We spoke about
this film in March 2018.
Did you read the
Citizen then?
“In the Name of Your Daughter”-it is...
While June and
July 2018, sees balls being kicked in Russia, life keeps rolling on elsewhere. As the climax of the Russia sports duel peaks
on 15 July, 2018; final of Zanzibar International film festival is also due 15
July 2018-after ten days!
Were you to be asked
to choose between the two, which would you go for?
However, since the
whole media is geared towards the biggest tournament in the world (which I
personally love by the way) - let us give space to the prestigious film
festival of Zanzibar (ZIFF). Also called Festival of Dhow countries.
“In the Name of
Your Daughter...”
Yes. The FGM film...WILL
be screened here.
“Sema Usikike” (Speak and Be Heard) –
remains the gala motto for our Zanzibar cinema party. This year we should specifically clap hands
and possibly flock there for ONE BIG REASON.....
Finally.
An international
film about FGM in Tanzania!!!
For years this
writer has made noise about such a senseless topic, i.e. the cruel business of
cutting our girls private parts for the sake of tradition- otherwise, known as FemaleGenital Mutilation. UKEKETAJI – in Ki-Swahili.
Back in 2014 after
a fundraising London campaign raised money for a safe house in Mugumu, Mara
Tanzania, there were tons of reactions from our readers in Swahili and English.
One was Laeticia
Mukurasi, who observed that the solution lies on shoulders of men and women
together because: “Iam aware women cannot do it alone...” Laeticia Mukurasi is
one of the few Tanzanian women /gender specialists and in 2014 was working on a
book about the subject.
Bearing that in
mind...
It is the first time when a problem that SUPS
and SUCKS our children (19 regions of Tanzania) will be beamed at a local major
festival. Thanks to the collaboration of dedicated film maker, Giselle Portenier (writer/ director), pictured below, Cathy Gulling
(co-writer), Deborah Parks (co-producer), Andrea Wet stein (music composer) and
our own Tanzanian, cinematographer, Samson
Kapinga.
Films are rarely
made alone- and this cooperation of hearts and minds has paid off.
Last month the 84 minutes,
“In The Name of Your Daughter”, won best Canadian documentary feature film of
the year at 2018 Edmonton Festival.
Reviewing the
triumph, Metro Star of Edmonton, warned Canadians that FGM is not just an
-overseas problem - at least 80,000 FGM survivors are based in Canada.
I watched the
touching art work and was left with mixed emotions. A fear for all involved.
It made me recall
various victims I have interviewed...
Rhobi Samwelly, heavily involved in saving girls in Mara and spreading awareness across the globe.Publicity foto
One Sudanese survivor for example- 25 years
ago- told me how she had to be sewn each time her husband travelled abroad for
work. Upon returning she would be re
opened - then painful sex, pregnancy and birth- then -re-stitched, after he
went away, again. And again and again. Eventually the woman/ wife fled to Europe.
Wouldn’t you?
“In the Name of
Your Daughter” takes you through the difficult choice that girls as young as
eight make. Be cut and suffer a life of misery or escape and never see their
families again. The benefit is cows and wealth for parents especially- fathers.
The girls live in permanent pain. Some die early.
The Canadian -
Tanzanian masterpiece not only highlights the children, but a dedicated
minority of people in Mara region- battling the “horror” custom- among them,
Rhobi Samwelly- who we have met in London several times.
A lady of courage
and zeal, Ms Samwelly’s activities are glowingly highlighted in the 84 minute
film. She is an outcome and product of FGM – now the voice of not just Mara
women, but part - 200 million plus global women and girls suffering an ordeal outlawed
in 30 countries, according to UNICEF.
Award winning filmmaker Ms Portenier confirmed
the film has been viewed in some European countries- i.e. Sweden and Denmark.
Apart from partly funding the film, the ex BBC journalist has vowed that it
must be seen by us Tanzanians and others in this region.
More films must be
done.
Portenier and her team need support, through
word of mouth and more coverage. As the
girls in the film constantly repeat: THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE CUT. When one of
the anti FGM males asks a group of school boys if they would like sections of
their private parts to be chopped off - the camera pans to their innocent
faces.
You can feel the imaginary pain.
“It is different from circumcision...” the
empathetic man elaborates. As we Africans know, circumcision makes you clean-
it has even been proved to prevent HIV- however, FGM is totally different.
Totally.
ZIFF runs from
Thursday 5th July to Sunday 15th July, 2018.
See movie trailer
at
-Published in Citizen Tanzania, 22 June 2018
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