Kathryn Bigelow Brings Awareness to Women Affected by Boko Haram in Powerful Campaign

Timed with International Day of the Girl, Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow and Smuggler founder Patrick Milling-Smith have launched a social justice campaign with a mission to bring attention and aid to the plight of young women in Northeastern Nigeria affected by Boko Haram, Nigeria’s militant Islamic extremist group. They approached Austin-based creative agency Preacher to help in their development and launch of this powerful initiative.

Using stunning video interviews of female survivors of Boko Haram captured and directed by Kathryn and acclaimed journalist, Dionne Searcey, along with powerful photography from Adam Ferguson, Preacher developed “I Am Not A Weapon”, a digital platform housing the content and taking on the voice of the affected women to inspire support and action on behalf of these survivors, and of at-risk girls throughout the world.

To amplify the initiative, Preacher partnered with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to heighten awareness and drive donations globally through the site and across social, all of which will go to immediate work in aiding Boko Haram survivors and future targets. 

“I Am Not A Weapon” lives online at http://iamnotaweapon.com, and is being supported on Instagram @iamnotaweapon.

All of the film content and photography work was created by Bigelow and her team, as mentioned above, while Preacher conceived all branding and design work for the “I Am Not A Weapon” platform, in addition to building the website and Instagram presence. The agency first worked with Kathryn Bigelow in 2014 when she called on them to help promote short film and pro bono campaign, Last Days of Ivory, which looked to bring attention and an end to ivory-funded terrorism.