Hot Docs

A nine-year-old stands in a pristine white dress and recites a special poem she has written for her mother. The poem is not about her first day of school or the birth of her sister. It’s about the frightening and painful day she was lured by her mother, pinned to the ground, and forcibly circumcised. In this award-winning film, Longinotto travels to Kenya to explore the practice of female genital mutilation and the pioneering women who are bravely campaigning communities to reverse the tradition. Longinotto explores the issue from different points of view: a healthcare worker who gently persuades her patients to re-think the practice, a group of girls who obtain legal action to prevent their parents from circumcising them, and an elderly woman who’s been using inappropriate instruments to ply her trade as a circumciser. Ultimately, the film is hopeful as we see young women fighting for change, education, and understanding. - Shannon Abel