Women Under The Influence, is an LA based community that works to spotlight the groundbreaking work of women+ independent cinema. It is brainchild of Tabitha Denholm, the director responsible for videos for the likes of Florence and the Machine and Haim, although some here might be more familiar with her Berkshire Goes Balearic Documentary.

We asked WUTI to share their five favourite soundtracks – marked by originality, an unwillingness to be classified and a commitment to amplifying the inner lives of women. Over to Tabitha...

@womenundertheinfluence

ORLANDO (1993)
Directed by Sally Potter
Artists: David Motion, Sally Potter

As Orlando shifts through time so does the score, blending classical and contemporary, using baroque instruments alongside modern sounds to weave though the film's journey across centuries with fitting majesty and mystery. The result is a haunting, atmospheric score that matches the film’s sweeping grandeur and sense of overcoming.

Atlantics (2019)
directed by Mati Diop
Artist: Fatima Al Qadiri

Fatima Al Qadiri’s "haunted digital score" blends Qadiri’s palette of eerie synths with ethereal, otherworldly sounds that chime with the film's themes of migration, love, loss, and the supernatural. Al Qadiri’s echoing sensual soundscapes, and sparse beats mirrors the film's dreamlike sentiments, creating a hypnotic and immersive sound that echoes long after the film ends.

GIRLHOOD (2014)
Directed by Céline Sciamma
Artist: Para One

Para One, blends electronic beats and soundscapes in a way that evokes the intensity and vulnerability of adolescence. The score holds the tense emotion, but builds towards moments of joyous catharsis, like the iconic moment when the girls dance to Rihanna’s "Diamonds." This serves as a pivotal scene of empowerment and solidarity. The soundtrack’s mix of contemporary tracks and original compositions underscores the central character, Marieme’s evolving sense of self through the complexities of girlhood.

MORVERN CALLAR (2002)
Directed by Lynne Ramsay
Music Supervisors Maggie Bazin & Andrew Cannon

The film is adapted from a novel which names many of the tunes that the young woman Morvern listens to perpetually in her headphones; Aphex Twin, Can, Stereolab, The Velvet Underground. The perfect mixtape in the deft hands of director Lynne Ramsay becomes an extension of her inner world, blending melancholic, dreamlike, and occasionally unsettling moods. It not only captures the essence of Morvern’s journey through grief and self-discovery but also immerses the audience in the raw and often surreal landscape of her experiences.

BORN IN FLAMES (1983)
Directed by Lizzie Borden

Born In Flames is a totally unique, patchwork viewing experience stitched together by its title song ‘Born In Flames’ by The Red Crayola, an irresistible New-Wave meets proto Riot Grrrl call to arms. Just like the film, the soundtrack is gritty, bold, and radical, driving home the urgency of its feminist, anti-establishment message. Tracks aren’t just background; they’re a sonic manifesto, amplifying the film’s fierce DIY spirit and the rebellious pulse of New York’s 80s underground.

For more on WUTI head HERE to their website.