WXF at the Justice for Girls Conference

From Left: Charlotte Lubert, Ipatou Serum (Chairperson of the Kenyan Anti-FGM Board), and Patience Katushabe (our local producer)

Recently, we were honored to be invited to the Justice for Girls global convening in Kenya, with Charlotte attending on our behalf. This survivor-led conference brought together activists, survivors, policymakers, funders, and movement leaders from around the world to accelerate action toward a vital outcome: ending Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) and child marriage within a generation.

While at the conference, Charlotte connected with a wide variety of advocates, filming with many of them to document their unique goals and grassroots efforts. We also captured footage of the broader conference environment, documenting the incredible energy of survivors and organizations united in their mission.

One of the most eye-opening takeaways from the convening was the true global scale of FGM/C. Many attendees, despite their years of experience in the field, had no idea that the practice exists in almost every country, rather than just a few regions. The conference brought together representatives from 63 countries in total, including organizations from places as diverse as Indonesia, Singapore, Colombia, Canada, the UK, and across Africa.

The ultimate consensus from the event was that the movement can no longer afford to work in silos. There is a massive, urgent need to work collaboratively to create shared strategies and partnerships that amplify the work being done on the ground. We are proud to be part of this collective global effort, using our filmmaking expertise to help drive forward sustainable change.

From Left: Mariya Taher and Dena Igusti from Sahiyo, Patience Katushabe (our local producer), and Racheal  Mambo (our local cinematographer) at WXF’s booth at the conference

While in Kenya, we also had a special reunion… 

The crew also reunited with Madam Robi, Mary, and Zach from the UNMUTED: Cutting Season episode.

[If you don’t know who they are, you should go watch the episode on Kinema!]

We put them back in front of the camera to see where life has taken them six years after we initially filmed with them. Stay tuned!

We Travelled All the Way to Kenya.

But Who Wasn’t in the Room?

Representatives from 63 countries attended the Justice for Girls conference in Kenya. While it is inspiring to celebrate who WAS at the conference, it is equally important to pause and ask: who WAS NOT at the conference? And why?

Behind the powerful solidarity of 63 nations lies a quieter, harsher reality. Around the world, many of the most vital grassroots advocates are systematically prevented from stepping onto the global stage.

Consider the story of Algerian human rights defenders and journalists Jamila Loukil and her husband, Kaddour Chouicha. Both have spent years documenting human rights violations and advocating for civil freedoms in Algeria. Yet, when they were trying to attend the UN’s Algeria’s Universal Periodic Review, they met with arbitrary travel bans, confiscation of documents, and judicial harassment. They were literally blocked at border control, denied the chance to board their flights and share their perspectives with the international community.  

Jamila and Kaddour are far from alone. Across dozens of countries, travel bans, confiscated passports, and threats of retaliation are quietly used as bureaucratic tools of censorship. They keep local leaders trapped inside their borders, forcing international summits to debate solutions without the very people doing the dangerous groundwork.  

It’s important to remember that true global solidarity requires breaking down silos, not just for the advocates who make it into the room, but by using visual storytelling to ensure that the voices of those trapped outside are heard just as loudly.

Read the UN report on this topic…

You Can Still Bring UNMUTED to Your Community!

Host a screening — virtually or in person — to inspire dialogue and action against gender-based violence.

We will provide you with all the assets you will need, including a discussion guide, social media toolkit, and more!

Fill out the short form below if you are interested. One of our team members will get back to you. 

SUPPORT US BY DONATING TO OUR IMPACT CAMPAIGN

We’re continuing to take UNMUTED on the road in 2026, hosting screenings, panels, and policy workshops with our impact partners to shine a light on the harmful practices affecting women and girls featured in the series. With your support, we can get one step closer to ending child marriage, stopping FGM/C, and preventing acid violence — by changing laws and minds. 

CONTRIBUTE HERE

UNMUTED at Ray of Light Awards Ceremony

As last year’s Ray of Light Awards winner, UNMUTED and our team behind it were invited this year to the ceremony again to celebrate and give out the award for this year’s winner.

