Last night I saw Girl Rising.

This movie is about the unbreakable spirit of girls living in situations that most American girls couldn’t even fathom. It’s about their need for help as they fight oppression; fighting for things that we take advantage of daily—things like education and choice.

This gripping film is directed by Academy Award nominee Richard Robbins and showcases nine actresses telling nine stories of nine girls, from nine different countries.

Their often dark, traumatic tales of slavery, sexual assault and severe oppression are not only lightened, but are defined by, the surprisingly powerful and hopeful voices they use to inspire change and growth for women in their communities, in their situations—and for girls and women everywhere.

Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, Selena Gomez, Liam Neeson, Salma Hayek and Alicia Keys, among others, offer their voices as narrators to this amazing tribute to the spirit that resides in all girls in all locations around the globe—a voice of resiliency, intelligence, creativity and vision.

Check out this trailer and find out about screenings in your town or help donate to the cause. (Or find out how to bring a showing to your theater.)

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Ed: Bryonie Wise