Women’s Voices Now (WVN) is a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization that uses the power of film to drive social change that advances girls’ and women’s rights globally. WVN seeks to challenge the mis- and under-representation of women by promoting films made by women, about women, for all.
With Golden Globe Foundation support, WVN envisions a global culture shift powered by impact film, in which communities and institutions believe in gender equality and adapt their behaviors and actions to support the systematic advancement of women and girls. WVN carries out its mission with a film festival, youth program, Girls’ Voices Now program, and a free online film collection, Voices for Change.
In November, WVN hosted a premiere of 3 youth-made social-change documentary short films produced by this year’s Girls’ Voices Now cohort. Friends and family of the young filmmakers poured into the Rose Hills Auditorium at Mount Saint Mary’s University, as well as local Los Angeles cinephiles and activists. In a time where the future of girls’ and women’s rights is uncertain across the globe, it was a welcome space of hope and support.
The films that premiered were:
“All You Need Is Less” – a documentary film that unravels fast fashion’s hidden costs. Everything comes at a price. The future of fashion is in our hands.
“Where Home Never Was“ which tells the story of a daughter, Arielle Busby, and their mother whose lives are upended by homelessness. As mother and daughter confront the systemic barriers and personal challenges of homelessness, their story unfolds with raw honesty and emotional depth.
“Words I Can’t Forget” which follows multiple women’s experiences of being criticized on social media and in their own communities, and how this affects their personal and professional aspirations. Throughout the film, women reflect on their personal stories and take solace in the stories of others.
Thanks to supporters like the Golden Globe Foundation, this year WVN brought on a European Liaison, Vjosa Çerkini, and has begun expanding its GVN program across Europe and North Africa. Çerkini is an accomplished journalist and award-winning filmmaker. Through these workshops, she mentors and empowers young girls to create social impact documentaries, giving them the tools to tell their stories and drive change in their communities. Vjosa has held workshops in Kosovo, Austria, Poland, and Nigeria.
Through these sessions, WVN has focused on empowering young women with the skills to create video content and produce documentaries, with the goal of amplifying their voices. This initiative, organized in collaboration with local cultural and youth organizations, has sparked a lot of interest and enthusiasm among participants.
Speaking on the expansion, Vjosa says, “Many of these girls come from under-served communities and have little exposure to the power of media, and bringing these workshops to them gives them the tools to take control of their own narratives and become agents of change in their own lives and societies.”
“The Beauty in Being Different”, a film created by last year’s cohort, received a Children’s & Family Emmy nomination!
