July 2026 Newsletter
WXF at Sunnyside of the Doc 2026
Last month, we shared that Charlotte would be speaking at Sunny Side of the Doc 2026. The panel was a fantastic opportunity to connect with documentary filmmakers and industry leaders from around the world.
Charlotte joined moderator Amanda Groom (The Bridge), alongside filmmaker Aliya Jasmine, Stephen Segaller of The WNET Group, and producer Lea Fels for the panel Funding Models of the Future: How to Get Your Documentary Made. The conversation covered the changing landscape of documentary financing, and Charlotte shared the journey of UNMUTED, from an initial idea to a completed series, along with insights from our current slate of projects.
Many thanks to the Sunny Side of the Doc team for the invitation and to everyone who joined the discussion. It was a pleasure to exchange ideas and hear how filmmakers are finding new ways to bring important stories to life.
We Went to Westland Impact Festival!
From Left: Wei, Anderson (Founder of Westland Festival), and CharlotteThe team at WXF attended this year’s Westland Impact Festival in the beautiful state of Montana.
UNMUTED‘s Child Brides and Unveiling the Scars were selected as part of the festival lineup. Charlotte and Wei also joined a panel discussion moderated by climate and human rights advocate Ayisha Siddiqa, exploring the role of documentary filmmaking in advancing social change.
You’ve probably read this in our newsletter before, but we’ll happily say it again: one of our favorite parts of attending festivals is what happens after the credits roll. In Whitefish, we spoke with audience members who shared that they had never heard about child marriage or FGM/C happening in the U.S. or in their own home countries. It’s always incredibly rewarding to see these films spark curiosity, thoughtful conversations, and a desire to learn more. That’s exactly why we believe impact work is just as important as making the film itself.
While we were at the festival, we learned something previously we didn’t know about, related to the question of:
What Does Climate Change Have to Do with Child Marriage?
Ayisha Siddiqa giving her keynote speech at Westland Festival
Sometimes the most interesting part of a film festival happens after you leave the theater. At Westland Impact Festival, we found ourselves talking with climate justice advocate Ayisha Siddiqa about the unexpected ways climate change affects girls around the world. She explained that climate change can contribute to child marriage, a connection we had heard of but weren’t familiar with. That conversation sent us down a research rabbit hole, and what we found was both surprising and deeply concerning.
When most of us think about climate change, we picture rising temperatures, melting glaciers, or more frequent natural disasters. We rarely think about child marriage. But for families already living on the edge, a failed harvest, prolonged drought, or devastating flood can mean losing their income, their home, or even access to school. According to a recent United Nations Population Fund evidence brief, these environmental crises can intensify many of the very conditions that drive child marriage, including poverty, displacement, interrupted education, and increased risks of gender-based violence. In some communities, families see marrying off a daughter as a way to reduce financial strain or to protect her during times of uncertainty.
“The floods took all our harvest…I tried to negotiate to tell my parents that I wasn’t ready, that I didn’t want to get married, but they told me that I had to because that would mean one mouth less at the table. I had to get married because they didn’t have enough to feed the whole family.”
— A witness statement from Malawi
Social issues rarely exist in isolation. Child marriage is not only about culture or tradition. It is also connected to economics, education, and now, increasingly, climate resilience. Understanding these helps us think differently about solutions. Preventing child marriage is not just about changing laws. It is also about helping communities weather crises, keeping girls in school, and ensuring families have the support they need when disaster strikes.
Between screenings and panels at Westland Impact Festival, we couldn’t help but take in the incredible scenery. Sharing a picture of the Whitefish Lake:
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.
