Wüstenblume (Desert Flower)

Cell phone picture of the budding cactus by Don Schumann


"Wüstenblume" premiered in Germany on 9/24/2009






Written And Directed By: Sherry Hormann

Desert Flower


Like in a fairy tale, Somalian-born Waris Dirie became one of the worlds most soughtafter top models. Born into a family of goat-herding nomads, Waris fascinating path would take her from the Northeast African deserts to the worlds most prestigious fashion runways and magazines.

At 13, Waris fled forced marriage and crossed days of desert alone before reaching the Somali capital Mogadishu. Relatives soon shipped her off to London to work as a servant in the Somali embassy, where she spent the rest of her adolescent years in illiteracy. When faced with the threat of returning to war-torn Somalia, Waris finds herself homeless and illegal. Spunky shopgirl Marilyn takes Waris in and becomes a trusted friend.

While working in a fast food restaurant, Waris is discovered by star photographer Terry Donaldson, and ambitious agent Lucinda guides her transformation into a working model. But behind the glamorous facade of Waris new life lies a deeply heart-stirring fate. Despite her success, Waris remains burdened by a violent childhood secret. At the height of her career, Waris reveals to the world that she was a victim of female genital mutilation. Her story unleashes a wave of sympathy and controversy, and Waris decides to dedicate her life to fighting this barbaric tradition.




Chinese Translation below,




沙漠之花


瓦莉絲從索馬利亞沙漠中出走到成為世界頂級名模，是一個勇於反抗壓迫的鬥士，她生命中所體現的那種非凡勇氣激勵人們去面對意想不到的困境。很難想像會在那樣生活環境裡出現如此黝黑的美麗臉龐。

她在索馬利亞沙漠裡出生。四歲時就被父親的朋友奸淫。五歲時被迫接受了數年前奪去她親姐姐生命的女性割禮。為了五頭駱駝被父親嫁給六十歲的老叟，十三歲時赤腳逃婚在沙漠中差點成了獅子口中的食物，跋涉所留下的深度傷痕嚇壞了後來的同台模特們。18歲的時候還不會說英語。

親戚送她去索馬利亞駐倫敦的使館幫傭，後來流落在倫敦，在快餐店打工時被發掘，轉行拍起服裝照，成為名紅一時的模特兒。她最受矚目的舉動是把自己5歲時曾受割禮的慘痛經歷公諸於眾，希望能有更多的非洲女人不再受這種酷刑。38歲時她成為聯合國反對割禮的代言人。

Cell phone picture of the blooming cactus by Don Schumann