WXF April 2024 Newsletter
WXF Updates
UNMUTED Featured on Realscreen’s “MIPTV Picks” List; WXF Attending MIPTV Market in Cannes
We are very excited to announce that our docuseries UNMUTED was selected to be on Realscreen’s annual “MIPTV Picks” list. 🎉🎉🎉 Each year, Realscreen highlights a group of non-fiction projects that will be at the MIPTV market in Cannes that people shouldn’t miss out on.
(Check out more about UNMUTED and the entire MIPTV Picks list here.)
Our executive producer, Charlotte, and producer, Milena, attended MIPTV, a content market in the beautiful Cannes that provides diverse content and facilitates networking among industry professionals from over 100 countries. We met with a lot of co-production partners and networks and discussed our slate of projects.
WXF Attending Mount Saint Mary’s University event on The Report on the Status of Women and Girls in California
WXF team’s Charlotte, Milena, and the director of our Stolen Sister project, Valerie, attended the annual public event on The Report on the Status of Women and Girls in California. For the 13th year of the Report, Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles hosted the event at the Skirball Cultural Center, gathering over 500 thought leaders to foster conversation and inspire action to address inequalities and gender gaps in our state. Read the full report here.
WXF Speaking at the Women in Media, Entertainment & Technology Panel
The WICT (Women in Media, Entertainment & Technology) Network is an organization dedicated to empowering women leaders who light the way for others and create a lasting legacy of diversity, equity and inclusion. Recently, it hosted a panel featuring our docuseries UNMUTED, and our executive producer Charlotte, producer Milena, and showrunner Dena were invited to the panel to speak about their experiences creating the show. Thank you to all who attended!
Stay Informed
Help us drive social change by learning about the topics we cover.
In A First, West African Country Moves Toward Ending Ban on Female Genital Cutting
By: Rachel Chason
Gambia’s National Assembly voted to advance a bill overturning the ban on female genital cutting, sparking global concern. Lawmakers claim it’s about upholding cultural and religious rights. Gambia’s move could set a dangerous precedent, as FGM affects millions worldwide. Despite efforts to educate, some still support FGM, believing it controls women’s desires. Personal debates within families reveal generational divides on the issue.
DID YOU KNOW
The United Nations reports that approximately 75% of girls and women aged 15 to 49 in Gambia have undergone genital cutting, often referred to as female genital mutilation (FGM). Globally, over 200 million women and girls are believed to have survived this practice, which may involve the removal of parts of the clitoris and labia minora, and in extreme cases, the closure of the vaginal opening. Medical professionals emphasize that these procedures lack medical benefits and can result in various short- and long-term consequences, such as infections, intense pain, and infertility.
Notable Historical Individual Born in April
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou, born April 4, 1928, as Marguerite Johnson, was a celebrated
American poet, storyteller, activist, and autobiographer. Her diverse career included singing, dancing, acting, composing, and directing, making her Hollywood’s first female black director. However, her remarkable talent as a writer, editor, essayist, playwright, and poet brought her widespread acclaim. Angelou was a prominent figure in the civil rights movement, collaborating with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. She also made significant contributions to education as the Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University.
DID YOU KNOW
Angelou served on presidential committees for Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter. She received the National Medal of Arts from President Bill Clinton in 2000 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2010. She earned over 50 honorary degrees throughout her life, leaving behind a lasting legacy of inspiration and influence.
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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.
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