Social change movies and TV shows
The list contains the best, new and most relevant social change movies ordered by relevance. The recommendation service has sorted out captivating, realistic, serious, political, thought provoking and dramatic films and TV shows about / with social change, society, politics, corruption, mentor, justice, death, runaway, storytelling and courage plots mostly in Drama, History and Biography genres shot in USA, UK, France and other countries.
509
TOP 10 movies tagged as social change: Malcolm X (1992), Snowden (2016), To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), All the President's Men (1976), Network (1976), Norma Rae (1979), Gandhi (1982), Dead Poets Society (1989), Philadelphia (1993), Schindler's List (1993).
Best films
New films
List of social change movies
110K
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: Japan, USA
Duration: 202 min.
Story:
A tribute to the controversial black activist and leader of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the '50s, he became a Black Muslim and then a leader in the Nation of Islam. His assassination in 1965 left ...
Style:
political, factual, inspirational, thought provoking, intense ...
Plot:
civil rights, racism, politics, african american, black history, civil rights movement, assassination, islam, biopic, childhood, black, anti racism ...
Time:
20th century, 90s, 60s, 50s, 1940s ...
Place:
usa, africa, new york, saudi arabia, manhattan new york city ...
Is relevant?
172K
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Germany, France
Duration: 134 min.
Story:
CIA employee Edward Snowden leaks thousands of classified documents to the press.
Style:
realistic, political thriller, thought provoking, factual, inspirational ...
Audience:
chick flick, family friendly
Plot:
espionage, journalism, whistleblower, hacking, fighting the system, moral dilemma, internet, spying, cia, technology, cryptography, ethics ...
Time:
year 2016, 20th century, year 2015, year 2009, year 2011 ...
Place:
japan, russia, hawaii, america, pakistan ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 129 min.
Story:
Scout Finch, 6, and her older brother Jem live in sleepy Maycomb, Alabama, spending much of their time with their friend Dill and spying on their reclusive and mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley. When Atticus, their widowed father and a respected ...
Style:
touching, thought provoking, gothic, compassionate, sentimental ...
Audience:
family outing, manly, chick flick, teen drama
Plot:
lawyer, courtroom, courtroom drama, trial, racism, small town, legal, single father, coming of age, rape, justice, childhood ...
Time:
1930s, year 1932, 20th century, year 1962
Place:
alabama, usa, southern usa, america, africa ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 138 min.
Story:
In the run-up to the 1972 elections, Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward covers what seems to be a minor break-in at the Democratic Party National headquarters. He is surprised to find top lawyers already on the defense case, and the discovery of ...
Style:
political thriller, political, cerebral, realistic, serious ...
Audience:
family outing
Plot:
journalism, newspaper, political conspiracy, politics, conspiracy, political corruption, investigation, american politics, white house, investigative journalism, whistleblower, president ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, year 1973, year 1972, year 1976
Place:
washington d.c., usa, north america, miami, florida
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
184K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 121 min.
Story:
A TV network cynically exploits a deranged ex-TV anchor's ravings and revelations about the media for their own profit.
Style:
clever, satirical, political, witty, black comedy ...
Plot:
media, journalism, satire, television, social commentary, media manipulation, adultery, corruption, murder, dark humor, business, assassination ...
Time:
70s, year 1976, 20th century, year 1975
Place:
usa, new york, california, manhattan new york city, middle east ...
Is relevant?
14K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
Norma Rae is a southern textile worker employed in a factory with intolerable working conditions. This concern about the situation gives her the gumption to be the key associate to a visiting labor union organizer. Together, they undertake the ...
Style:
political, touching, inspirational, aesthetic, sad ...
Plot:
labor union, working class, feminist, small town, union, women, labor, business, labor movement, courage, single mother, american politics ...
Time:
20th century, year 1979, 70s
Place:
north carolina, usa, alabama
Is relevant?
247K
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: UK, India
Duration: 191 min.
