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Films can inspire us in many different ways. Films teach us lessons and open our imaginations. Some films tell stories of power and resilience, and leadership. We can learn a lot from these movies and spread the message in our daily lives. Let’s look at the four different films that portray leadership stories as featured in Cinemags.

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Gabriele Muccino directed this biographical film about Chris Gardner. Chris was a car salesman turned into a stockbroker and was homeless on and off for years. The film details his struggles with his finances and the obstacles he endured while trying to support his family. He showed determination and resilience and eventually was able to set up his own stock brokerage business. He was determined to succeed even after losing everything, and the film tells a beautiful story of why it is so important never to give up.

Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

In this movie, Jordan Belfort is the perfect example of how not to lead. Jordan starts to become greedy and loses sight of his ethics and morals. To be an effective leader, you can not only focus on finances; you must prioritize your team’s wellbeing and company culture as well. We get to see Jordan’s rise to leadership and terrible decline after many selfish and sneaky choices he made within his company. 

The Social Network (2010)

This film tells the true story of Mark Zuckerburg, who created Facebook as a project while he was in college. This film shows us that when the market has a need that hasn’t been met, we have an opportunity on our hands. Mark Zuckerberg is one of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs, and he got there by creating a strategic plan to ensure his accomplishment. 

127 Hours (2010)

This is a different type of leadership film because it does not occur in a company nor has anything to do with entrepreneurship. This film tells the true story of Aron Ralston, an explorer who became trapped between two rocks during a hike. The film inspires us to persevere even when we are weighed down mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and even physically. We have to be ready for obstacles to come our way at any time, and sometimes the decision to push through can completely change our life.