“One of the Most Innovative, Interesting, and Purpose-Driven Women Led Startups to Watch.” —Inc. Magazine
Women Rising® is an 11x award-winning production company, founded in 2013 by entertainment industry executive Sara Hirsh Bordo with the mission of creating content and experiences to empower women and girls.
In film production, Women Rising set out to explore social narratives while championing female heroes. With a world premiere at SXSW Film Festival, “A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story” went on to win awards at all 10 festivals it played, qualified for the Academy Award, secured domestic distribution through LifetimeTV and international through the National Geographic Channel, became an envoy for the U.S. Department of State’s American Film Showcase, and became a double honoree by the Webby Awards. In a second venture into championing female heroes, Women Rising proudly produced “Tightly Wound,” a brave and personal exploration of chronic pelvic pain authored by Shelby Hadden which was acquired by Conde Nast. As a third production, combining film and experience, Women Rising directed and produced “ProtectHer,” featuring Alexis Jones, in a first-of-its-kind documentary aimed at helping prevent sexual assault on campuses by empowering male athletes, acquired by Amazon Prime.
Women Rising has led several high-profile events such as the first TEDxAustinWomen in partnership with the United Nations Foundation, the 2017 Women’s March on Austin rally, which became the largest gathering of women in Texas History, as Executive Producer of March for Our Lives NYC, as Director and Executive Producer for the United State of Women Summit in Los Angeles, Prevention Magazine’s National R3 Summit, and the Official Women in Football Party at Super Bowl LIII.
In 2024, Women Rising releases its premiere, proprietary docu-study, with AUTOIMMUNITY AND THE “GOOD GIRLS”™. The research is the first sociological survey at the intersection of female empowerment and autoimmunity in American women.
With award-winning storytelling work for clients including Toyota, ESPNW, Sony, Marvel, Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Farmhouse Fresh Goods, TriDelta Sorority, and ConnectHer International Film Festival, Women Rising® represents a new kind of purpose-based, female focused production company.
FILMS
Protect her
With the belief that in order to safeguard the dorm rooms, we have to activate the influence of the locker rooms, ProtectHer is a first of its kind sexual assault prevention program focused on male athletes. The four-part film series is made up of a feature length documentary and three short companion pieces, accompanied by a companion educational curriculum. Premiered at Carmel International Film Festival, the film was acquired by Amazon Prime.
A BRAVE HEART: THE LIZZIE VELASQUEZ STORY
Born with a rare syndrome that prevents her from gaining weight, Lizzie was bullied in school and online as she discovered a video labeling her “The Ugliest Woman in the World”. Lizzie’s story proves that there is life on the other side of bullying and that self-worth and compassion are essential on that journey. Premiering and winning the Audience Award at SXSW 2015, the film was acquired by Cinedigm, NatGeo, LifetimeTV, and Amazon Prime. Available on iTunes.
Professor Iris Apfel’s UT in NYC
Women Rising was hired by The University of Texas at Austin to produce a short film documenting their award-winning UT in NYC program. This celebrity taught experiential learning program is like none other in the world for students because it was programmed by legendary New York City fashion icon and visiting professor Iris Apfel.
In Partnership with the University of Texas at Austin
EXPERIENCES
United State of Women summit
Women Rising directed and produced all filming at the 2018 United State of Women Summit in Los Angeles headlined by Former First Lady Michelle Obama. Our team filmed and streamed the 8 hour summit as well as brought Hollywood together for the first time to stream and sponsor the programming for women across the country. Women Rising was very proud to unite YouTube and Facebook as co-streaming partners with Dreamworks TV, Sony Pictures, and Paramount Pictures as co-sponsors of the summit.
FEMALE STORYTELLERS CONTEST
In partnership with Lionsgate, Imagine Entertainment, Women Rising and the director of The Spy Who Dumped Me , we are creating an opportunity for female storytellers to share meaningful, heartfelt, and hilarious stories with the world. Inspired by The Spy Who Dumped Me, a hilarious buddy comedy starring Mila Kunis and Kate KcKinnon and directed by Susanna Fogel, we are inviting female filmmakers to share their stories about enduring friendships - with lots of laughs! The winner will be chosen and rewarded $15,000 to create their next short film, a trip to Los Angeles for an influencer screening of The Spy Who Dumped Me and a meet and greet with the filmmakers.
MARCH FOR OUR LIVES NYC
March for Our Lives was created, inspired, and led by students across the country who will no longer risk their lives waiting for someone else to take action to stop the epidemic of school shootings that has become all too familiar. In the tragic wake of the seventeen lives brutally cut short, dozens injured and thousands impacted in Parkland, Florida, Women Rising came on board as Consulting Producers for the March for our Lives NYC to help amplify the voices of survivors.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY WITH MARIA SHRIVER
To celebrate International Women's Day 2018, Women Rising hosted a sold out, private book signing in Austin featuring Maria Shriver and her New York Times Best Seller, "I've Been Thinking... Reflections, Prayers, and Meditations for a Meaningful Life." Women coming together to champion each other one heroine at a time: welcome to what's ahead for Women Rising!