Representing UNMUTED, as last year’s Ray of Light Awards winner, Charlotte and Dena (showrunner of UNMUTED) were invited this year to the ceremony again to celebrate and give out the award for this year’s winner. The five-day festival was filled with programming, screening, and music events that bond artists from around the world under the festival themes of nature, spirit, and one another.

Charlotte on the ROLA stage

Charlotte and Dena at the ROLA award ceremony

WXF at Sunnyside of the Doc 2026

Now in its 37th edition, Sunnyside of the Doc returns to La Rochelle, France, from June 22nd to the 24th. As a documentary marketplace and conference, Sunnyside of the Doc brings together thousands of documentary filmmakers and decision-makers each year to discuss industry headlines and meet new partners.

Charlotte, representing Without Exception Films, was invited to be join as a panelist at this year’s event. She will be on stage for the session titled “Funding Models of the Future: How to Get Your Documentary Made,” along with Aliya Jasmine, Stephen Segaller, and Lea Fels. The panel will be moderated by Amanda Groom.

If you are also attending this year’s Sunnyside of the Doc, feel free to reach out to us at info@withoutx.com – we’d love to meet you!

Register for Sunnyside of the Doc

🗓️ ICYMI – UNMUTED and Team at Westland Impact Festival

UNMUTED is selected to be screened at this year’s Westland Impact Festival. The festival will take place from Jun 11th to the 13th, in the beautiful Whitefish, Montana. Charlotte and Wei on the UNMUTED team will be attending the festival in person, and we would love to meet you at the festival if you are also attending!

You can follow Westland Impact Festival on Instagram to learn more about the festival and its lineup this year.

Click the button below to purchase your ticket to Westland Impact Festival:

Link to Purchase

You Can Still Bring UNMUTED to Your Community!

Host a screening — virtually or in person — to inspire dialogue and action against gender-based violence.

We will provide you with all the assets you will need, including a discussion guide, social media toolkit, and more!

Fill out the short form below if you are interested. One of our team members will get back to you.

Link to UNMUTED Interest Form

SUPPORT US BY DONATING TO OUR IMPACT CAMPAIGN

We’re continuing to take UNMUTED on the road in 2026, hosting screenings, panels, and policy workshops with our impact partners to shine a light on the harmful practices affecting women and girls featured in the series. With your support, we can get one step closer to ending child marriage, stopping FGM/C, and preventing acid violence — by changing laws and minds.

UNMUTED: Special Screening

We’re excited to share that UNMUTED will be featured at the Ray of Light Awards (ROLA) this May. Our Gaia Award–winning episode, “Child Brides”, will be screened on May 1, 2026, as part of a special evening program at Cinema Can Jeroni in Ibiza, Spain.

We were honored to be awarded last year at the Ray of Light Festival in 2025 and this standalone screening showcases last year’s Ray of Light Awards winners. This year the ROLA festival runs from the 26th to the 31st May in Ibiza so book your tickets now for these special events

Screening Details:

Date: May 1, 2026
Time: 20:00 hr (CEST)
Episode: Child Brides (Gaia Award Winner)
Program: Screening alongside The Twelve and Parallel
Location: Cinema Can Jeroni (evening screening)

This gathering brings together filmmakers and storytellers using film as a force for social impact.

Full festival programming here – tickets for the festival here.

2026: What’s Next 👀

Westland Festival

The momentum continues into summer. UNMUTED has also been selected for the Westland Film Festival this June. The festival is based in Whitefish, MT and why not pair your trip to the films with an adventure into Glacier National Park. We’ll hit you up with tips in our next Newsletter!

🎬 Looking to Host a Screening?

Katie Piper at the World Economic Forum

Picture Description: “My story is one of survival and hope.” – Katie Piper at the World Economic Forum, February 2026.⁠

Acid attack survivor and activist Katie Piper spoke at the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Annual Meeting, sharing her story of survival and the lessons it offers for both individuals and leaders.

