This timely and incisive film from director Jennifer Siebel Newsom expands on her acclaimed 2011 documentary Miss Representation, which examined how messaging from mainstream media and culture have long limited women’s pathways to power. Now, 15 years later, the landscape has grown more complex — and more hostile. A rising, punitive backlash against women’s progress now converges with a relentless digital culture, where social media amplifies toxic messaging 24/7 and can erode women’s self-esteem, mental health, and public engagement. With the advancement of sophisticated algorithms and AI, these technologies are increasingly weaponized to target women and girls in order to harass, harm and, ultimately, silence them. Young women particularly struggle to navigate this minefield of abuse, and many are discouraged from risking these threats to take on leadership roles and positions of political power. 

Through impactful firsthand accounts, this film centers the voices of young women across the country, illuminating their experiences, concerns, and resilience, while influential women leaders including Nancy Pelosi, Katie Couric, Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Amy Klobuchar offer perspective and guidance. Miss Representation: Rise Up reignites the urgent dialogue around empowering women through agency, giving them tools not just to survive but to thrive.—Andrea Passafiume

After the Premiere: A conversation with Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, Dr. Safiya Noble, Nina Jankowicz, and Jim Steyer.