Film Production - in-house creations

Every several years THE WHY embarks on producing, from start to finish, a series of thematic films. These productions are aimed at areas of topical relevance with the goal of staring the conversation, expanding world-views, and engendered social change.

So far, THE WHY has completed five award-winning docuseries with the next series in the final stages of production.

The journey of THE WHY's in-house film production started in 2007 with WHY DEMOCRACY?, exploring stories of collective choice, and authoritarian overreach. WHY POVERY? was launched in 2012, which investigated how poverty manifests itself during the highest level of material wealth in history. In 2015, WHY WOMEN? explored the the challenges faced by women today. WHY SLAVERY? came next in 2018  and shed light on the practice of modern slavery and questioned why the practices of human bondage still persisted in the 21st century. Most recently, WHY PLASTIC? from 2021, continued the conversation around plastic's environmental and health impacts by questions unsustainable practices around the forever-material.

The next docuseries, WHY FREEDOM?, will examine the multiplicity of the word 'Freedom', how it's used and misused and why it means so much to so many people.

Four men sit blind-folded and handcuffed while two US soldiers look at them. Dust is kicked up all around the image with only a bit of blue sky in the center.

Still from Oscar winning documentary Taxi to the Dark Side by Alex Gibney, from WHY DEMOCRACY?

Six Original Docuseries - 30 Original Films

logo for docuserieswoman in traditional asian dress crossing empty road
WHY FREEDOM? seeks to find the best stories of freedoms won, freedoms lost, and freedoms challenged. We aim to discover the multiplicity of freedom and how it can sidle back and forth in a delicate balance between extremes.
2025
logo for docuseriesplastic floats just under the surface of water
WHY PLASTIC? is a direct response to the escalating problems caused by plastic pollution and what humanity is doing to solve them.
2021
logo for docuseriesNorth Korean laborers sit in back of flat bed truck with trees in backgound
WHY SLAVERY is the world's largest global media campaign about modern slavery. Six documentary films offer unprecedented access to enslaved people around the world.
2018
logo for docuseriesdrawing of women holding hands and wearing many different colored dresses
WHY WOMEN is a series of documentary films that reflect on the state of women's rights and offers compelling insights into the lives of women around the world.
2016
logo for docuseriesWoman stands in shallow water with basket full of goods on his head
WHY POVERTY is a series of documentary films that takes a look at global inequality, asking how poverty persists despite foreign aid and increasing global wealth. 
2012
logo for docuseriesTwo Bolivians in traditional dress look at camera while holding flag
WHY DEMOCRACY is a series of documentary films that explores the threats to and contradictions within modern democratic structures.
2007

Interested in using some of our films for educational purposes?

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