Story:
In the early years of the 20th century, Mohandas K. Gandhi, a British-trained lawyer, forsakes all worldly possessions to take up the cause of Indian independence. Faced with armed resistance from the British government, Gandhi adopts a policy of ...
Style:
spiritual, epic, political, inspirational, breathtaking ...
Audience:
kids, teens
Plot:
protest, idealism, biopic, freedom, politics, life philosophy, independence, british empire, leadership, religious intolerance, assassination, indian history ...
Time:
1930s, 1920s, year 1948, 19th century, victorian era ...
Place:
india, south africa, britain, los angeles, new delhi ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
At an elite, old-fashioned boarding school in New England, a passionate English teacher inspires his students to rebel against convention and seize the potential of every day, courting the disdain of the stern headmaster.
Style:
philosophical, inspirational, sentimental, uplifting, touching ...
Audience:
teens, family friendly, kids, family outing, girls' night ...
Plot:
teacher, suicide, poetry, coming of age, poet, mentor, teenager, literature, teachers and students, friendship, philosophy, dedicated educator ...
Time:
50s, 1950s, 20th century, year 1989, year 1959
Place:
vermont, new england, usa, harvard university
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
Religious fanatics are barricaded in a building, and surrounded by police. But they're not going to surrender, they prefer to die.
Style:
serious, realistic, tense, disturbing, suspenseful
Plot:
religion, social change, terrorism, fbi, brainwashing, religious fanaticism, biopic, mind control, american history, faith, investigation, rebellion ...
Time:
90s
Place:
texas, usa
Is relevant?
272K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 125 min.
Story:
No one would take his case until one man was willing to take on the system. Two competing lawyers join forces to sue a prestigious law firm for AIDS discrimination. As their unlikely friendship develops their courage overcomes the prejudice and ...
Style:
touching, thought provoking, emotional, sad, tear jerker ...
Audience:
girls' night
Plot:
aids, courtroom drama, hiv, lawyer, gay, lgbt, lgbtq, discrimination, gay interest, homosexual, lawsuit, medical ...
Time:
20th century, 90s, year 1993, 80s
Place:
pennsylvania, usa, philadelphia
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 195 min.
Story:
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.
Style:
touching, emotional, heartbreaking, realistic, thought provoking ...
Audience:
date night, chick flick, adult
Plot:
holocaust, world war two, genocide, nazi, wartime, war, concentration camp, storytelling, holocaust survivor, anti semitism, nazism, against humanity ...
Time:
1940s, 20th century, 90s, ancient times, year 1943 ...
Place:
poland, germany, iran, persia, europe ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 192 min.
Story:
A mini-series dramatization of the controversial 1992 attack by federal agents on the Idaho home of Randy Weaver, a white seperatist. The ten-day siege, begun over a minor gun charge, resulted in the deaths of Weaver's son, wife and dog, and a ...
Style:
thought provoking, tense, realistic, serious, bleak ...
Plot:
serial killer, social change, fbi, conspiracy, white supremacist, true crime, killing spree, siege, shootout, police, extremist, religion ...
Time:
90s
Place:
idaho, usa
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
110K
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 157 min.
Story:
In 1964, a brash, new pro boxer, fresh from his Olympic gold medal victory, explodes onto the scene: Cassius Clay. Bold and outspoken, he cuts an entirely new image for African Americans in sport with his proud public self-confidence and his ...
Style:
sincere, thought provoking, uplifting, touching, motivational ...
Plot:
boxing, muslim, african american, racism, civil rights, biopic, friendship, black history, roman empire, boxer, politics, islam ...
Time:
70s, year 2001, 60s, year 1964, year 1974 ...
Place:
africa, nigeria, usa, louisville kentucky
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: UK, France, Japan, USA
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
The story of journalist, Edward R Murrow's stand against Senator McCarthy's anti-communist witch-hunts in the early 1950s.
Style:
political, tense, period piece, factual, melancholic ...
Plot:
politics, media, television, mccarthyism, journalist, reporter, fighting the system, cold war, propaganda, terrorist, patriotism, communism ...
