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Girl Rising is a documentary film that focuses on the lives of nine girls from different parts of the world, who have had to overcome social barriers to fulfill their potential. The film has a distinct feminist and advocacy tone, and it seeks to highlight the importance of education and gender equality in empowering girls. The film is directed by Richard E. Robbins and was released in 2013. Through a series of vignettes, the film tells the stories of nine girls: Amina from Afghanistan, Senna from Peru, Suma from Nepal, Ruksana from India, Mariama from Sierra Leone, Azmera from Ethiopia, Sokha from Cambodia, Wadley from Haiti, and Yasmin from Egypt. The film is narrated by a diverse range of actresses, including Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Salma Hayek, and Meryl Streep, and was produced by Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Productions.

The film's central goal is to convey the message that access to education is a fundamental human right, and that educating girls is key to solving many of the world's most pressing problems. The stories shared in the film are all based on real-life experiences of girls who are fighting to overcome poverty, gender discrimination, and social exclusion.

Amina, for instance, is shown as a young girl living in Kabul, Afghanistan, where her dreams of going to school are shattered when the Taliban takes over. She is forced to flee with her family and, years later, returns to her hometown as a teacher, inspiring the next generation of girls. Similarly, Azmera, a young girl from Ethiopia, is shown as the breadwinner for her family, working as a servant, and struggling to make ends meet. Despite these hardships, she is determined to go to school and get an education.

The film also highlights the plight of millions of girls worldwide who are subjected to practices such as child marriage, trafficking, and sexual slavery. Mariama, for instance, is a young girl from Sierra Leone who was forced into prostitution at a young age, but who later escapes and gains an education, using her experiences to fight against child sex trafficking.

Additionally, the film explores how the world's economic and political systems create and maintain gender inequality. It exposes the ways in which socio-cultural norms limit girls' access to education and impact their ability to participate fully in their communities. For example, Sokha, a young girl from Cambodia, is shown struggling to receive an education despite facing immense social pressure to drop out and provide for her family.

Ultimately, the film's message is that education is the key to empowering girls and breaking down societal barriers. Through the powerful stories of the nine girls, the film aims to inspire viewers to action and to become advocates for gender equality and girls' education. Girl Rising is a moving and poignant film that seeks to shed light on the struggles of girls around the world while also inspiring hope for a more just and equitable future.

Girl Rising is a 2013 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 42 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2 and a MetaScore of 59.