Film set to debut commercial free on February 29 in the US, then in 171 countries and 45 languages worldwide

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(PASADENA, CA, AND WASHINGTON, D.C., January 6, 2016) – National Geographic Channel, in continuation of its partnership with Fox Searchlight Pictures, presents the exclusive global broadcast television premiere of Academy Award winner Davis Guggenheim’s feature documentary He Named Me Malala, an intimate portrait of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Taliban and severely wounded by a gunshot when returning home on her school bus in Pakistan’s Swat Valley.

He Named Me Malala will premiere commercial free on Monday, February 29, on National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo MUNDO in the U.S., with a global rollout planned within a week in 171 countries and 45 languages. It was also recently announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that He Named Me Malala was one of 15 films in the Documentary Feature category that will advance in the voting process for the 88th Academy Awards®.

“This incredible and critically acclaimed film left movie audiences applauding this young woman’s journey and left them wanting to make a difference. And now, in continuation of our partnership with Fox Searchlight Pictures, we are bringing this important film to an even larger audience with the exclusive global broadcast television premiere,” said Courteney Monroe, CEO, National Geographic Global Networks. “We are extremely proud and honored to have dedicated National Geographic’s collective resources to bring awareness of Malala’s advocacy for girls’ education to our global audience.”

National Geographic’s partnership on this film began with the theatrical release and will continue through the global television premiere. Support includes all of the resources of the National Geographic Channels as well as through the National Geographic Society and National Geographic Partners in National Geographic Magazine, National Geographic Digital Media, National Geographic Education Programs, National Geographic Kids and more.

The robust education program for the film includes free education resources, discussion and curriculum guides, a service learning Toolkit, Books for Change, a Map Maker Interactive, and can be found here.  Additionally, efforts to expose students to Malala’s inspiring story resulted in over 180,500 students globally seeing the film in theaters, and in the U.S. reaching students in all 50 states.

The documentary offers a look into Malala’s life both before and after the attack. She was 15 at the time of the incident, when she was singled out, along with her father, for advocating for girls’ education. The shooting sparked an outcry from supporters around the world. Malala miraculously survived and is now a leading campaigner for girls’ education globally as co-founder of the Malala Fund.

Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim (“An Inconvenient Truth” “Waiting for Superman”) examines how Malala, her father, Ziauddin, and her family are committed to fighting for education for all girls worldwide. The film delivers an inside glimpse into this extraordinary young girl’s life — from her close relationship with her father, who inspired her love for education, to her impassioned speeches at the United Nations to joking around at home with her parents and brothers.

He Named Me Malala was released theatrically by Fox Searchlight Pictures, in association with Image Nation Abu Dhabi and Participant Media, with National Geographic Channel. The film is produced by Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald and Davis Guggenheim. Executive producers are Mohamed Al Mubarak and Michael Garin from Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Jeff Skoll from Participant Media and Shannon Dill.