Half the Sky

"Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity For Women Worldwide" made its broadcast premiere as a part of PBS's Independent Lens series and was introduced by George Clooney. Although gender inequality is certainly not a new topic, New York Times reporters (and Pulitzer Prize winners) Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDann explored the globe while writing the acclaimed 2009 bestseller on which this four hour presentation is based. They covered stories both harrowing and heartfelt. Encountering seemingly hopeless situations, they met courageous individuals who worked within the system (or oftentimes against it) to help affect positive change. They attracted enormous media attention upon the book's publication, so the expectations for this documentary series were high. Kristof is a major face in this production and he has enlisted some famous names to participate in the various segments of the film.

Here's a run down of the chapters:

1) Eva Mendes in Sierra Leone (Gender Based Violence): Mendes and Kristof report on a situation where most attacks against women go unreported. They meet up with a representative (Amie Kandeh) of the International Rescue Committee whose efforts to educate and protect women are tireless.

2) Meg Ryan in Cambodia (Sex Trafficking): In this episode, Ryan and Kristof meet a leader in the anti-trafficking struggle (Somaly Mam). In a country where about a third of the prostitutes are children, Mam personalizes the story as she herself was sold into the sex trade as a child. Her efforts to rehabilitate brothel girls packs a strong emotional punch.

3) Gabrielle Union in Vietnam (Education): Union and Kristof visit the country with John Wood. As a marketing executive with Microsoft, Wood has introduced Room to Read which is an organization that promotes both literacy and equal opportunity education for girls within developing nations. As girls can be seen as second class citizens in places like Vietnam, they sometimes are pulled from school and not given the same opportunities as boys.

4) Diane Lane in Somaliland (Maternal Mortality): The unpleasant fact in Somaliland is that one in twelve women die in childbirth. A combination of poor nutrition, female genital mutilation, and general neglect have made the act of giving life an unprecedented danger. They meet Edna Adan who has started the country's first maternal health facility.

5) America Ferrera in India (Forced Prostitution): In India, there are about 3 million prostitutes with 1.2 million of them being children. Girls often follow their mothers into the trade with no other outlet. Here we meet Urmi Basu who works in the infamous red light district to try to break down these patterns and conventions.

6) Olivia Wilde in Kenya (Education): Wilde visits the Shining Hope for Communities organization and the Kibera School for Girls. Here we see a tuition free education established for promoting the advancement and opportunity of local girls who never had access to such things before.

DVD Extras: The two disc set has about 90 minutes of Bonus Material including deleted scenes, extended scenes and interviews, Public Service Announcements, Trailers, Mini-campaign videos, Action Suggestions, and additional content.

"Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity For Women Worldwide" personalizes a lot of unpleasant situations! But it also showcases a fortitude and determination of those that struggle to make an impact. Hopeful and inspirational, it's hard not to connect with the stories and champions introduced here. Watch it and you will be convinced that one person CAN make a difference. KGHarris, 11/12.

I sat mesmerized by this incredible documentary. It achieved its purpose. It opened my eyes and my heart to the tremendous need for education of everyone about the travesty of the destruction of innocence in sexually enslaved children as young as two and three years of age. Sexual slavery has been around for a long time and it is time to stop it. It is time to be aware of what is happening and stop it. It is time to support all those who have worked to bring awareness to the rest of us. Half the Sky documentary is an excellent example of awareness raising educational film making. I was blown away by the balance of horror and lovingkindness portrayed. Kudos to all involved in this process of consiousness raising. Awesome! Thank you.

Just saw this documentary on PBS this evening and was deeply touched by the brave, resourceful and resilient women it features, and their personal journeys from utter despair to a sense of hope and direction. This video underscores how, despite the unimaginable atrocities endured by women across the planet and particularly in developing countries, with some basic practical help, they absolutely have the potential to move beyond the enslavement, disempowerment and suffering to become positive role models, movers and leaders in their communities and to break the cycle of abuse in future generations. Besides giving regular people some ideas of how we can make a difference, this project also shows how those who have achieved a high level of success and, in some cases, fame, can make all the more impact by using their status, resources and limelight to highlight and champion those who are the most disenfranchised. For in helping those who have the least, collectively, we can experience the greatest sense of fulfillment and make the wisest investment in the future of our global community and our planet. This video is highly recommended as both informative and inspirational!