Time:
1950s, 20th century, 50s, year 2005, 90s ...
Place:
new york, washington d.c., california, usa, soviet union ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 132 min.
Story:
In a world in which Great Britain has become a fascist state, a masked vigilante known only as 'V' conducts guerrilla warfare against the oppressive British government. When 'V' rescues a young woman from the secret police, he ...
Style:
futuristic, philosophical, intense, captivating, neo noir ...
Audience:
manly, chick flick, teens, adult
Plot:
revolution, distopia, revenge, vengeance, fighting the system, dystopia, vigilante, freedom, anti hero, protest, society, masked man ...
Time:
future, year 2005, 2000s, distant future, near future ...
Place:
london, england, britain, big ben london, europe ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, History, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 133 min.
Story:
Beginning just after the bloody Sioux victory over General Custer at Little Big Horn, the story is told through two unique perspectives: Charles Eastman, a young, white-educated Sioux doctor held up as living proof of the alleged success of ...
Style:
serious, rough, emotional, exciting, realistic ...
Plot:
native american, native american reservation, native american attack, indian reservation, buffalo, massacre, murder, native, injustice, genocide, against humanity, racism ...
Time:
19th century, 1870s
Place:
north america, usa, washington d.c., south dakota, canada
Is relevant?
185K
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
The story of California's first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk, who became an outspoken agent for change, seeking equal rights and opportunities for all. His great love for the city and its people brought him backing from young and ...
Style:
thought provoking, sincere, sad, inspirational, political ...
Plot:
gay, politics, homosexuality, murder, homosexual, protest, gays and lesbians, male homosexuality, glbt, discrimination, gender, lgbtqi ...
Time:
70s, 2000s, year 2008, 20th century, year 1973 ...
Place:
california, san francisco, new york, north america, idaho ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, History
Country: UK, France
Duration: 106 min.
Story:
Based on true events about the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement who were forced underground to evade the State.
Style:
political, factual, costume drama, period piece, bleak ...
Audience:
chick flick, girls' night
Plot:
feminism, feminist, women, girl power, sexism, rebelliousness, activism, politics, gender, women's suffrage, women's rights, sexual harassment ...
Time:
1900s, year 1912, 1910s, edwardian era, victorian era ...
Place:
england, london, britain, europe, united kingdom ...
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
5K
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min.
Story:
Ted Kaczynski, the infamous Unabomber, wants to destroy modern technology to create a world for himself in the Montana wilderness.
Style:
suspenseful, thrilling, tense, captivating, independent film ...
Plot:
recluse, anarchist, bomb, true crime, terror, social change, criminal, radical, terrorist, social problems, terrorizing, life is a bitch ...
Time:
80s, 70s, 90s
Place:
montana, usa
Is relevant?
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: Germany
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
11-year-old Rocca, a clever, creative and brave girl who lives all by herself in defiance of her teachers and the authorities has to fight to keep her independence and prove to everyone that a child also has the power to change the world.
Style:
entertaining, captivating, psychological
Audience:
family outing
Plot:
bullying, teenage girl, homeless, teacher student relationship, teenage life, children, space program, father daughter relationship, home alone, social change, dead mother, female bully ...
Place:
hamburg germany, germany, northern germany
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, History
Country: China
TV show
Story:
It tells the story of the people's enhanced sense of gain, happiness and security during the ten years from 2012 to 2022.
Style:
anthology, psychological, captivating, inspirational, emotional ...
Plot:
life, happiness, social change, security, slice of life, realism, relationships, love affair, lifestyle, personal growth, resilience, community ...
Place:
china
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, History
Country: UK
Duration: 69 min.
TV show
Story:
A nine part series depicting the varying fortunes of four friends - Nicky, Geordie, Mary and Tosker - from the optimistic times of 1964 to the uncertainties of 1995. Taking nine pivotal years (1964, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1987, 1995) ...
