Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print

Play trailer

1:45

Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print

2025

1h 51m

Documentary

History

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

16 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Launched in 1972, Ms. revolutionized the feminist movement, bringing new ideas to kitchen tables across the country, and starting provocative conversations about everything from politics to porn. In this feature documentary, three award-winning directors select iconic cover stories to explore the complexities of creating a magazine that is unafraid of wrestling with challenging and often polarizing issues within and beyond the feminist community. Now, more than 50 years later, the magazine's founders and star contributors reveal the untold story of this trailblazing publication--how it defied the odds, transformed its readers, and continually fought to uphold its bold ideals in the face of resistance.

Watch on Max

Stream Now

Craig Mathieson

The Age (Australia)

Aug 18

2.5/5

It’s complex but never clunky. The energy then is obvious now.

Go to Full Review

John Anderson

Wall Street Journal

Jul 7

No one will escape without feeling like they’ve taken a trip into something weirdly, even darkly, historical. Not historical enough, perhaps.

Go to Full Review

Cortlyn Kelly

RogerEbert.com

Jul 2

3/4

Despite its flaws, “Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print” reminds us that authenticity is essential in acquiring and retaining acceptance and relevance, a message we need to hear now more than ever.

Go to Full Review

Liz Kocan

Decider

Sep 10

Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print is a celebration of the magazine and the women who fought to make it relevant, but perhaps more importantly, it offers plenty of insight into its failings, too.

Go to Full Review

Laura Moreno

Bay Area Reporter

Aug 4

The film is both a nostalgic tribute as well as a sobering reflection on how far society still has to go.

Go to Full Review

Stephen Silver

The SS Ben Hecht

Aug 1

That particular period of feminism has gotten a lot of pop culture reexamination in the last five years or so, but this finds a new, fascinating angle.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Marc E

Sep 6

The first 45 minutes is all about black women resenting the white women who founded and established MS in 1972. Though MS showcased Alice Walker, Shirley Chisholm, and so many other black wonen, the documentary clearly conveys that it was/ it is never enough acknowledgement. The first half of this documentary is a white female guilt trip over the inability of white women to advocate feminism on behalf of black women. You can tell a contemporary ethos pervades the documentary, when in fact MS is a 70’s phenomenon that exceeded its mandate considerably, black female representation included.

See more

Jul 15

I absolutely loved the first segments and was ready to recommend this documentary to everybody I know. The final segment on erotica versus pornography has me feeling unsettled in an ugly way. I’m no prude, and I’m sure the filmmakers thought this segment was important, but it was such a bummer of an ending.

See more

Henry D

Jul 4

Disappointing in several ways. The editing rearranged it in a way that made it like separate stories. Sadly the last half of the film was all about porn. Very little of the film dealt with every day women at work or at home. Very little on women in positions of power.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Cecilia Aldarondo

Director

Alice Gu

Director

Salima Koroma

Director

Gloria Steinem

Self

Patricia Carbine

Self

Letty Cottin Pogrebin

Self

Fioretta

100%

100%

Fioretta

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Fioretta

Television Event

88%

%

Television Event

Watchlist

Exposing Muybridge

100%

%

Exposing Muybridge

Watchlist

UnBroken

%

100%

UnBroken

Watchlist

TRAILER

for UnBroken

The Bloody Hundredth

100%

86%

The Bloody Hundredth

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Bloody Hundredth

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print: Trailer

1:45

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Launched in 1972, Ms. revolutionized the feminist movement, bringing new ideas to kitchen tables across the country, and starting provocative conversations about everything from politics to porn. In this feature documentary, three award-winning directors select iconic cover stories to explore the complexities of creating a magazine that is unafraid of wrestling with challenging and often polarizing issues within and beyond the feminist community. Now, more than 50 years later, the magazine's founders and star contributors reveal the untold story of this trailblazing publication--how it defied the odds, transformed its readers, and continually fought to uphold its bold ideals in the face of resistance.

Director: Cecilia Aldarondo, Alice Gu, Salima Koroma
Producer: William Ventura
Distributor: Max
Production Co: HBO Documentary Films, McGee Media
Genre: Documentary, History
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 2, 2025
Runtime: 1h 51m

Most Popular at Home Now