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Offering a rare glimpse into the practice of female circumcision in modern Kenya, filmmaker Kim Longinotto compassionately offers the stories of women and girls of all ages who personalize this fiercely debated practice. The provocative, intimate CINEMAX Reel Life documentary THE DAY I WILL NEVER FORGET explores the controversy and gives voice to those who rigorously defend the ancestral custom, and reveals the efforts of the African women who work to abolish it amidst a complex swirl of cultural identity and tradition.
Longinotto visited Kenya to cover different sides of the issue, spotlighting women and girls of all ages, circumcised and not, who give voice to this fiercely debated practice. From older women who are often its most vocal proponents, to young women working for change, to young men who feel peer pressure to marry only circumcised women, the documentary explores the complicated cultural, religious and sexual dynamics of a deeply entrenched tradition.
Fardhosa Ali Mohamed, a health care provider, works in a Somali community where she tries to help women understand the health risks of circumcision, offering alternatives to accepted practice. But her best efforts sometimes fail to overcome pride and fear of ridicule among men as well as women.
Simalo is a young Masai woman whose mother had her circumcised against her will. Soon after, she was taken from her home in the middle of the night to become the wife of a much-oer man she had never met. Two days later, with the help of her older sister, Simalo fled, eventually making her way to a girls'shelter in Nairobi, where a caring social worker took her under her wing. The two women return to Simalo's village, where she confronts her mother about the circumcision --which left her with health problems and emotional trauma -- and the forced marriage. After her mother defends the decision to have her daughter circumcised, citing tradition, Simalo chooses to leave the village again, this time for good, to pursue an education and a new life.
A young girl named Fouzia recites a poem she wrote, entitled "The Day I Will Never Forget," recounting her circumcision. After the reading, Fouzia tells her mother she will forgive her for being subjected to the procedure if her youngest sibling is spared - and her mother agrees.
Eliminating circumcision entirely will be a long and hard struggle. Sixteen young girls band together to challenge their parents, making the difficult decision to go to court to keep from being circumcised. When they are triumphant, their victory is both personal and historic, with profound cultural implications, setting a protective precedent for thousands of other young women who may face a less-painful future.
The documentary has already received honors at numerous international film festivals, including the TURSAK Film Festival in Istanbul, the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam, the Viewpoint Documentary Film Festival, the Hong Kong International Film Festival, the Hot Docs Documentary Film Festival, the Festival International de Films de Femmes de Creteil, the Torino Women's Film Festival and the British Independent Film Festival. THE DAY I WILL NEVER FORGET had its U.S. premiere at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival.
Kim Longinotto's other credits include the acclaimed documentaries "Divorce Iranian Style," "Shinjuku Boys" and "Gaea Girls."
THE DAY I WILL NEVER FORGET is a Women Make Movies release in association with HBO/Cinemax Documentary Films. Produced and directed by Kim Longinotto; editor, Andrew Willsmore; cinematography, Kim Longinotto; music, Charlie Winston. For CINEMAX Reel Life: supervising producer, Lisa Heller; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.
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