15 Movies That Literally Changed the World

Cinema is arguably the most powerful art form: it can move, inspire, enrage, and excite millions of people at once. A good filmmaker shapes reality however they want, magically capturing and bridging perspectives, amplifying new voices, and showcasing daring and compelling stories. That's how social change happens. You can read a headline and feel nothing, but when a movie puts you inside the head of a soldier, a refugee, or a cult leader, you can suddenly grasp reality with both hands.