Style:
saga, realistic, historical drama, melancholic, family saga ...
Plot:
friendship, police corruption, politics, social change, social realism, working class, political corruption, class struggle, urban decay, family drama, coming of age, bittersweet ...
Time:
70s, 60s, 80s, 90s, 20th century
Place:
london, northern england
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: China
TV show
Story:
After the demise of the feudal dynasty and half a century of war and turmoil, the ancient land of China finally ushered in a long-lost peace. The founding of New China has greatly changed the fate of the most ordinary people in the imperial city. ...
Style:
family saga, historical drama, dramatic, captivating, serious ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
veteran, town, working class, social change, ordinary people, large family, kids and family, suffering, family history, family life, worker, family drama ...
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Drama, History
Country: Saudi Arabia
Duration: 47 min.
TV show
Story:
In the wake of the significant societal changes in the 1970s, the life of a Saudi family is turned upside down after sheltering a baby found at the mosque.
Style:
historical drama, family saga, captivating, disturbing, realistic ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
arab culture, arabic history, social change, cultural difference, historical character, life, society, abandoned baby, cultural conflict, social realism, gender roles, adoption ...
Time:
80s, 70s
Place:
saudi arabia, middle east, arabia
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: China
Duration: 40 min.
TV show
Story:
The Story of Zheng Yang Gate
Style:
thought provoking, disturbing, captivating, psychological, historical drama ...
Plot:
female protagonist, survival, resilience, family drama, ordinary people, social change, small business, lifestyle change, society, ambition, political unrest, coping ...
Place:
china
Is relevant?
10K
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: India
Duration: 140 min.
Story:
An underprivileged hairdresser becomes the game changer in a local body election in a village where caste politics rules the roost. Will he be able to bring some changes to people's lives?
Style:
satirical, captivating, disturbing, emotional, uplifting ...
Plot:
political satire, political humor, election, social change, village life, satire, politics, historical character, changing lives, social realism, moral dilemma, empathy ...
Time:
2020s
Is relevant?
864K
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: Brazil, France
Duration: 130 min.
Story:
Cidade de Deus is a shantytown that started during the 1960s and became one of Rio de Janeiro’s most dangerous places in the beginning of the 1980s. To tell the story of this place, the movie describes the life of various characters, all seen by ...
Style:
rough, bleak, hood, sexy, stylized ...
Audience:
teen drama, adult
Plot:
gang, violence, ghetto, favela, coming of age, storytelling, gang war, gangster, society, juvenile delinquency, organized crime, journalism ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, year 2003, 2000s, future ...
Place:
latin america, rio de janeiro, south america, brazil, africa
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 134 min.
Story:
In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty as well as unexpected kindnesses Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In ...
Style:
heartbreaking, harsh, atmospheric, inspirational, motivational ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
slavery, racism, survival, civil rights, african american, black history, torture, slave trade, american history, freedom, racial discrimination, rape ...
Time:
19th century, 1850s, year 2013, victorian era, 2010s ...
Place:
louisiana, new orleans, america, africa, southern usa ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 120 min.
Story:
Nat Turner, a former slave in America, leads a liberation movement in 1831 to free African-Americans in Virgina that results in a violent retaliation from whites.
Style:
factual, brutal, intense, emotional, stylized ...
Audience:
girls' night
Plot:
slavery, preacher, civil war, rebellion, racism, violence, suffering, poverty, preaching, black slave, murder, rape ...
Time:
year 2016, 19th century, 2010s, georgian era
Place:
virginia, southern usa
Is relevant?
59K
Genre: Crime, Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 143 min.
Story:
A police raid in Detroit in 1967 results in one of the largest citizens' uprisings in the history of the United States.
Style:
suspense, social, hood, suspenseful, factual ...
Plot:
racism, police violence, police brutality, racial tension, trial, fear, motel, murder, african american, revenge, racial segregation, looting ...
Time:
year 2017, year 1967, 2010s, year 1969, year 1943 ...
Place:
detroit, michigan
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
