Simona Ghizzoni (Reggio Emilia, 1977) is a photographer and director. She began her career studying Music and Arts, an influence that continues to be present in her work. Since 2005 Ghizzoni has been involved in documentary projects which mainly concern the condition of women; at the same time she conducted a ten-year personal research entitled Rayuela, which explores, almost in the form of a diary, her own feminine, man's relationship with nature, and self-portrait. She uses the medium of photography, writing and video to capture people and places from all over the world, blurring the lines between documentary and personal research. Among her best known works, Odd Days, a long-term project on eating disorders and on the long and difficult path to recovery; Afterdark, which investigates the consequences of conflicts on women's lives in the Mediterranean area: Jordan, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Western Sahara; UNCUT, on female genital mutilation in Africa and Europe. Her work has been published among others on The International New York Times, L 'Espresso, Io Donna, il Corriere della Sera, El Paìs and awarded by the World Press Photo, Poyi, the Aftermath project, BBC Arabic Film and Documentary Festival, Margaret Mead Film Festival, Leica Oskar Barnack Award, Sony World Photography Award.