Happy International Women’s Day! To celebrate this March 8th, a few members of the frankie team have come up with some ace recommendations that centre women’s stories, ideas and relationships. We’ve got a dash of books, a splash of movies and a sprinkle of lovely moments between awesome women – plus a whole lot more for you to feast your eyes and ears on. Check out the recommendations below.

SHANNON JENKINS, EDITOR
Love & Rome by Jenna Lo Bianco: This long weekend I plan to get stuck in to some light rom-com reading. Next on my list is Love & Rome, a novel about some saucy Australians living in Italy, written by Italian-Australian author Jenna Lo Bianco. I might even whip up a pasta and sip on some red wine to really get in the mood.

Substack: Newsletters are back, baby! There's nothing better than pouring a cuppa and delving into Substack newsletters written by smart, fashionable ladies. My current favourites are Screenshot This by Zara Wong, Since No One Asked by Cat Sarsfield, Gumshoe by Harling Ross Anton, Smooth Brain by Ali Whittle and Shop Rat by Emilia Petrarca.

Style-ish: I've been loving tuning in to Shameless Media's fashion podcast Style-ish every week. Hosted by a few rad women in the industry, the pod dissects fashion trends and delivers style advice and news in an easy-to-digest format.  

KATE PULLEN, ART DIRECTOR
Cynthia and Ariana’s Wicked performance at The Oscars: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande donned their Wicked attire and opened the 97th Academy Awards with what can only be described as a truly magical performance. Watching them sing to each other gave me chills – as well as gave all of us a lil’ callback to their Holding Space moment back in December. Are these two incredibly earnest, and sometimes overly so? Yes. Does it sometimes get a bit much? No, because watching them support each other is incredible, and beautiful, and awesome.

Anora: Apologies – we’re still in Oscars territory – but if you haven’t yet watched the Best Picture winner Anora, I strongly urge you to grab some popcorn and settle in. Yes, we first need to digress and acknowledge that Demi Moore was pipped at the post for Best Actress for her role in The Substance somewhat ironically by 25-year-old Anora-lead Mikey Madison but! Even though I think it would have been wonderful for Demi to take home the award, we cannot deny Mikey her brilliant performance as young sex worker Ani. Anora follows Ani as she is swept up in what she believes will be her fairytale ending with Vanya, the young son of a Russian Oligarch. Instead – what follows is chaotic, hilarious and heartbreaking.

Chicken Shop Date with Amelia Dimoldenberg: Chicken Shop Date has been around for a good long while now, so this is merely an appreciation post for Amelia Dimoldenberg and her ability to disarm and charm both her guest and those of us watching at home. If you’re new to Chicken, or need a reminder to jump back in, I recommend Amelia’s catch up with English actor Harris Dickinson.

Aimee Lou Wood: I first fell in love with Aimee Lou Wood in Sex Education, and I’m so glad that more people are discovering her brand of pure joy in season three of The White Lotus (I’m praying her character Chelsea isn’t one to bite the dust, despite her repeatedly talking about death in every episode). So – for more Aimee – tune in weekly for new eps of The White Lotus, go back and watch Sex Education (also created and written by the very talented English screenwriter Laurie Nunn), and check out Toxic Town, a British miniseries following the true story of the Corby toxic waste case.

Master: the allegations against Neil Gaiman podcast: This podcast from Tortoise Media documents the allegations of sexual assault and abuse against best-selling author Neil Gaiman. The majority of the series was actually released in 2024, however a new episode recently dropped after one of the women previously interviewed filed a civil lawsuit against Gaiman. It is an incredibly hard listen at times, but its discussions around consent, power and coercion are so important. If you feel up to it, all seven episodes are now available.

JULIETTE SALOM, DIGITAL COPYWRITING STRATEGIST
Annie Hamilton: There’s one particular musician that I always find myself coming back to. Every single day of every single year – especially International Women’s Day – is a great day to be listening to the ethereal beauty of Annie Hamilton. Based in Sydney/Warrane, the multi-talented, multi-faceted and just all-round awesome human being has been making tidal waves in the Australian music industry over the last few years. None so big, though, as the tsunami of dreamy soundscapes that is stop and smell the lightning, Annie’s sophomore album that she released last November.

Parker Posey: Whether it was coincidence, pure luck or – dare I say – heavenly fate, I was recently treated to a double-serving of the queen of eccentric mayhem, one Miss Parker Posey. The day after the premiere of season three of The White Lotus (in which Parker Posey is a massive highlight), I was delighted to witness one of the films that catapulted her into the indie cinema hall of fame, thanks to a special screening by the clever ladies behind the See Also podcast. If you’re looking for a zany flick this IWD, pop Party Girl at the top of your list.

Severance: It’s been a long time since I’ve found myself counting down the days until the next episode of a TV show drops, but girl-oh-girl is it a splendid feeling. Severance is an immaculately-made, dystopian-like show that plays on the proposition of what might happen if we were able to sever our work-selves from our usual-selves. The latest episode to air – titled "Chikhai Bardo" (Ep 7, Season 2) – was a bit of a deviation from the typical format. The episode featured an emotional insight into the life of the one of the integral characters, Gemma (played incredibly by Dichen Lachman), and was directed beautifully by Jessica Lee Gagné – who is also the show’s masterful cinematographer. This Saturday (*cough* the next episode of Severance *cough*) can’t come quick enough.

IRIS MCPHERSON, MARKETING COORDINATOR
Betty: Recently, I went to The Vanguard here in Sydney and heard the wonderful muso Betty play live. It's safe to say my life has since been changed. Aptly described as "folksoul", her song "Everything" has been on repeat.

Doechii: Everyone and their mother has been obsessed with Doechii (and rightfully so). She just won the Best Rap Album at the GRAMMYs (the third woman to have won in this category since its addition to the awards in 1996). I've also been listening to Alligator Bites Never Heal nonstop as well... what can I say, my music taste is varied. She recently did a Tiny Desk Concert which I highly recommend, with a talented band that are all women – we love to see it.

Holme Beauty: I lived in Geelong for a number of years and always admired Hilary Holmes’ makeup artistry. She’s now started her own brand – Holme – with the aim to create performance-driven products that give us the power to create without rules and as a vehicle to build our confidence. I’ll be shopping the Holme Base Primer and Stay Glaze in the shade Emma.

CLAIRE MULLINS, PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR
Whale Rider: I’ll be grabbing some popcorn and hitting the couch with my daughters to watch Whale Rider.  This 2002 film is such a classic. Female directed (and female lead) it’s the story of a young girl who is determined to lead her Maori tribe – even though women are not allowed – and her own grandfather is deadset against it. Inspiring, heartwarming and uplifting, it’s got all the feels – watching the courage of the female lead makes it perfect IWD viewing.

Women Living Deliciously: I’ll be picking up my well-thumbed copy of Florence Given’s latest book, Women Living Deliciously. This rad book is all about helping women rediscover their sense of awe, wonder and agency – and damn it feels good to read it! I get a burst of main character energy every time I flick through these pages (cue my personal motivation soundtrack).