Film to Drive Awareness and Resources to MMIWG Crisis
Summary
In 2024, Stolen Sisters Inc. committed to launch an awareness and impact campaign to combat the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls crisis in the United States, Canada, and Australia, reaching 500,000 people by mid-2026. Through screenings of Stolen Sisters, a documentary telling the story of this crisis, co-hosted with partner organizations, the campaign will drive awareness of the shocking reality affecting nearly 85% of Native American women, as well as its impact on families and loved ones. Associated impact campaign activations will focus on legislative changes to direct more resources and inter-agency collaboration; funding resources for services such as victims advocates and juvenile services; and elevating the conversation among the public and relevant institutions across the U.S. This commitment aims to offer healing and hope to those impacted by motivating audiences to increase their understanding of the subject matter, moving them to participate in changemaking activities, and driving resources to solving the issue.
Approach
Without Exception Films, partnering with Red-Horse Native Productions, from herein “the team”, are developing a feature documentary film, STOLEN SISTERS, and impact campaign to highlight the MMIWG crisis in the United States, bring awareness and resources to solving the issue, and offer healing and hope to those impacted.
The team have secured story access to the families of MMIWG victims in Michigan, as well as a local Indigenous journalist, and a private investigator that helped the families in investigating potential law enforcement missteps.
The team will work with the 12 tribes of Michigan to amplify the positive impact attained by joining forces with each other, with the government and law enforcement agencies, as well as the newly appointed MMIP Coordinator to oversee the justice process. The team is informed by a network of nonprofits including Uniting Three Fires Against Violence, Sovereign Bodies Institute, Butterflies in Spirit, and National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, who focus on MMIWG issues.
STOLEN SISTERS will feature these organizations who offer “boots on the ground” and lived experience of the problems faced by Native women and girls. The film will explore the solutions these non profits bring to the problems that exist across the nation and offer hope to Indigenous communities.
The STOLEN SISTERS documentary will be a wake up call to the viewer revealing the shocking reality and effect on families and loved ones, motivating the audience to increase their understanding of the subject matter and moving them to participate in changemaking activities through the accompanying impact campaign.
The STOLEN SISTERS impact campaign is focused on legislative changes to direct more resources and inter-agency collaboration; funding resources for services such as victims advocates and juvenile services; and elevating the conversation among the public and relevant institutions across the USA.
Action Plan
Stolen Sisters’ team are currently seeking funding for two parallel work streams: the production and distribution of STOLEN SISTERS the documentary; and the accompanying impact campaign.
In Q1 2025, finalizing funding and beginning eight weeks of coordination and planning in the pre-production stage. In Q2 2025, there will be four weeks of principal photography, with the production team located in Michigan and filming with various subjects. After production, in Q3 and Q4 of 2025, there will be 16 weeks of post-production, where footage will be edited and assembled before being sent to online editing for coloring and sound mix.
After the post production is complete, there will be an impact campaign accompanying the film’s release. Ideally, the campaign will run from Q1 2026 to Q3 2026, the extent and duration will depend upon the level of funding achieved. The first stage is “preparation and partnerships” in Q4 2025, where the team will organize strategy meetings with nonprofits, funders, and other stakeholders to review the film, and identify quantifiable parameters for measuring campaign results.
The second stage is “education, awareness, and change”, in Q1 through Q3 2026, when screening events will be co-hosted by the team and partnering organizations. There will be social media amplification and support. The impact team will identify key geographical areas for legislative change through grassroot petitions. Simultaneously, the campaign will drive the public to contribute to the nonprofit partners through either volunteering or donations.
The last stage will be “evaluation”, where team members will compile and analyze gathered data and also discuss with partnering organizations on what campaign effects and measures could be long lasting after the impact campaign is over. This stage will last approximately two months.
Background
The National Institute of Justice reports that 84.3% of Native American women experience violence in their lifetime, and over 56% have endured sexual violence. In 2016, the National Crime Information Center documented 5,712 cases of missing Native American women and girls, yet only 116 were included in the Department of Justice’s federal missing persons database (*UIHI-Urban Indian Health Institute) . This highlights a significant discrepancy in data reporting and lack of law enforcement response. Indigenous victims are frequently not categorized or filed correctly in statistics, further hindering the public from understanding this epidemic known as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) .
Factors contributing to this epidemic include historical trauma, systemic racism, inadequate law enforcement response, and jurisdictional complexities between federal, state, and tribal authorities. These issues perpetuate the marginalization and vulnerability of Indigenous women, creating a cycle of violence and neglect. Addressing the MMIWG crisis requires a multifaceted approach: comprehensive law enforcement reforms, improved data collection and sharing, support for Indigenous-led initiatives, and a commitment to justice for victims and their families.
STOLEN SISTERS director Valerie Red-Horse Mohl, of Cherokee descent, has directed and produced eight award winning impact documentaries including PBS documentaries MANKILLER, CHOCTAW CODE TALKERS, and NAVAJO CODE TALKERS. Her producing partner Dawn Jackson has over 30 years of experience working at Walt Disney company, overseeing Indigenous cultural affairs in their programming. They are masters at storytelling through an Indigenous lens.
Without Exception Films, as the co-production company on the film, has extensive experience in working on complex and intimate subject matters in a sensitive and compelling manner. Current and previous projects tackle issues such as female genital mutilation (FGM/C) , child marriage and acid attacks. The company has used issue-based content to drive impact on these topics.
Progress Update
Partnership Opportunities
STOLEN SISTERS is currently seeking financial resources to support the production of the documentary as well as the film’s impact campaign in order to complete and scale the commitment.
Additionally, there are a few areas where Stolen Sisters Inc. is seeking implementing partners to amplify their campaign and messaging. These areas include: distribution partners; screening partners who could provide locations and support in hosting screening events; educational partners, such as schools and colleges, who could work together with the impact campaign to establish educational programs on MMIWG for students, law enforcements, and volunteers etc.; and funding and distribution partners who would make this campaign successful., The team will use expertise gathered during the research, development and filming process to inform CGI partners on the best practices for working in a high stress and delicate environment with survivors and victims’ families.
STOLEN SISTERS will feature MMIWG cases in its storyline, and the most effective solutions implemented so far in the State of Michigan, including actions taken by the state Attorney General’s office as well as the local nonprofits providing victim advocate and legal services.
STOLEN SISTERS’ impact campaign will provide media support to those working in Michigan on the MMIWG crisis. Elevating our non profit partners and their stories and helping them position themselves to gain more support and exposure through storytelling. By STOLEN SISTERS providing them with media materials and publicity through an impact campaign, communities will attract additional resources, including donations to the nonprofits, victims’ families fighting for justice, and tribal government offices.