Nasro, the 17-year-old protagonist of Girl Rising’s “Brave Girl Rising,” is a refugee and “a child with no mother, from a people with no home.” However, as the new trailer for the short film reveals, Nasro is also a leader. “I choose to help the girls around me,” she explains. She reaches out to other young women in similar circumstances and, together, they form their own community, one based on love and mutual support.
“We will be our own mothers,” Nasro declares. “We must be the big sisters we never had.”
Directed by Martha Adams and Richard E. Robbins and written by poet laureate Warsan Shire, “Brave Girl Rising” is a collaboration between Girl Rising, a nonprofit aiming to educate and empower young women around the world, The International Rescue Committee (IRC), and Citi. The short is set to premiere on Girl Rising’s website on March 8, International Women’s Day. Actress and Time’s Up activist Tessa Thompson provides the voice of Nasro.
Girl Rising, IRC, and Citi, in partnership with HP and social change agency Amplifier, are launching a campaign to coincide with “Brave Girl Rising’s” debut. It involves screening toolkits, action guides, curricula, and a street art initiative.
“At a moment when 68.5 million people are displaced worldwide, around half of whom are women, this film brings much-needed awareness to the challenges faced by women and girls in crisis,” stated Nicole Behnam of IRC in a press release. “Campaigns like this ensure the most vulnerable women are part of the global conversation, and show the importance of prioritizing their safety, education, and wellbeing. The International Rescue Committee is proud to support and empower girls like Nasro around the world, so that they can recover from violence and take control of their lives.”
“We want to get people talking about the reality for refugee girls all over the globe, the barriers they face in securing basic human rights, and the truly transformative power of education for girls living as refugees,” added Christina Lowery, CEO of Girl Rising. “We believe films like ours can turn bystanders into activists and we have seen first-hand the results of people who become engaged in the issue and are inspired to act.”
Check out “Brave Girl Rising’s” trailer below. You can watch the short over at Girl Rising beginning March 8.
