Kim Longinotto

Britain’s Kim Longinotto is one of the most important documentary-makers of her time. Author of over 20 features (made since her debut in 1976) screened and awarded prizes the world over, her portraits of people all over the planet, particularly focussing on strong, fighting women, have made her a reference in today’s documentary world.

In 1998 she received great acclaim for Divorce Iranian Style (co-directed with Ziba Mir-Hosseini) about the difficulties experienced by Iranian women when trying to get a divorce. This was followed by others like Gaea Girls (2000, co-directed with Jano Williams), about a group of Japanese wrestlers; The Day I Will Never Forget (2003), on female genital mutilation in Kenya and the first women who try to put an end to the practice; Sisters in Law (2005, co-directed with Florence Ayisi), the portrayal of two women, one a court president and the other a prosecutor, who defend the rights of abused women and children; Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go (2007), a look at Mulberry Bush School for severely troubled children; and Rough Aunties (2008), concentrating on a group of women who provide care for child victims of sexual abuse. This year in San Sebastian she will present her latest work, Pink Saris (2010), set around the figure of Sampat Pal and her work to defend the rights of women in Northern India.