Stay Tuned for Our Collaboration with Picture Motion

In case you missed our last newsletter, we’re continuing our work on the UNMUTED impact campaign with Picture Motion, and we couldn’t be more excited by what’s taking shape.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue our work! Meanwhile, please follow our social media via the icons on top of this newsletter! ⬆️

And if you are interested in hosting a screening of UNMUTED and would like to request a screener, please fill out this form and we’ll get in touch with you!

Memorializing the Armenian Genocide: From 1915 to Today

April 24 marks the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, when an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were systematically killed and displaced by the Ottoman Empire, modern-day Turkey, beginning in 1915. Armenian women experienced particularly severe forms of violence, including mass killings, forced deportations, abductions, and assimilation. Many were subjected to sexual violence, forced conversions, and the erasure of cultural identity through placement in foreign households.

To this day, the Armenian Genocide remains a point of contention, as the Turkish government does not formally recognize it as genocide. This legacy of denial, combined with geopolitical tensions in the region, continues to shape the experiences of Armenians today. In 2020, Turkey provided political and military support to Azerbaijan during its offensive in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), a conflict that resulted in significant civilian casualties and the displacement of tens of thousands of people—many of them women and children. That trauma deepened again in 2023 when over 120,000 ethnic Armenians fled Artsakh following a months-long blockade and, according to human rights observers, a renewed military operation by Azerbaijan. In September, drone and artillery strikes reportedly hit civilian areas, killing dozens, including women, children, and the elderly. Once again, many Armenian women were forced to leave behind their homes, communities, and livelihoods.

As we commemorate the genocide, we also recognize the ongoing challenges faced by Armenians and acknowledge the resilience of Armenian women—past and present—who continue to navigate displacement, violence, and erasure with strength and determination.

Continue Reading…

Photo From: Wikipedia

Honoring Maya Angelou (April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014)

Original Article from 19th News

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Maya Angelou was a poet, performer, activist, and author whose work left a lasting impact on American culture. Overcoming a difficult childhood marked by trauma and silence, she found her voice through writing and the arts. Her 1969 memoir, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, broke new ground with its honest portrayal of Black womanhood and resilience.

Throughout her life, Angelou was also a singer, dancer, civil rights activist, and educator. She wrote and performed poetry, worked with prominent civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King Jr., and later read at President Clinton’s inauguration. Angelou remains a symbol of strength, creativity, and the power of speaking one’s truth.

DID YOU KNOW

Maya Angelou turned 40 on April 4, 1968, the same day Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. The devastating news deeply affected her, and for years afterward, she chose not to celebrate her birthday. Instead, she and Coretta Scott King, Dr. King’s widow, shared a quiet tradition. Every year on that day, they would send each other flowers or make a phone call, honoring his memory with love and remembrance.

Continue Reading…

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:

WXF Welcomes New Winter/Spring Intern

Ani Saroyan joined us this month as our Winter/Spring intern! Majoring in both Political Science and Public Affairs at UCLA, Ani is invested in film, social issues, and storytelling that drives change. During her time with us, she’ll contribute to meaningful projects, gain hands-on experience in the non-fiction space, and build valuable connections. Welcome, Ani!

By UCLA – UCLA Arts Brand Guide, Public Domain

Photo by U.S. Army: First Class Of Women At West Point Academy In 1976

West Point Closes Clubs For Women And Minorities

Original Article from AP News

Recent policy changes at West Point Academy have led to the dissolution of student-led organizations focused on gender, race, and identity, impacting vital support systems for female cadets and other underrepresented groups. These clubs provided mentorship, leadership opportunities, and a sense of belonging in an institution where women and minority groups have historically faced unique challenges.

The same memo issued by West Point also ordered all other cadet clubs to pause activities until officials can review the groups to ensure that they comply with Trump administration rules.

Continue Reading…

DID YOU KNOW

One of the disbanded clubs, The Corbin Forum, a leadership and advocacy club for female cadets at West Point, was founded in 1976, the same year women were first admitted to the academy, to support their integration into military life. The club was named after Margaret Corbin, a Revolutionary War heroine, and the first woman to receive a military pension, the forum aimed to educate cadets on women’s roles in the military and address challenges faced by female cadets. Over the years, it became a vital space for mentorship, leadership development, and discussions on gender integration in the armed forces.

