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VIBRANT-COLOURED FABRICS in shades of magenta, orange and yellow billow against the
desert landscape, enveloping and illuminating the women in them. Sara Elgamal quietly
takes a seat beside me as her latest project, A Piece of Me, plays in a loop on the walls of a
darkened gallery in the Toronto Media Arts Centre, immersing us in the lives of Abida,
Zahra and Khadija—mothers and leaders in their communities and survivors of female
genital mutilation. For her directorial debut, the 31-year-old Toronto-based filmmaker
travelled to the Afar region of Ethiopia with the United Nations Population Fund to create
a campaign to spread awareness of the practice, which affects 200 million women and girls
today. Behind the film’s stunning visuals was inspiration from an unexpected source: the
fantastical and ethereal beauty of fashion editorials. “I wanted to celebrate the women’s
strength, resilience and stories despite their traumas,” she says. To do this, she plans to
show the film around the world. As she aims to shift the perceptions of under-represented
regions and people, Elgamal recognizes that she’s also carving a path for others who want
to follow in her footsteps. “You’ll always have to go 110 percent as a woman of colour in this
industry,” she says. “But I truly believe that if you’re passionate and committed to doing
your best work, [the work] will be undeniable.” ERICA NGAO
SARA ELGAMAL
ARTS
Stills from A Piece of Me