A series of Icelandic men, both unknown faces and well-known figures from across Icelandic society, are asked to read aloud the true, uncensored stories of gender-based violence from women around the world. Upon finishing the last text they learn that the woman who handed them the texts—the Icelandic woman sitting across from them—is the woman whose story they have just finished. The impact on the men is immediate and unmistakably heartbreaking as their faces register whose story they have just uttered. The viewer, in turn, experiences the authentic emotion and vulnerability of men recognizing how close gender-based violence is to them.

In closing, viewers are directed to the website for UN Women Iceland where they can register their solidarity in condemning gender-based violence.

Iceland is the world’s most gender-equal society according to the WEF Global Gender Gap Index. But this shining reputation is also the nation’s Achilles heel: many Icelanders think of gender-based violence as a problem that exists only beyond its borders—especially Icelandic men. In response, UN Women Iceland wanted to localize the HeForShe solidarity campaign in an effort to bring more Icelandic men into the fight against gender-based violence not only in distant nations, but also in their own backyard.

To this end, we brought in several influential men from different arenas of Icelandic society: a young hip-hop star, a celebrated business leader, a football coach admired by young people, a venerated literary figure, the beloved host of a children’s show and a few everyday men. Regardless of their background, all the men shared in the same poignant, heartfelt reaction to the woman sitting in front of them.