Cruel Cut

1. How effective is this documentary? Consider the techniques and conventions used as well as the way in which the campaign is conveyed to the audience.

 Straight away the presenter caught viewers attention by graphically explaining her experience of female Genital Mutilation. Viewers immediately felt empathic for her as she explained her experiences and then she got other women to talk about their experiences where we saw women of different ages and races talking about a similar experience, which was shocking.

What the presenter done was smart as she started with herself then other women showing that she wasn't alone in the subject, as the programme went on we heard the complications of genital mutilation such as being infertile, which again made the viewers empathic. This documentary targeted not only women but also men and it was clear that she wanted to educate both genders as she interviewed a group of religious boys on their views of genital mutilation and they all said that it was ok and a good thing until the presenter, Leyla Hussein, showed them graphically what women go through and immediately changed their opinion.

Leyla Hussein interviewed everyone that was relevant to the topic, not just members of the public but doctors, MPs and other professionals. This gave us a variety of opinions and views making the programme interesting but also causing a debate on whether it is right or wrong for women to go through genital mutilation. Making it into a debatable topic gets people talking about, which of course makes people aware.  She also asked open questions which led to descriptive answers which is a great technique as we get to hear detailed opinions and views. 

 

2.  What is your personal response to the documentary?
I found the programme very hard to watch in all honesty. I was so emphatic toward the presenter and other women go through this for obvious reasons, first of all the pain but also the humiliation of being forced to have this done themselves. I think the presenter was very brave to talk from experience but also commendable as not many people, like myself, knew this even happened. She educated us on the subject. I was really moved when the women who went through genital mutilation wasn't able to conceive a baby because of what had happened to her, I just like it wasn't her fault and she was being punished for it, it was really sad. Leyla, the presenter, first educated all of us on the subject and then started a campaign to stop it happening which is really honourable.