Currently the Sundance film festival is underway. There hasn’t been too many stand out films this time around but one incomplete film is gaining a lot of attention. Girl Rising is a film about nine girls from different countries and the impact that education would have on their lives. The film includes a slew of strong female actresses doing narrative work. This documentary from the trailer alone looks inspiring, emotionally engaging, and empowering. I think in America we don’t really think of education as such a huge deal. It seems that the focus is always on finish school and get a good jobs, but never how truly important education is. I also overhear all the time young girls talking about how they just want to be famous and not care about anything. It’s so sad to hear, all I can think is what happened to education. Girl Rising shows how important an education is to someone in a third world country where if you weren’t schooled your life could be prostitution or early marriage filled with loads of kids who would repeat the cycle. Just as women alone in this culture, we need to define our worth and prove our value in society through our education. The Huffington Post does an fantastic job at explain Girl Rising and it’s impact on Sundance. PARK CITY, Utah — Just because a film isn’t finished doesn’t mean it can’t get buzz at Sundance. Director Richard Robbins showed about 10 minutes of his new movie, “Girl Rising,” at the independent-film festival Monday, even though he still has a few weeks of post-production work to do on the project. The film tells the stories of nine girls from different developing countries – including Cambodia, Haiti, India and Afghanistan – and shows how access to education would change their lives. Robbins, who works as a writer for TV’s “Scandal,” said he had hoped to finish the film in time to compete or premiere at Sundance, but after visiting 10 countries in 12 months gathering footage, he just couldn’t make it in time. Still, he wanted to generate interest in the film, which is set for release in March. It is being distributed by CNN Films and Gathr, an on-demand distribution platform that allows those interested in the film to request a theatrical showing in their neighborhood. Actress Freida Pinto introduced “Girl Rising” Monday at Sundance by sharing some powerful statistics: There are 66 million girls who are not in school; 14 million girls under 18 who will be married this year; and 150 million girls are victims of sexual violence each year. “No one is more vulnerable than an uneducated girl,” said Pinto, who is active with the 10×10 organization behind the film and its campaign to educate girls worldwide. “Making a girl aware of her fundamental human rights through education can change all that.” Girls who are educated marry later, have fewer and healthier children, achieve self-sufficiency and continue the cycle of education with their own children, Pinto said. “If you educate girls, you will change the world,” she said. The film features the voices of Meryl Streep, Salma Hayek, Kerry Washington, Alicia Keys, Cate Blanchett and Selena Gomez, among others. By the way, don’t forget to check out our Women’s Issue magazine  for Women’s History Month!

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