confidence and self-esteem

Her films like *Lady Bird* and *Barbie* explore self-discovery, identity formation, and characters finding their voice and worth amid external pressures.

His darkly surreal films such as *The Killing of a Sacred Deer* and *Poor Things* examine how individuals assert agency and self-determination in absurd, constraining worlds.

Her introspective narratives in films like *You Were Never Really Here* and *A Woman Walks Into a Bar* delve into psychological fragility and the struggle for personal resilience and redemption.