Launch of Animated Film on FGM For Primary Schools
On Tuesday 20th October FORWARD launched three animated short films on the issue of female genital mutilation (FGM) at Portcullis House, House of Commons. The event was supported by and introduced by Pauline Latham OBE MP. Speakers included Don Boyd, Film Director, Producer and FORWARD Patron, Ruth Beni of Animage Films, the animations creator and producer and Pontso Mafethe from Comic Relief.
Needlecraft
The evening started with a screening of Needlecraft a three minute animated film aimed at raising awareness of FGM in the UK. This was released earlier in the year. Needlecraft beautifully and yet strongly portrays the severity and complexity of FGM. The film has been developed to raise awareness of FGM among a wider public audience in the UK, to galvanise the public to support the campaign to end FGM and to help raise much needed funds for FORWARD’s work campaigning to end FGM. Developed by FORWARD and Animage Films with support from the End FGM Guardian Global Media Campaign. Not suitable for under 16’s.
Animated by Daniel Greaves, an Oscar™ winning Animator.
My Body My Rules
The second film to be screened was My Body My Rules, a three minute animated film aimed at raising awareness of FGM amongst primary school aged children in the UK. The film has been developed as a visual aid resource to help facilitate sessions on FGM in primary schools in the UK and for use by professionals and NGO’s working with younger children who could be at risk of being forced to undergo FGM.
Animated by Daniel Greaves, an Oscar™ winning Animator.
For more information on FORWARD’s work in primary and secondary schools in the UK see here.
The True Story of Ghati & Rhobi
The last film to be screened was The True Story of Ghati and Rhobi a short animated film made for use in Africa and as part of a social change campaign with FORWARD partner Children’s Dignity Forum (CDF). A Swahili version of the film has been developed for use in Tanzania and other Swahili speaking East African countries. This film (in English and Swahili) will not be widely available until the end of November 2015 when it will be launched in Tanzania.
Animated by Yael Ozsinay.
All films can be used for professional and educational reasons, please email Naomi Reid: [email protected] for a downloadable version, stating how you wish to use the film.
Background to the project:
The three films are the result of a two year project between FORWARD and Ruth Beni of Animage Films. The aim of the films is to offer a more visual way to invoke passion and action. FORWARD is in its 30th Year of campaigning to address FGM and over the years we have used various social communication tools to reach different audiences. These new animated films show the severity of the practice whilst at the same time two of them (not Needlecraft) are genuinely suitable for children. It is our hope that these films will further add to the growing momentum of using social communication to help end FGM both in the UK and in Africa.
