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The Photo Exhibit

This exhibit is funded by the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa.  It comprises photos taken during the filming of Girl Rising, including documentary shots of real girls and women living in the countries portrayed in the film.  The countries include Cambodia, India, Haiti, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Uganda, Egypt, Nepal, and Afghanistan.  The photo captions include more than just a brief title, they tell stories and give facts about the plight of girls around the world who try to gain access to education.  For example: “Azmera – Yilmana Densa, Ethiopia: It was her quiet strength that drew us to Azmera. She actually comes from a long line of strong women, but Azmera stands apart. She is the first to successfully refuse early marriage. Now 13, she told her mother that she wanted to stay in school rather than become a child bride. She lives with her mother and her older brother in this one-room mud house, which her mother built herself, in the Ethiopian highlands. With the help of World Vision, Azmera is going to school. Although it was outlawed in 2005, early marriage remains the norm in Ethiopia.  Nationally, more than 60% of Ethiopian girls will be married before they are 18. In rural areas, girls are often promised at birth and married before puberty, with little chance of more than a rudimentary education.”

The Film

Girl Rising is an innovative film at the center of 10×10, a global campaign to educate girls. It spotlights the stories of nine unforgettable girls born into unforgiving circumstances, demonstrating the strength of the human spirit and the power of education. The stories are narrated by Cate Blanchett, Pryanka Chopra, Selena Gomez, Anne Hathaway, Salma Hayek, Alicia Keys, Chloe Moretz, Freida Pinto, Meryl Streep, and Kerry Washington.

ABOUT The Documentary Group (http://thedocumentarygroup.com/)
The Documentary Group produces work based on a very simple principle: have faith in the intelligence, taste, curiosity and integrity of the audience. The Documentary Group was founded in 2006 by the core members of PJ Productions following the death of legendary broadcaster Peter Jennings. The producers and directors, who were for many years the team behind Jennings’ documentaries at ABC News, are dedicated to continuing the tradition of smart and innovative filmmaking while enthusiastically embracing the modern and expanding media landscape.

ABOUT 10X10 (http://10x10act.org/)
10×10 was founded by award-winning journalists at The Documentary Group and Vulcan Productions, along with strategic partner, Intel Corporation. 10×10 is built on a foundation of partnerships with NGOs, corporations, policy makers, and grassroots organizations — all working to change minds, lives, and policy.10×10’s film, Girl Rising, will be broadcast by CNN Films.