After surviving a life-altering acid attack in 2008, Piper has become a global advocate for burn survivors and victims of gender-based violence. At Davos, she reframed her experience not as a story of tragedy, but of resilience and hope. She emphasized that trauma, while deeply personal, does not have to define a person’s future.

Piper also challenged traditional views of leadership, highlighting that empathy, kindness, and diversity are just as critical as policy or financial decision-making. Her message underscored the importance of human-centered leadership, especially in addressing global issues like gender-based violence.

She continues to use her platform to open more honest conversations around recovery, advocate for long-term support for survivors, and remind others that healing is ongoing. Her work also highlights the need for stronger systems of care and accountability, as well as the importance of community in recovery.

Her remarks come amid a rise in acid attacks and broader global conversations around violence against women, reinforcing the urgency of awareness, advocacy, and systemic change. The full article can be found here!

Support Our Work

UNMUTED was built through the voices, leadership, and dedication of an incredible team. From development through production, we drove this project with care, intention, and a deep commitment to telling these stories responsibly. It would not exist without the people behind it – and the audiences who have supported it, shared it, and helped bring these stories to wider communities.

Now streaming on Kinema – every purchase supports our ongoing impact campaign, already reaching audiences in over 30 countries and continuing to drive change both globally and locally.

Watch the series and support our work:

Mark Your Calendars: UNMUTED Drops Feb 20 🎞️

UNMUTED will be available to stream on Kinema in just 3 days left. We want to pause and recognize something essential to this series: it would not exist without collaboration.

UNMUTED was created in partnership with organizations working on the front lines of gender justice, survivor support, and systemic change. These partners do not just appear in the series. They helped shape it, guided it, and continued the work long after the cameras stopped rolling.

FEATURED PARTNERS 🤝

Face Forward
Advancing survivor-centred storytelling and advocacy to challenge stigma and drive systemic change.

Food for Life Vrindavan
Providing food, shelter, education, and long-term care for abandoned women and children in India.

Equality Now
Using the law to end discrimination and violence against women and girls worldwide.

Unchained At Last
Leading the movement to end child marriage in the U.S. and supporting survivors forced into marriage.

Reproductive Health Uganda
Expanding access to sexual and reproductive health services, education, and rights across Uganda.

Sahiyo
Ending female genital cutting through survivor-led advocacy, community dialogue, and cultural change.

CERESAV
Supporting survivors of sexual violence in Mexico through crisis care, legal advocacy, and long-term healing services.

Each organization brings deep expertise, lived experience, and leadership to the issues explored in UNMUTED. Since its early screenings, UNMUTED has reached audiences in over 30 countries, partnered with more than 40 NGOs, 50+ cast & crew and engaged 1,000+ attendees worldwide. What began as a film has grown into a global conversation.

In the weeks ahead, we will continue sharing more about these partners, the people behind the work, and ways to engage beyond watching.

Because real impact does not happen alone, it happens together.

👉 UNMUTED premieres Feb 20 on Kinema — sign up by launch day to get one free episode.

2026: Upcoming Events 👀

🎬 An Unchained At Last Hybrid Parallel Event – March 13, 2026

As the UN launches the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, Unchained At Last is hosting a hybrid parallel event featuring a screening of UNMUTED: Child Brides. A short panel will follow on how unflinching storytelling can help accelerate the fight to end forced and child marriage and advance gender equality.

📅 March 13, 2026
🕧 12:30–1:30 PM ET | 9:30–10:30 AM PT | 4:30–5:30 PM GMT
📍 In person: Church Center for the United Nations
777 United Nations Plaza, NYC (No registration required)
💻 Hybrid event (Zoom registration required)

Impact Lounge @ Sundance – Recap 🎬

⁠

At the Impact Lounge at Sundance, we gathered to discuss what it actually takes to create change on some of the hardest issues we face. Bringing together the teams behind UNMUTED and the Oscar®-nominated documentary To Kill a Tiger, alongside leaders in social impact, the conversation explored how storytelling can move us from awareness of gender-based violence to action.

