SARA NASON (British)
for
I Will Never Be Cut
Shot in Kenya, December 2010
Guardian Films in association with Christian Aid
Broadcast by www.guardian.co.uk and Aljazeera English

Scroll down to see a video extract from Sara's entry

Sara Nason's film tells the story of two Kenyan girls - Nancy and Gertrude -  rebelling against their tribes age-old tradition of female circumcision. For generations the practice in their remote community has been a rite of passage and an important pre-requisite for marriage.

We see Gertrude's father admitting that he wanted the dowry he would receive for Gertrude to pay for his sons' education. With the support of a self-help group based in the nearest town we see a gradual shift in attitude as the girls - Nancy and Gertrude - refuse to be cut and insist on their right to go to school.

The film has been used by campaigners against female circumcision. It has also led to money being donated for the girls' education.

One judge said: "I had never fully understood the issues surrounding female circumcision until I saw this remarkable film."

 
BIOGRAPHY
Sara Nason is a former stills photographer and Channel 4 News director who now works as a  documentary filmmaker. An experienced self-shooting TV director/producer she works best in observational films with strong character based stories. Sara has worked for all the main terrestrial broadcasters producing full length documentaries and shorts. She is in her element when out in the field employing her eye for visual story telling, working intuitively and connecting closely with her subjects. Making films about people who inspire change is a thread throughout her work. She has worked with many of Britain’s best known directors such as Bill Cran and Michael Grigsby.