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The Day I Will Never Forget
England, 2002, 92 minutes, Color, VHS/35mm/DVD
Order No. W03808
THE DAY I WILL NEVER FORGET is a gripping feature documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Kim Longinotto (Divorce Iranian Style and Runaway) that examines the practice of female genital mutilation in Kenya and the pioneering African women who are bravely reversing the tradition. In this epic work, women speak candidly about the practice and explain its cultural significance within Kenyan society. From gripping testimonials by young women who share the painful aftermath of their trauma to interviews with elderly matriarchs who stubbornly stand behind the practice, Longinotto paints a complex portrait of the current polemics and conflicts that have allowed this procedure to exist well into modern times.
Demystifying the African tradition of female circumcision, Longinotto presents Nurse Fardhosa, a woman who is single-handedly reversing the ritual of female circumcision one village at a time by educating communities about its lasting emotional and physical scars. Also profiled are an inspiring group of runaway girls who are seeking a court injunction to stop their parents from forcing them to go through with the practice. Through their words the full implications of breaking with tradition are made clear, as is the incredible courage of the women and girls who risk social ostracism by taking a stand against the practice.
AWARDS, FESTIVALS, & SCREENINGS

- WIN Award for Best Documentary Film
- Sundance Film Festival
- IDFA, International Documentary Film Festival, Amsterdam - Amnesty International DOEN Award
- Hot Docs Documentary Film Festival - Best Documentary UK Spotlight
- Hong Kong International Film Festival - Humanitarian Award for Outstanding Documentary
- Humanitarian Award for Outstanding Documentary
- Britspotting, British Independent Film Festival, Berlin - Best Documentary
- Viewpoint Documentary Film Festival - Best Film
- Festival International de Films de Femmes de Creteil - Best Documentary
- Barcelona Human Rights International Film Festival - Special Mention
- Tursak Film Festival, Istanbul - Best International Documentary
- Valladolid International Film Festival - Time of History Jury Awards Second Prize
- Torino Women's Film Festival - Best Documentary, 2nd Prize
- New Directors New Films
- San Francisco International Film Festival
- Sheffield International Film Festival
- Adelaide International Film Festival
- Jeon Ju International Film Festival
- Sithengi Film Festival, Cape Town
- London Film Festival
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QUOTES

"Longinotto's latest film demystifies the practice of female genital mutilation through engrossing stories of Kenyan women...Gripping, devastating, but ultimately hopeful."
Sheffield International FF
"...immensely powerful... Longinotto makes intimate connections to most of her subjects."
Jumana Farouky
Time
“…Intimate and powerful…With great sensitivity [Longinotto] delivers the delicate substance of the custom…”
Diane Weyermann
Sundance Film Festival
"Longinotto is known for her insightful, compassionate studies of women's lives, and the pull between tradition and change. In this new film, she achieves a difficult task, namely to make the complexity of the issues comprehensible, even when the practice itself may seem just the reverse."
London Film Festival
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The Day I Will Never Forget is included in the following Special Collections.
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RELATED LINKS

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FILMS ON THE MID-EAST
Interested in gaining more insight and background on the current conflict in the Middle East? Check out WMM’s powerful documentaries made by and about women in that region, including MY LAND ZION and WOMEN IN STRUGGLE.
More details.
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