Continue Reading…

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:

WXF Updates

Wishing You a Happy Holiday Season! 

We at Without Exception Films would like to extend our best wishes to you as 2024 comes to an end and the Holiday Season arrives. It’s been an incredible year, and we are grateful for your support this year!

Happy holidays! And looking forward to seeing you in 2025!

WXF Attends the “Impact + Profit” Conference

Last week, the WXF team attended SIE Society’s “Impact + Profit” annual conference. Spanning two days, it was a thought-provoking event featuring great panels and opportunities to network with over 350 fellow professionals in the entertainment industry, all focused on creating impact.

David Linde, the former CEO at Participant Media, was invited to speak at one of the panels. We are thankful for his role at Participant and the inspirational work that Participant did over many years.

We had many honest conversations with everyone and, perhaps not surprisingly, learned that most people are still trying to figure out how to make profit AND impact at the same time in the current media landscape.

We also want to extend a big thank you to SIE Society for organizing the conference and look forward to the next one in 2025!

Stay Informed

Help us drive social change by learning about the topics we cover.

California Removes Slurs Targeting Indigenous Women From Location Names

Original Article from LA Times

On Friday, November 13th, the California Natural Resources Agency announced plans to replace a derogatory term historically used in over 30 geographic locations throughout the state. This action is part of a broader initiative stemming from legislation signed in 2022 by Governor Gavin Newsom, which prohibits the use of the term in future place names and mandates its removal from existing locations. Deputy Secretary for Tribal Affairs, Geneva Thompson, the first to hold the role and a member of the Cherokee Nation, expressed the importance of this decision as a step toward acknowledging and addressing historical injustices against Indigenous peoples. The process of renaming these sites is set to begin in early 2025, aiming to foster healing and create inclusive communities.

Continue Reading… 

DID YOU KNOW 

In West Sacramento, local agencies collaborated with the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation to rename two streets. The chosen name, “Tebti,” translates to “the streams that flow together,” symbolizing the meeting of the Sacramento and American rivers. This effort represents a meaningful partnership between tribal and local authorities to honor Indigenous cultures and replace harmful language in public spaces.

Continue Reading… 

Paying It Forward

Support us by donating to our impact campaign.

If you’ve enjoyed our newsletters in the past year, 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.

Learn more about our work and also contribute here:

Support Independent Films

Without Exception Films is a women-led independent production company based in Los Angeles, CA. Our projects include docuseries and full-length documentaries that we develop end-to-end both in-house and through dynamic partnerships with other filmmakers. 

Making documentaries is important but costly, support us by making a tax-deductible donation to our latest project!

WXF Updates

WXF Attending Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting 

Without Exception Films has been selected by the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) for two unique Commitments to Actions (CTA) focused on Women & Girls Equity. A CTA “is a positive and effective social impact project that is new, specific, and  measurable.” We will be making the announcement on our social media channels when the CGI Annual Meeting commences in NYC on September 23rd and will share more throughout the week. 

Help Us Spread The Word! You can support our two projects by engaging with our posts and sharing on your channels. 

You can also sign up to watch the meeting live on their website.

WXF Welcomes New Fall Intern 

Liliana Amato joined us this month as our Fall intern. Majoring in Media Arts Production and minoring in Nonprofit Communication at Emerson College, Liliana’s attending Emerson’s Los Angeles program for her last semester. During her time with us, she’ll work on impactful projects, gain experience in the non-fiction genre, and build relationships. Welcome, Liliana! 

Stay Informed

Help us drive social change by learning about the topics we cover.

Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei Dies After Being Set Alight by Ex-Boyfriend 

BBC News, Nairobi. Authored by Celestine Karoney, September 5, 2024. 

(Trigger Warning: This featured story discussed a deliberate act of gender violence.) 

Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, a 33-year-old Ugandan marathon runner, has died after being doused in petrol and set on fire by a former boyfriend in Kenya. Cheptegei, who competed in the recent Paris Olympics, suffered severe burns and sadly passed away in the hospital. Cheptegei was known for her generosity, including helping fellow athletes financially. Her death highlights the growing issue of gender based violence in Kenya, where 34% of women report experiencing physical violence. Kenyan and Ugandan sports officials, alongside international organizations like the UN, condemned the killing and called for justice. Cheptegei’s tragic death follows similar cases of violence against East African female athletes, including Agnes Tirop and Damaris Mutua. The sports community is mourning, and efforts are being made to raise awareness and combat domestic violence. 

Continue reading… 

A WORD FROM OUR PARTNER 

Judy Gitau, the Africa Region Coordinator at Equality Now, on how cultural and societal attitudes create gaps in legislation that allow this kind of behavior: 

“This is symptomatic of a bigger problem… We need to have systems that support victims, that support survivors to access justice, we need to have social change.” 

Watch the full interview here.

‘Reservation Dogs’ Star D’pharaoh Woon-A-Tai Brings Symbolic Message To Emmys With Red Hand Painted On Face: The Actor Was Standing In Solidarity With Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women.

 The Hollywood Reporter. Authored by Carly Thomas, September 15, 2024. 

D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai took to the 2024 Emmys red carpet on Sunday with a powerful symbolic message. The Reservation Dogs star painted a red handprint over his mouth to stand in solidarity with missing and murdered Indigenous women. According to the organization Native Hope, it’s a symbol of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) movement and stands for “all the missing sisters whose voices are not heard” and “the silence of the media and law enforcement in the midst of this crisis.”

Continue reading… 

Support Independent Films

Without Exception Films is a women-led independent production company based in Los Angeles, CA. Our projects include docuseries and full-length documentaries that we develop end-to-end both in-house and through dynamic partnerships with other filmmakers. 

Making documentaries is important but costly, support us by making a tax-deductible donation to our latest project!

WXF Updates

WXF Welcomes New Summer Intern 

Luna Lu joined us this month as our summer intern. Double-majoring in Economics and Film and Television at Boston University, Luna’s attending BU’s Los Angeles program for her last semester. During her time with us, she’ll work on impactful projects, gain experience in the non-fiction genre, and build relationships. Welcome, Luna! 

Stay Informed

Help us drive social change by learning about the topics we cover.

“We Can End Child Marriage in a Generation” 

By: BBC News 

Michelle Obama, Amal Clooney, and Melinda French Gates have teamed up to combat child marriage, aiming to end this practice within a generation. Their collaboration seeks to address the alarming rates of child marriage globally. Their visit to Malawi and South Africa underscored the urgent need for action. The three influential women are leveraging their respective foundations and expertise to speak up for those affected and push for policy change. 

Continue Reading… 

DID YOU KNOW 

According to UNICEF, an estimated 650 million girls and women alive today were married before their 18th birthday, indicating that one in every five girls may be forced into marriage. Concerted efforts are urgently needed to address the root causes of this harmful practice and to protect the rights and well-being of millions of girls. 

Notable Historical Individual Born in June

Hattie McDaniel 

We honor Hattie McDaniel as our Historical Person of the Month this June. Born on June 10th, 1895, McDaniel made history as the first black woman to win an Academy Award in 1940. Despite facing discrimination, she appeared in over 300 films, inspiring future generations of African American and female actresses. McDaniel’s legacy includes challenging stereotypes and advocating for racial and gender equality in the entertainment industry. 

Continue Reading… 

DID YOU KNOW 

Before her acting career took off, McDaniel was an accomplished singer and songwriter. She performed on radio shows and recorded several songs, showcasing her versatile talents beyond the realm of acting. 

Continue Reading… 

Support Independent Films

Without Exception Films is a women-led independent production company based in Los Angeles, CA. Our projects include docuseries and full-length documentaries that we develop end-to-end both in-house and through dynamic partnerships with other filmmakers. 

Making documentaries is important but costly, support us by making a tax-deductible donation to our latest project!