Named for notable Dorothys in film and on television—Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz, director Dorothy Arzner, early film producer/director/star Dorothy Davenport Reid, and Dorothy Michaels in Tootsie—this database collects details for productions primarily released since 2010. International films, projects directed or created by women, and subjects such as work and innovation, LGBTQ+ communities, survivors of violence, activism, and other key topics in gender and women’s studies are central to this handpicked and growing resource. Updated regularly, Dorothy has featured items, advanced search options, easy browsing, and links to websites and trailers.

Dorothy got its start as Women’s AudioVisuals in English (usually called WAVE), a printed collection of English-language media begun in 1985 that became an online database covering everything from filmstrips and slide shows to regional television programs, US congressional testimony, global conferences, and news reports from other countries. Dorothy builds on a strategy to make visible the complex lives of women, girls, and transgender people by collecting film, television, and streaming video content that will remain useful to a broad audience over time.

Visit Dorothy and send comments and questions to gwsldorothy@library.wisc.edu.