What would happen if more of the world’s 66-million uneducated girls were allowed to receive the same schooling as their male counterparts?
This is the question asked by Girl Rising, a documentary film about 9 girls from 9 different countries and the obstacles they have to overcome in order to receive an education. These include natural disasters, child slavery and arranged marriages – and the way they’re confronted is a striking showcase of the strength of the human spirit and the power of education.
Normally, a film like Girl Rising would open at a few cinemas in the US before dying a quiet death. This is because documentary films are hard to finance and lack the star appeal of Hollywood blockbusters. But, thanks to the power of social media, Girl Rising will open next week in more than 850 movie theatres across the US with 22 000 tickets pre-reserved. This is an almost unheard-of amount for a documentary.
How did this happen? During filming, executive producer Holly Gordon decided to use social media as a cost-effective marketing tool. She went on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to broadcast the message and create connections – and build up a powerful online community of friends. Currently, Girl Rising has more than 245 000 fans on Facebook. The producers were even able to get stars like Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway and Alicia Keys to narrate the stories of the different girls.
‘In today’s world, if you can get your message out early enough, you can find your super-fan,’ says Gordon. Theatres for Girl Rising were booked through the site GATHR.com, where anyone can sign up and reserve a movie theatre near them provided they can get 100 friends to come.
To find out more visit: girlrising.com.
Watch the preview:
Michelle Hattingh, CT Intern
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