AllMovie

Documentary filmmaker Kim Longinotto (Divorce Iranian Style) directs The Day I Will Never Forget, a personal look at the hotly debated issue of female genital mutilation. Longinotto presents several different Kenyan women with the opportunity to speak out about their experiences. Nine-year-old Fouzia stands in a white dress to recite The Day I Will Never Forget, an autobiographical story she wrote about her mother forcing her to go through with a traditional circumcision. Interviews with several elders explore the importance of continuing the ritual, while other young women describe their own painful memories. Nurse Fardhosa is introduced as a woman who travels through Nairobi villages educating people about the physical and emotional destruction caused by the tradition. Also included is a group of runaway girls who try to use the court system to protect them from being forced into circumcisions. This complex issue is presented with respect to Kenyan society and politics.