When honest, complex, deeply human stories ground us in shared values, they don’t just inform — they help shift culture. Speakers Included:

Vicki Shabo — Senior Fellow for Gender Equity and Founder/Director, Entertainment Initiative, Better Life Lab at New America

Charlotte Lubert — Founder, Without Exception Films (UNMUTED)

Nisha Pahuja — Filmmaker & Producer, To Kill a Tiger

Brian Walker — CEO, Citizen Picmo

Thank you to the Impact Lounge for hosting vital conversations on how film can drive positive societal change and to everyone doing the work to build a culture where violence is no longer normalized and responsibility is shared.

🎥 Bring UNMUTED to Your Community

Host a screening — virtually or in person — to inspire dialogue and action against gender-based violence. Screenings requested before February 20 are free.

Screenings requested after February 20 will require a fee.

As 2025 Ends, We’re Reflecting on Our Biggest Moments

We can’t believe the year is already coming to an end. Our team has accomplished so much, and we’re excited to count down some of our top moments from 2025 with you.⁠

#5: Hosting Our Free Visual Storytelling Workshop in Michigan 🎥✨

This year, we brought a free visual storytelling workshop to Grand Rapids, MI, in partnership with the Reissa Foundation & Valerie Red-Horse Mohl. The workshop was an opportunity for participants to learn hands-on filmmaking and editing basics using just a cell phone, as part of the Stolen Sisters project.⁠

It created space for emerging storytellers to learn, connect, and share narratives rooted in Michigan’s Indigenous communities.⁠

Follow along on our Instagram & LinkedIn to see the full countdown of our Top 5 Moments from 2025!

2026: What’s Next 👀

Our team will be on the ground at two major industry events, and we’d love to meet up if you’ll be there too.

Sundance – January 2026
We’ll be attending Sundance this January, one of the biggest gatherings for independent film. If you’ll be in Park City and want to talk projects, brainstorm ideas, or explore potential collaborations, we’d love to connect.
Email us to set up a time: info@withoutx.com

Realscreen Summit – Miami, February 2026
We’ll also be at the Realscreen Summit in Miami in early February, joining creators, producers, and industry leaders shaping the future of unscripted and documentary storytelling. If you’re heading to Miami and want to chat about new opportunities or upcoming work, let’s make time to meet.
Reach out to book a conversation: info@withoutx.com

🎬 Looking to Host a Screening?
Bring Unmuted to your community — virtually or in person — to inspire dialogue and action against gender-based violence. Request a Screening HERE!

Equality Now: Words from Mona Sinha, Global Executive Director

Picture Description: Global Executive Director Mona Sinha (pictured left) representing Equality Now on a panel discussion about child marriage.⁠

Equality Now has been a powerful advocate for raising the legal age of marriage to 18 without exceptions, pushing for meaningful reforms from Bolivia to Southern Africa to states across the U.S. Their message is clear: girls don’t need saving — they need to be seen, heard, and free.

Their work reminds us that legal reform is just the beginning. Real change requires community engagement, survivor-led voices, and global solidarity. When a girl has the freedom to choose her own path, her potential becomes limitless — and so does our collective future.

In partnership with Equality Now, the UNMUTED series highlights the importance of addressing child marriage not only abroad but also here in the U.S. — a vital part of breaking cycles of violence and transforming harmful norms while working toward global reform.⁠

Read Mona Sinha full post on International Day of the Girl HERE

Support us by donating to our impact campaign.

If you’ve enjoyed our newsletters, please consider contributing to our UNMUTED docuseries impact campaign to help us further our mission.

We aim to take UNMUTED on the road in 2025 by hosting screenings, panels, and policy workshops with our impact partners to put an end on the harmful practices on women and girls featured in the series. With your help, we are one step closer to stopping child marriage, stopping FGM/C and preventing acid violence by changing laws and minds.

Learn more about our work and also contribute here: