Female genital mutilation is a heavy topic for a short film, acknowledges Amena Al Nowais, but one she felt compelled to tackle.
It was the harrowing story of an Egyptian woman that won the 27-year-old Emirati the Best Picture award, for Omnia, at the finale of Image Nation’s first Arab Film Studio Documentary competition on Tuesday night.
The subject of the film, 32-year-old Abu Dhabi-based receptionist Omnia Ibrahim, not only attended the ceremony, but beamed, posed for photos and answered questions afterwards.
“I’m really happy that she did, seeing her face, especially for her to see that the movie won, that people were very moved by her story,” said Al Nowais, who found her subject after interviewing four psychologists.
Ibrahim, who has had three years of counselling in an effort to come to terms with the illegal “purification” ceremony performed on her, with her parents’ consent, when she was 10 or 11, welcomed the chance to shed light on the issue.
“It’s not only the prize; that people can see the movie and understand exactly what happened and try to help women in Egypt and Africa and help stop this crime,” she said.
Original article by Ann Marie McQueen
Continue reading at The National:
Emirati Amena Al Nowais’s documentary Omnia takes top award at first Arab Film Studio contest
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