Netflix, UN Women Launch ‘Because She Watched’ Collection

Dave McNary
·5 min read

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Netflix and UN Women have launched the “Because She Watched” collection of series, documentaries, and films created for the upcoming 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, including Sophia Loren, Salma Hayek, Yalitza Aparicio, Millie Bobby Brown, Laurie Nunn, Lana Condor, Petra Costa and Ava DuVernay. It includes “Orange Is the New Black,” “Marriage Story,” “Bird Box,” “Silence of the Lambs,” “House of Cards,” “Queer Eye,” “The Crown,” “Gravity,” “Roma” and “Paris Is Burning.”

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“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.

International Women’s Day will be celebrated on March 8 with the theme “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights.” The collection is aimed at celebrating the stories that have inspired the women who inspire us.

“Having a world where everyone is truly represented is about true democracy. And truly seeing ourselves allows us to envision endless possibilities for ourselves and each other,, said Laverne Cox. “’Orange Is the New Black’ is the first project where I felt genuinely empowered as a woman thanks to the woman at the helm of the show, Jenji Kohan, and the many women directors, writers, producers, and crew members as well as the stories that centered diverse women in an unprecedented way. This show created a space and platform for me as a black openly trans woman that created space for other openly trans women of all races to be truly seen in the depth of our humanity.”

UN Women and Netflix noted that the partnership in support of the Generation Equality campaign comes on the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, recognized as a visionary agenda for women’s rights.

“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”, said Dr. Stacy L. Smith, Founder of the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. “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.”

The following women helped program the collection:

Alejandra Azcárate (Colombia) – Vis a Vis

Alice Wu (United States) – Frances Ha

Andrea Barata Ribeiro (Brazil) – Sex Education

Anna Winger (Germany) – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Ava DuVernay (United States) – A Wrinkle in Time

Barbara Lopez (Mexico) – Scandal

Beren Saat (Turkey) – Bird Box

Bruna Mascarenhas (Brazil) – Quien te cantará

Cecilia Suárez (Mexico) – Marriage Story

Chris Nee (United States) – Orange is the New Black

Christian Serratos (United States) – The Goop Lab

Cindy Bishop (Thailand) – Anne with an E

Elena Fortes (Mexico) – Atlantique

Esther Acebo (Spain) – Chef’s Table: Bo Songvisava

Fadily Camara (France) – How to Get Away with Murder

Fanny Herrero (France) – Je Parle Toute Seule

Fatimah Abu Bakar (Malaysia) – Babies

Francesca Comencini (Italy) – What Happened, Miss Simone?

Giovanna Ewbank (Brazil) – The Most Beautiful Thing

Hanna Ardéhn (Sweden) – Silence of the Lambs

Hazar Erguclu (Turkey) – House of Cards

Hend Sabry (Egypt) – Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold

Ida Elise Broch (Norway) – RuPaul’s Drag Race

Janet Mock (United States) – Paris Is Burning

Joyce Cheng (Hong Kong) – Queer Eye

Juliana Vicente (Brazil) – When They See Us

Kemi Adetiba (Nigeria) – King of Boys

Kiara Advani (India) – Lust Stories

Lali Espósito (Argentina) – Notting Hill

Lana Condor (United States) – Grace and Frankie

Lauren Morelli (United States) – Julie & Julia

Laurie Nunn (England) – The Keepers

Laverne Cox (United States) – A Call to Courage

Liz Garbus (United States) – She’s Gotta Have It

Logan Browning (United States) – Someone Great

Lynn Fainchtein (Mexico) – 2001:Space Odyssey

Marcela Benjumea (Colombia) – Dead to Me

Mercedes Morán (Argentina) – Aquarius

Mika Ninagawa (Japan) – In the Realm of the Senses

Millie Bobby Brown (United Kingdom) – Miss Americana

Mina El Hammani (Spain) – ¿Qué Co#o Está Pasando?

Mindy Kaling (United States) – Chewing Gum

Mira Lesmana (Indonesia) – ROMA

Mithila Palkar (India) – Hannah Gadsby’s Nanette

Nahnatchka Khan (United States) – Young Adult

Ngô Thanh Vân (Vietnam) – Wonder Woman

Nosipho Dumisa (South Africa) – Gravity

Pathy Dejesus (Brazil) – Raising Dion

Paulina Garcia (Chile) – Deux Jours, Une Nuit

Petra Costa (Brazil) – Feminists: What Were They Thinking?

Salma Hayek (Mexico) – Unbelievable

Sandi Tan (Singapore) – Russian Doll

Shefali Shah (India) – Delhi Crime

Sophia Loren (Italy) – The Crown

Yalitza Aparicio (Mexico) – Knock Down the House

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