorously eccentric and enigmatic Theremin master Armen Ra recounts his dynamic journey in this life-spanning documentary that mixes rare concert performances, candid interviews, and archive material with the magical power of music that can alchemize ancient sorrow into timeless beauty.

Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest(2024)

Transcending cultural barriers and consistently going against the grain, female Nepali climber Pasang Lhamu Sherpa attempted to summit Everest four times in the early nineties. Although she was not allowed to attend school as a child, Pasang did not let that stop her from pursuing her dreams. After founding her own trekking company in Kathmandu, she blazed a trail for Nepali women via her efforts to summit Everest. Proving how big you can dream and how far you can go to achieve those dreams, she left a legacy not only for the family she has left behind, but for the myriad women following in her footsteps.