A striking new way of campaigning against child marriage. DUDE Milan has created a “manifesto of freedom” that doesn’t depict young girls as victims, but as activists, in which the voices and actions of young girls are heard and upheld, celebrating their rebellion against imposed destiny in scenes of playful destruction. I’ll Marry When I Want presents a story of strength rather than fragility, calling on people to support ActionAid in its fight to end child marriage through an approach that brings together education, women’s empowerment, community participation and political advocacy.

The true extent of early marriage is shocking. Over 640 million women and girls around the world have been forced to marry against their will and before the age of 18, their childhood cut brutally short. I’ll Marry When I Want aims to createglobal awareness of this grave violation of human rights.

The campaign was inspired by a poem by 13-year-old Eileen Piri from Malawi – a girl who witnessed firsthand the tragedy of early marriage, and whose words gained a global audience during a TEDx talk by activist Memory Banda.

The campaign film is directed by South African filmmaker, Zee Ntuli, known for exploring themes such as identity, belonging, and socio-political dynamics throughout his work. Set to the haunting words of Piri’s poem, and soundtracked by Sudan Archives’ evocative Selfish Soul, the film portrays a group of ‘girls being girls’ and doing what children around the world love most: playing loudly, freely and – at times – destructively. But instead of breaking household objects or random toys being broken, the girls are shown smashing the symbols of traditional marriage with all their might.

The film was shot in the Namutumba District, one of the regions in Uganda with the highest incidence of gender-based violence, particularly early and forced marriages.

The girls in the campaign are all students of Buwongo Primary School, one of the elementary schools supported by ActionAid in the country through its child sponsorship program. Through their performances, they gave body and voice to their own experiences and to the story of a phenomenon they have personally witnessed in their everyday lives.

Lorenzo Eusepi, general co-secretary, ActionAid, commented, “Child marriage does not only destroy childhood, but also the dreams, aspirations and opportunities of an entire generation of girls. With this campaign, we want to amplify their voices and remind everyone that change begins with the right to make a choice. Every girl must be able to say, I will marry only when it I want.”

Lorenzo Picchiotti, chief creative officer & partner, DUDE Milan added,  “Non-profit communication often focuses on compassion and portrays fragility. With this campaign, we wanted to tell a different story, one of strength. Girls who play, break, and rebuild, claiming their freedom with both lightness and power. Here, girls’ empowerment is vision, it’s play, it’s the ability to say no to an imposed destiny, with strength, energy, and beauty.”

I’ll Marry When I Want launched across Italy on October 29 across ActionAid Italy’s social channels, as well as on paid media including connected TV, cinema, and digital PR, featuring a 60-second cut, a 30-second cut, three 15-second versions and one 6-second cut.

Credits 
Client: ActionAid Italy
Head of Acquisition: Laura Cozzi
Head of Digital Fundraising: Lavinia Fuso Nerini
Digital Officer: Giuseppina Bonfiglio, Anita Lanza, Federica Mesiano, Andrea Tarenzi

Creative Agency: DUDE Milano
Chief Creative Officer & Partner – Livio Basoli, Lorenzo Picchiotti
Creative Directors:  Antonio Mitra & Stefano Summo
Business Director: Elena Panza
Account Manager: Antonia Martone

Production Company: DUDE Milano 
Integrated Production Director: Matteo Pecorari
Head of Physical Production: Simone Raddi 
Production Coordinator: Francesca Di Donna 
Senior Producer: Maria Chiara Muglia
Junior Producer: Gabriele Lippi

Production Service: Darling Films 
Executive Producers: Melina McDonald & Lorraine Smit
Producers: Saskia Finlayson & AnastasiaTsobanopulos
Uganda Fixer: Bildad Kipkurui Koske
Director: Zee Ntuli
DOP: Deon Van Zyl
1st AD:  Mark Anthony Van Zyl
Set Designer: Wendy Rachel Fredriksson
Prop Master: Phionah Babirye

Post Production: DUDE 
Post Production Team: Seba Morando, Andrea Italia, Silvia Brigoli, Federica Ruggeri, Alessandro Menotti

Editor: William Kalmer  @ Post Modern Studios
Color Grade: Terry Simpson @ Blacksmith
VFX Compositing: Marco Raposo de Barbosa 
Soundtrack: Selfish Soul by Sudan Archives (B. D. Parks, D. Story, B. Dickey)
©️ One Two Many Songs LTD/Dexter Story Music Publishing/Sinkin Publishing
Under licence of Sony Music Publishing (Italy) Srl/ Cafè Concerto International Srl
℗ Courtesy of Stones Throw Records
Music Consultancy & Licensing: Fabio Gargiulo for Bkm Production
Sound Arrangement & Score: Chris Snyman
Sound Design & Final Mix – Chris Snyman, William Kalmer
Mix Studio: Tiger Fight 
Voiceover: Ashurat