MARCH 8, PORTRAITS OF WOMEN
2023 edition
Discover a series in 8 episodes accompanied by 8 actresses to pay tribute to the forgotten women of our History on the occasion of International Women's Rights Day.
Tomoe Gozen
This woman forgotten by history was played by Anne Desmarest de Jotemps.
Tomoe Gozen (circa 1157–1247) is an iconic figure in Japanese history, often described as one of the few female samurai. She is renowned for her courage and exceptional martial skills. Tomoe Gozen served under General Minamoto no Yoshinaka during the Genpei War, a conflict between the Minamoto and Taira clans for control of Japan in the late 12th century.
She fought valiantly at the Battle of Awazu in 1184, where she is said to have beheaded the enemy Honda no Moroshige.
Tomoe Gozen embodies the courage and skill of female warriors in Japan's feudal era, a historical figure who continues to inspire and fascinate, symbolizing the strength and resilience of women in Japan's military history.
Marthe Gautier
Marthe Gautier is a French physician and researcher, known for her fundamental contribution to the discovery of trisomy 21, also known as Down syndrome. In 1958, working with Professor Jérôme Lejeune and Doctor Raymond Turpin at the Trousseau Hospital in Paris, Marthe Gautier cultured cells from patients with trisomy 21. Using her skills in cytogenetics, she prepared the samples and highlighted the extra chromosome, a landmark discovery in medical genetics. However, her contribution remained in the shadows for a long time, and the main credit for the discovery was attributed to Jérôme Lejeune. It was only much later that the importance of Marthe Gautier's role was recognized, highlighting her fundamental contribution to science and medicine. She is now hailed as a pioneer in genetic research, having paved the way for new understandings of chromosomal abnormalities and their impact on human health.
This woman forgotten by history was played by Jeane Clesse.
Huda Shawari
Huda Sha'arawi was an iconic figure of feminism and social reform in Egypt. Born into a high-society family in Cairo, she dedicated her life to the struggle for women's rights and national independence.
At a time when Egyptian women were largely confined to the domestic sphere, Huda Sha'arawi broke conventions by actively engaging in public life. She founded Egypt's first feminist organization, the Egyptian Feminist Union, in 1923, aimed at promoting women's education, political participation, and equal rights.
One of her most famous and symbolic acts was to publicly remove her veil at Cairo train station in 1923, inspiring many other women to do the same.
Huda Sha'arawi was also a staunch advocate of Egyptian independence and actively participated in the nationalist movement against British occupation.
This woman forgotten by history was played by Laure.
Lumina Sophie
Lumina Sophie dite Surprise est une femme emblématique de la résistance guadeloupéenne contre l'oppression coloniale.
En 1870, à l'âge de 22 ans, elle s'implique activement dans la révolte des travailleurs agricoles de Guadeloupe, connue sous le nom de "révolte de 1870". Cette insurrection est déclenchée par l'exploitation et les mauvaises conditions de vie des travailleurs post-esclavagistes. Elle devient l'une des leaders de la révolte, organisant et incitant les travailleurs à se soulever contre les propriétaires terriens et l'administration coloniale. La révolte est sévèrement réprimée par les autorités, et Lumina Sophie est capturée. Elle est jugée et condamnée à la déportation en Nouvelle-Calédonie, où elle passera le reste de sa vie en exil.
Lumina Sophie Surprise est aujourd'hui reconnue comme une héroïne de la lutte pour la justice sociale et la liberté en Guadeloupe. Son courage et son engagement envers la cause des travailleurs ont laissé une empreinte durable dans l'histoire de l'île, faisant d'elle une figure de résistance et de lutte contre l'injustice coloniale.
This woman forgotten by history was played by Marie-Cécile Drécourt
Rachel Carson
Rachel Carson était une biologiste marine, écrivaine et écologiste américaine dont le travail a eu un impact majeur sur le mouvement environnementaliste. Son livre le plus célèbre, "Silent Spring" (Printemps silencieux), publié en 1962, a mis en lumière les effets dévastateurs des pesticides, en particulier du DDT, sur l'environnement et la santé humaine.
Rachel Carson a consacré une grande partie de sa carrière à étudier les écosystèmes marins et à écrire sur la nature. "Silent Spring" a été un tournant dans la sensibilisation du public aux dangers des produits chimiques agricoles et a conduit à des changements significatifs dans les politiques environnementales aux États-Unis et dans le monde entier.
Son plaidoyer en faveur de la protection de l'environnement et de la conservation de la nature continue d'inspirer les militants écologistes du monde entier.
This woman forgotten by history was played by Lucie Simon.
Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadi est une avocate iranienne et militante des droits de l'homme, née le 21 juin 1947 à Hamadan, en Iran. Elle est connue pour son engagement en faveur des droits des femmes, des enfants et des prisonniers politiques en Iran.
Shirin Ebadi est devenue la première femme juge d'Iran en 1969. Cependant, après la révolution iranienne de 1979, les femmes ont été interdites d'exercer cette profession, ce qui l'a forcée à quitter le poste de juge. Malgré les défis et les menaces, elle a continué à défendre les droits de l'homme en Iran.
En 2003, Shirin Ebadi a reçu le prix Nobel de la paix pour son travail courageux et dévoué en faveur de la démocratie et des droits de l'homme. Elle est la première femme musulmane et la première Iranienne à remporter ce prix.
Son engagement indéfectible en faveur de la justice et de la liberté a inspiré de nombreux militants des droits de l'homme à travers le monde, faisant d'elle une figure emblématique du combat pour les droits de l'homme en Iran et au-delà.
This woman forgotten by history was played by Boutayna Burkel
Aoua Keita
Aoua Keïta was a feminist activist and a leading figure in the fight for women's rights in Mali and West Africa. Born on November 10, 1912 in Bamako, she became a strong voice for women's emancipation in Malian society.
She was the first African woman to graduate from the École Normale William Ponty, a prestigious school in West Africa. She later became a dedicated teacher, using her influence to promote girls' education and women's empowerment.
In addition to her commitment to education, Aoua Keïta was a passionate political and social activist. She was one of the first women to become involved in politics in Mali, campaigning for women's rights and advocating for gender equality in all aspects of life.
This woman forgotten by history was played by Elisabeth.
Mary Tharp
Mary Tharp was an American geologist renowned for her pioneering work in oceanographic mapping and understanding the ocean floor. Born in 1920, Mary Tharp spent much of her career working for Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.
His groundbreaking work was marked by his collaboration with geologist Bruce Heezen. Together, they mapped and studied the ocean floor, discovering major geological features such as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Their research provided valuable evidence for the theory of plate tectonics, which radically changed our understanding of the structure of the Earth.
Despite the challenges and obstacles she faced as a woman in a male-dominated scientific field, Mary Tharp persevered and left a lasting legacy in the field of geology and oceanography.
