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Netflix and UN Women today launched “Because She Watched ” – a special Netflix collection of series, documentaries, and films to celebrate International Women’s Day. The collection, which will be available all year, is curated by female creators from behind and in front of the camera, who live all around the world – including Malaysia’s Fatimah Abu Bakar, Sophia Loren, Salma Hayek, Stranger Things’ star Millie Bobby Brown and Lana Condor from To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You.
“This collaboration is about taking on the challenge of telling women’s stories and showing women in all their diversity. It’s about making visible the invisible, and proving that only by fully representing and including women on screen, behind-the-camera and in our narratives overall, society will truly flourish,” said Anita Bhatia, UN Women Deputy Executive Director.
Please watch the video HERE
Created for International Women’s Day, whose official theme this year is “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights,” the collection celebrates the stories that have inspired the women who inspire us. These series, films and documentaries – Unbelievable, Luna Nera and Followers to Orange Is the New Black and Lionheart – have started important, often hard, conversations that have helped to challenge the status quo and the way we see the world.
“It’s important to see strong women characters on screen who defy the odds as they teach young women to stand up tall and overcome barriers. I felt the most empowered when I was involved in Maria, it mirrored my own life at the time and it was interesting to say the least to flit in and out of reality. The experience was truly enriching,”
– Fatimah Abu Bakar, well-admired Malaysian thespian, writer and acting coach.
The collection is available at Netflix.com/BecauseSheWatched – or by searching “Because She Watched ” on Netflix.
Every title in the collection will be labeled “XXXX’s Women’s Day Pick” so members can easily see who picked which story. In addition, members will be able to choose from a selection of “Because She Watched” profile icons to celebrate their favorite female characters from the collection.
Fatimah chose Babies, a docuseries that explores a decade of groundbreaking science that reveals the emotional and astounding story of a baby’s first year of life – from first breath to first steps.
“Babies lets us peep into the exquisitely mysterious world of these complex little human beings and how both parents are immensely involved in the process of raising and caring for them.
It’s important to show that fatherhood is just as deep as motherhood,”
“TV and film have the power to reflect and shape popular culture, which is why we believe it’s so important that more people see their lives reflected in storytelling,”
– Fatimah Abu Bakar
“Our research has shown that inclusion behind the camera leads to greater inclusion on screen.
We’re encouraged that last year, 20% of the directors of Netflix original films were women and we are excited to celebrate these female creators on International Women’s Day.
There’s still more to do to reach equality, but by recognizing female talent from around the world, we hope more women will feel encouraged to tell their stories, pushing that number even higher.”
– Dr. Stacy L. Smith, Founder of the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative
UN Women and Netflix’s partnership in support of the Generation Equality campaign comes on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, recognized as a visionary agenda for women’s rights. We hope that it will spread the message that realizing women’s rights means putting women front and center to achieve gender equality.
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Please find the women who curated the Because She Watched collection below:
Alejandra Azcárate – Colombia
Alice Wu – United States
Andrea Barata Ribeiro – Brazil
Anna Winger – Germany
Ava DuVernay – United States
Barbara Lopez – Mexico
Beren Saat – Turkey
Bruna Mascarenhas – Brazil
Cecilia Suárez – México
Chris Nee – United States
Christian Serratos – United States
Cindy Bishop – Thailand
Elena Fortes – Mexico
Esther Acebo – Spain
Fadily Camara – France
Fanny Herrero – France
Fatimah Abu Bakar – Malaysia
Francesca Comencini – Italy
Giovanna Ewbank – Brazil
Hanna Ardéhn – Sweden
Hazar Erguclu – Turkey
Hend Sabry – Egypt
Ida Elise Broch – Norway
Janet Mock – United States
Joyce Cheng – Hong Kong
Juliana Vicente – Brazil
Kemi Adetiba – Nigeria
Kiara Advani – India
Lali Espósito – Argentina
Lana Condor – United States
Lauren Morelli – United States
Laurie Nunn – England
Laverne Cox – United States
Liz Garbus – United States
Logan Browning – United States
Lynn Fainchtein – Mexico
Marcela Benjumea – Colombia
Mercedes Morán – Argentina
Mika Ninagawa – Japan
Millie Bobby Brown – United Kingdom
Mina El Hammani – Spain
Mindy Kaling – United States
Mira Lesmana – Indonesia
Mithila Palkar – India
Nahnatchka Khan – United States
Ngô Thanh Vân – Vietnam
Nosipho Dumisa – South Africa
Pathy Dejesus– Brazil
Paulina Garcia – Chile
Petra Costa – Brazil
Salma Hayek – Mexico
Sandi Tan – Singapore
Shefali Shah – India
Sophia Loren – Italy
Yalitza Aparicio – Mexico
Additional Quotes:
Shefali Shah’s Women’s Day Pick: Delhi Crime
“Women need to and must stand up for the rights of other women. The series brings to life the battle for justice that one woman fights on behalf of another, and the impact we can together make.”
Sophia Loren’s Women’s Day Pick: The Crown
“It takes resilience and courage to be yourself. The resilience to stand up to what society expects of you whilst never being the victim of other people’s expectations and the courage not to sacrifice who you are. This series left a strong impression with me because it deals with these themes.”
Salma Hayek’s Women’s Day Pick: Unbelievable
“A meaningful piece of work about the importance of women being heard. Director Lisa Cholodenko and writer Susannah Grant have created a riveting series by interweaving stories of different women – beautifully brought to life by an incredibly talented cast. This work is a reminder that women are precious and that our voices are essential in the fight for justice.”
Millie Bobby Brown’s Women’s Day Pick: Miss Americana
“I chose Miss Americana because it followed a true story of a woman trying to navigate a difficult industry.”
Lana Condor’s Women’s Day Pick: Grace and Frankie
“I chose Grace and Frankie because it champions the idea that women can be vibrant, active, entrepreneurs at any age. And celebrates the importance of female relationships.”
Mindy Kaling’s Women’s Day Pick: Chewing Gum
“Chewing Gum is one the most original comedy series of all time. Michaela Coel is hilarious and touching as a young, sheltered woman who longs for passion and adventure in her little English town. It’s wonderful to see such a talented, young woman of color create her own show.”
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About Netflix
Netflix is the world’s leading streaming entertainment service with over 167 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.
About UN Women
UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide.
