WXF October 2024 Newsletter
WXF Updates
WXF at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting
Without Exception Films has been selected as commitment-makers for both UNMUTED and Stolen Sisters at the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting. These two films will represent the WXF’s commitment to advocacy and awareness campaigns focused on women and girls’ equality. Through educational screenings, actionable toolkits, and comprehensive social media campaigns, the films aim to drive meaningful policy change and provide direct services, engaging both communities and policymakers to inspire lasting solutions to critical social issues.
Founded by President Bill Clinton in 2005, the Clinton Global Initiative is a community of doers representing a broad cross section of society and dedicated to the idea that we can accomplish more together than we can apart. Through CGI’s unique model, more than 10,000 organizations have launched more than 4,000 Commitments to Action — new, specific, and measurable projects and programs – that are making a difference in the lives of more than 500 million people in 180 countries.
STOLEN SISTERS
Directed by filmmaker Valerie Red-Horse Mohl (Cherokee) and produced by Dawn Jackson (Saginaw Chippewa) of Red-Horse Native Productions, this documentary brings attention to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) crisis in the U.S. The film highlights the systemic failures that contribute to this epidemic while also focusing on the efforts of Indigenous leadership working towards meaningful solutions. We are seeking $1.2 million to complete the film and support an impact campaign that drives awareness and advocacy.
Here are links to our Stolen Sisters One Sheet and Sizzle Reel.
UNMUTED
A 2024 Realscreen MIPTV Pick, UNMUTED is a three-part docuseries that explores the harsh realities of gender-based violence, focusing on child marriage, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), and acid attacks. The series follows eight survivors on their journeys toward reclaiming their agency while highlighting organizations working to protect women and girls globally. We are currently seeking $400,000, with a minimum investment of $100,000 to launch a 12-month impact campaign that includes educational screenings, social media initiatives, and policymaker workshops.
Here are links to our UNMUTED One Sheet and Sizzle Reel.
Visit withoutx.com to learn more about our commitments.
Face-to-Face at Last: Dave Cole Trades Zoom Filters for LA Sunshine!
The WXF team caught up with Dave Cole from Evolution Post, a post-production house based in Sydney, Australia, on his last trip to Los Angeles. After so much work done through Zoom and email it is always nice to connect in person!
Stay Informed
Help us drive social change by learning about the topics we cover.
Mark Ruffalo Joined the Navajo Nation’s 3-Mile Walk to the Polls, Here’s Why
Excerpt from People, Authored by Kyler Alvord and Lizzie Hyman
On October 12th, Mark Ruffalo joined the Navajo Nation’s 3-mile walk to the polls, a civic campaign to boost voter turnout among young Indigenous people in the 2024 presidential election. Side by side, Ruffalo and members of the Diné (Navajo)
community walked to a ballot drop box to cast their votes early, honoring 100 years of Native American citizenship. Allie Redhorse Young, Diné activist and founder of the youth engagement initiative Protect the Sacred, says “This is a way to draw attention to all of the barriers [to voting], one of them being the long distances we have to travel — 45 minutes to an hour’s drive — to register to vote, and also to cast the ballot”.
DID YOU KNOW
Native Americans continue to face voter suppression, with several states having enacted laws that have made it increasingly difficult for Indigenous communities to vote. Many reservations don’t have traditional street addresses recognized by the USPS. Additionally, some reservations don’t have any polling places or drop boxes at all, forcing voters to take time off of work and drive miles out of their way to cast their ballot. A 2017 survey of Native Americans reported that 32 percent of respondents in South Dakota said that the distance needed to travel to the polls affected their decision to cast a ballot.
Women Taking Action
Mathilde Wittock’s Solution to Tennis Ball Waste
Excerpt from CNN, Authored by Leah Dolan
With the U.S. Open coming to a close, tennis watching and playing is at an all-time high. However, with the sport comes the rapid production and disposal of tennis balls. In fact, around 300 million tennis balls are produced each year — and almost all of them end up in landfills, taking over 400 years to decompose. Designer Mathilde Wittock took action against this environmental injustice and created eco-conscious furniture, giving used tennis balls a new life. Wittock has no plans on stopping here and intends on tapping into tens of thousands of tennis clubs in North America.
DID YOU KNOW
Mathilde Wittock defines herself as a bio/ecodesigner and material researcher.
Having studied biodesign and industrial design at Central Saint Martins in London, she uses her skillset to push the boundary for what is possible for design and uses unique materials to create a positive environmental impact.
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!
