Cinema & History: A tool to rehabilitate forgotten female figures
History is often written by the victors — and most often, by men.
ARTE’s “Aux armes, citoyennes!” explores the often-ignored role of women in the French Revolution, from figures like Théroigne de Méricourt to Olympe de Gouges.
These audiovisual works show that cinema and series aren’t just entertainment; they are powerful tools to rehabilitate those forgotten by History and to fight the Matilda Effect.
From stereotype to recognition: the screen as a mirror of corrected History
For a long time, the Revolution was told through men: Danton, Robespierre, Marat.
ARTE’s documentary, directed by Mathias Haentjes with input from historians, revisits events with a simple observation: the presence of thousands of women at major moments, like the Women’s March on Versailles, was neglected — their roles ignored or reduced to footnotes.
The strength of “Aux armes, citoyennes!” — and films like “Hidden Figures” — is not just biographical: it shows how modern society has deconstructed narratives to reveal historical truth.
The Matilda Effect in images
The Matilda Effect appears through minimization and appropriation of women’s work by dominant men and male colleagues.
Cinema and series, thanks to their massive reach, can rapidly reshape collective memory. Film provides human, emotional narratives — making history memorable.
“We deserve our share of restitution in History; women’s perspectives were swept aside, lost — like Olympe de Gouges, whose intellectual career was forgotten.” (excerpt from the documentary)
From oblivion to renown: the example of Olympe de Gouges
The documentary highlights figures like Olympe de Gouges, whose revolutionary writings — notably the “Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen” — were obscured for nearly two centuries.
By bringing these stories to screens, contemporary creators do more than pay homage: they lift the veil of forgetfulness that covered dozens of narratives.
The documentary shows how focusing on these women doesn’t just retell History — it delivers memorial justice.
Keywords: Matilda Effect / Invisibilization / Rehabilitation / Women scientists / Memorial justice