THE BRIDE PRICE

The Bride Price explores the story of underage and forced marriage in Malawi, Africa. Malawi has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, with roughly half of girls marrying before the age of 18 and almost one in ten marrying before their 15th birthday. The family of the girls charge a bride price, or "lobola", reducing a girl's worth to little more than barter. This cultural norm was successfully challenged in Malawi's Parliament and the practice was made illegal. Yet the population resisted and the tribal norm continues.

This award-winning documentary interviews girls' rights activists, government representatives, grass-roots organizers, rescued girls and Senior Chief Theresa Kachindamoto, paramount chief of the Dedza District in the central region of Malawi. Chief Kachindamoto has authority over more than 900,000 people and has been tireless in her efforts to change the culture within her region. She has received international recognition for canceling thousands of underage and forced marriages and insisting upon equal education opportunities for girls.