Needlecraft
Directed by Daniel Greaves & Ruth Beni
Written, Created & Produced by Ruth Beni
Production Partners: FORWARD
FGM is the cutting or removal of parts of the female genitalia. It affects more than 130 million women and girls all over the world including the UK.
This film is beautifully made and yet strongly portrays the severity and complexity of FGM using an embroidery metaphor to communicate this sensitively.
Winner of the New York Festivals 2016 World Gold Medal Award.
The film was made in partnership with FORWARD, a charity dedicated to advancing and safeguarding the sexual and reproductive health and rights of African girls and women.
The film, funded by Comic Relief and Sigrid Rausing Trust was launched in the UK in June 2015.
“This film juxtaposes the childlike innocence of dolls, colourful needlework pictures and happy music with the brutality of assaulting a girl with a knife. In just four minutes, it portrays the severity and complexity of FGM and brilliantly conveys that this horrendous practice is wrecking young girls’ lives. It cleverly achieves this without resorting to graphic images. The film poses the simple question: “A girl is perfect – why cut her?”
It deserves to be shared widely so that it can start discussions on a topic that might not otherwise be talked about.”