VIS Social Impact, the cause-driven production division of ViacomCBS International Studios, Pedro Almodóvar’s production company El Deseo, and Mogambo announced the co-production of the new documentary series Not a Bride. To be executive produced and narrated by award-winning Spanish actress Penélope Cruz and written and directed by Dario Troiani (Violet, Kalebegiak, A.W.), the series (4×30) has been picked up by ViacomCBS’ premium streaming service, Paramount+, internationally.

According to the Non-governmental organization (NGO) Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage, 12 million girls are married before the age of 18 each year, which means 23 girls every minute. Child, early and forced marriage and unions happen all over the world, and 650 million women alive today already face the direct consequences of child marriage. Not a Bride will uncover the common misconception that this problem only happens in low- and middle-income countries. The series will shed light on the reality that it happens in many countries, cultures and religions.

“With the continued expansion of Paramount+ internationally, it’s important that our production slate is reflective of the ways in which our audiences see ourselves and one another. By partnering with El Deseo and Mogambo, we hope to address common misconceptions associated with child marriages, to inform our audiences around the world,” said Laura Abril, Senior Vice President and Head of VIS EMEA and Asia.

“With the recent launch of VIS Social Impact, our studio’s mission is to develop groundbreaking social impact-driven content that addresses equity, as well as climate and health,” said Georgia Arnold, Head of VIS Social Impact and SVP Social Responsibility, ViacomCBS Networks International. “Not a Bride will harness the power of storytelling to address the critical global issue of child marriage, and we hope its world-wide debut on Paramount+ will help to shift perceptions and create meaningful progress towards a more gender-equal world.”

Esther García from El Deseo, who serves as Executive Producer together with Agustín Almodóvar and Pedro Almodóvar, affirmed: “The testimonies of the girls and women who have suffered this traumatic experience are shocking. Through this documentary, we aim to give the world a better idea of this huge problem which we truly hope will begin to be solved.”

ViacomCBS International Studios recently announced the launch of VIS Social Impact, a new social impact-driven studio division to create content that addresses climate, equity, and health for the ViacomCBS portfolio of brands, including Paramount+, as well as for third-party partners. VIS Social Impact is part of Content for Change, a global ViacomCBS initiative that aims to counteract racism, bias, stereotypes and hate through the company’s culture, creative supply chain, and ultimately the content it creates.

Not a Bride is the second VIS Social Impact project announced, following Protest & Progress, from world-renowned, history-making photographer and social activist, Misan Harriman, which will also debut on Paramount+. Additional talent will be announced at a later date.