Madonna marked Wednesday’s International Women’s Day by unveiling a short film celebrating feminism.
Madonna collaborated with fashion photography duo Luigi and Iango to create the stylish 12-and-a-half minute movie, titled Her-Story.
Commissioned by editors at Vogue Germany, the short opens with a Madonna voiceover in which she says, “Welcome to the revolution of love, to our refusal as women to accept this new age of tyranny. Where not just women are in danger, but all marginalized people, where being uniquely different might truly be considered a crime. The revolution starts here.”
In the film’s opening scene the Material Girl singer, 58, is shown in fascist military style dress strolling down an alley with two aggressive looking dogs.
Madonna posted the short on her Facebook page alongside the caption, “Let’s all celebrate #internationalwomensday with “Madonna – Her-Story”, a film dedicated to all women who fight for freedom!”
Scenes in the film, which is split into eight chapters and shot entirely in black and white, feature interpretive dancing, women dressed in traditionally male clothing and religious imagery.
Her-Story also sees Madonna take on other guises, becoming an organised crime boss and an angelic figure.
A protest banner in the movie uses writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s famous slogan, “We should all be feminists”, while it ends with the message, “Women’s rights are human rights.”
Its soundtrack includes Madonna’s intro from her MDNA tour, Virgin Mary, as well as songs from composer David Chalmin and singer Libby Larkin, who also appears and sings in the short.
Madonna also joined stars including Beyoncé, Coldplay, Salma Hayek, Julia Roberts and John Legend in marking International Women’s Day 2017 by signing an open letter calling for gender equality.
