“There is a group of people in the world today who are more persecuted than anyone else, but they are not political or religious activists. They are girls. Being born a girl means you are more likely to be subjected to violence, disease, poverty, and disadvantage than any other group on Earth.”
In honor of National Women’s Month, we will be watching I am a Girl: Girls Around the World, a documentary that follows a collective of young women living their lives across the world. If you thought the biography for this documentary was intense, just wait until you watch the film.
In this documentary, we follow 6 girls; Breani (17) lives in a “ghetto” of New York City and is trying to make her way out of the black hole that thrives in her neighborhood, Azizi (17) lives in Afghanistan and lost her father to the Taliban, Katie (17) is a straight-A student who lives in Australia and is recovering from a suicide attempt, Habiba (17) lives in Cameroon and is about to leave her parents and “take the plunge into married life”, Manu (19) is adjusting to life as a new mother, and Kimsey (14) has sold herself to make ends meet for her family in Cambodia.
I found this documentary very eye-opening. I am a Girl has won numerous awards and I can see why. The team who worked on this project did a great job transferring us from our normal lives into different cultures. Especially, when referring to Azizi or Kimsey. I cannot imagine living in their situations. Azizi escaped the Taliban, losing her father in the process, and Kimsey had to sell her body in order to care for her family. We see the father of her children threaten her numerous times and hear how she lost her child for a cost. It really puts you in their shoes and asks you the question, “What would you do?”
If you are interested in pieces of life movies, I highly recommend this one. The audience will relate to any aspect of this film just by the casting alone and will introduce them to different ways of life. I very much had culture shock, and I am sure others will too.
To watch this documentary, click here. To learn more about the film, along with awards won and study guides, visit the film’s website at https://iamagirl.com.au/.
