Girl Rising Premieres in New York, Opens On Demand in Theaters Nationwide

NEW YORK, March 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Girl Rising, Academy Award-nominated director Richard E. Robbins' new feature film about the strength of the human spirit and the power of education to change the world, premiered last night in New York at the Paris Theatre.

Narrated by Cate Blanchett, Priyanka Chopra, Selena Gomez, Anne Hathaway, Salma Hayek, Alicia Keys, Chloe Moretz, Liam Neeson, Frieda Pinto, Meryl Streep, and Kerry Washington, the movie is the centerpiece of 10x10 – a global campaign to educate and empower girls.

The premiere – hosted by Intel Corporation, Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Productions, and CNN Films – drew Allison Williams, Lauren Bush Lauren,  Sami Gayle, Claire Coffee, Jeff Zucker, John Hockenberry, Connie Chung, Holly Peterson, Cathie Black, Lesley Stahl and others to screen the film and support 10x10.
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Girl Rising hits theaters today – the eve of International Women's Day.

Using an innovative, demand-based theatrical distribution platform called Gathr, 438 screenings are currently being organized nationwide – with more than 37,000 tickets pre-reserved. New screening requests are coming in at a rate of about 40 per day. Through Gathr, anyone anywhere in the United States can crowdsource Girl Rising into their local movie theaters.

Girl Rising has a traditional run through March 15^th in New York at Cinema Village, and in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Theatre.

Produced by award-winning former ABC News journalists of The Documentary Group and Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Productions, Girl Rising is powered by strategic founding partner, Intel Corporation, and global television distribution partner, CNN Films.

"Girl Rising is about the formative impact education can have on a girl's life," said director, Richard E. Robbins. "Girl Rising's nine stories represent millions of girls who deserve to go to school, but can't. Thanks to the remarkable organizing efforts of people around the country, Girl Rising will be seen by thousands around the nation who've demanded a screening. This is a new model for impact filmmaking, and one we hope can help us get girls into school."

Each girl's story is written by a renowned writer from her native country: Marie Arana, Edwidge Danticat, Mona Eltahawy, Aminatta Forna, Zarghuna Kargar, Maaza Mengiste, Sooni Taraporevala, Manjushree Thapa, and Loung Ung.

"Intel's extensive global education work has found a great marriage with 10x10 and its global social action campaign to educate and empower girls," said Shelly Esque, vice president of Intel's Corporate Affairs Group and president of the Intel Foundation. "We leveraged our relationships and resources beyond simply funding with the hope that our strengths, along with a non-profit, the creative industry, and NGOs, can together catalyze change and raise awareness to educate girls."

"Filmmakers often use movies to raise awareness about causes and issues, but our goal is to go a step beyond that and help the audience take action once they leave the theater," said Paul G. Allen, founder of Vulcan Productions. "We believe in making films that make a difference, and we're eager to see girls' education gain momentum as a result of Girl Rising."

"This is an exciting moment for 10x10, which has built a movement around educating girls" said Holly Gordon, Executive Director of 10x10. "It is particularly poignant that we launched our campaign on the eve of International Day of the Girl, and will release Girl Rising – the centerpiece of our campaign – on the eve of International Women's Day.  The movement has matured, and as a result, we've been able to crowdsource Girl Rising into hundreds of movie theaters across the nation. I urge people to continue to request screenings, and turn awareness into action by supporting the 10x10 Fund for Girls Education."

The 10x10 Fund for Girls Education goes to 10x10's high-impact network of non-profit partners and leaders in girls' education: A New Day Cambodia, CARE, Girl Up/United Nations Foundation, Partners in Health, Plan International USA, Room to Read, and World Vision.

The executive producers of Girl Rising are Tom Yellin, Holly Gordon, Paul G. Allen and Jody Allen. Following the theatrical run, Girl Rising will be seen around the world when it premieres on CNN in June.

ABOUT 10X10
10x10 was founded by award-winning journalists at The Documentary Group and Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Productions, along with strategic partner, Intel Corporation. 10x10 is built on a foundation of partnerships with NGOs, corporations, policy makers, and grassroots organizations — all working to change minds, lives, and policy. 10x10's coalition of NGO partners include a high-impact network of champions and leaders in girls' education. These organizations provide life-changing services to girls every day, and are among the best practitioners of their kind. 10x10's film, Girl Rising, has been acquired by CNN Films and will be broadcast on CNN in the summer of 2013.

SOURCE 10x10