Original Film Title: Stitched lips – Pregnancies Under Silence
Director’s Name: Caroline Blanquart, Théo Collet, Renwa Fares, Claire Gillet, Hermine Le Clech, Margaux Liagre, Camille Rigeade
Writer’s Name : Caroline Blanquart, Théo Collet, Renwa Fares, Claire Gillet, Hermine Le Clech, Margaux Liagre, Camille Rigeade
Producer: Caroline Blanquart, Théo Collet, Renwa Fares, Claire Gillet, Hermine Le Clech, Margaux Liagre, Camille Rigeade
Country of Origin: France
Country of Filming: France
Language: French
Runtime: 14 minutes 17 seconds
Film Description:
A 15 min short documentary film, directed by Caroline Blanquart, Théo Collet, Renwa Fares, Claire Gillet, Hermine Le Clech, Margaux Liagre and Camille Rigeade.
A pair of scissors and a braid. That’s all it takes to change a young girl’s life forever. It is a flash moment, but the trauma of excision remains in the memories and on the bodies of the victims.
As children, Aïcha, Bintou and Bijou underwent excision. They tell us about this fleeting memory, and how life goes on after this trauma, especially during a key stage: pregnancy. A difficult period during which these mutilated women see those heavy physical after-effects getting reactivated, and risk – more than ever – tears, complications, caesarean sections. This delivery can also bring back psychological suffering, since childbirth sometimes reminds them of the trauma of excision.