Africa Rising (2009)

Every day, six thousand girls from the Horn of Africa to the sub-Saharan nations are subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM). With little more than fierce determination and deep love for their communities, brave African activists are leading a formidable and fearless grassroots movement to end five thousand years of FGM. This extraordinary and powerful film is the first to focus on African solutions to FGM, presenting an insightful look at the front lines of a quiet revolution taking the continent by storm. Beautifully directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Paula Heredia, traveling through remote villages in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali, Somalia and Tanzania, weaving together dynamic footage and the poignant stories of girls personally affected by FGM to show how African women and men are putting an end to this human rights violation. From working with circumcisers to lay down their knives and engaging the police to implement the law to honing leadership skills in girls, these determined activists have been working tirelessly for years to creatively and resourcefully conceptualize a broad-based but little-known anti-FGM movement. The film paints an intimate portrait of courageous individuals with dignity and strength, whose passion for justice shows that individuals can change the course of history.