Women and Agency: The #MeToo Movement in the Movie She Said (2022)

The #MeToo Movement has empowered women who have been victimized by powerful men in society. This movement, related to sexual violence, sexual offenses, and sexual crimes experienced by women, can also be seen in movies. This research examines the #MeToo Movement depicted in the movie She Said (2022) directed by Maria Schrader. The movie tells the story of a female journalist who investigates a group of women working in the film industry. These women are victims of sexual harassment, abuse, and rape from their producer, a man who holds a high position in society. By applying the concept of Women and Agency proposed by Saba Mahmood, this research analyzes how women’s agency and the #MeToo Movement are portrayed in the film She Said. Both narrative and non-narrative approaches were used to analyze the data from the film. The research found that the struggles of female journalists and victims demonstrate women’s power or agency in resisting constraints related to their position as workers from the lower class. In addition, their success against male domination or film producer shows how successful the #MeToo Movement is in society, especially for women who have experienced rape.