Desert Flower Film Analysis

Desert Flower is a powerful film that tells the story of Waris Dirie, an incredibly inspirational woman who immigrated to London from Somalia to escape an arranged marriage with a far older man. The film explores the trauma caused by female genital mutilation and the severely negative health and societal impacts this inhumane act has on women. Throughout the film, Waris ' understanding of self-worth, womanhood, and her own independence transforms, culminating in her being invited to address the United Nations to share her message about the atrocity of female genital mutilation. Waris Dirie served as associate producer of the film, which was based on her own autobiography, so she was able to oversee the production of the film telling her own personal

At the beginning, Waris never talked about what happened to her in Somalia and her experience with female genital mutilation except with Marilyn. From the interviews we see glimpses of, she always talked about her relationship with her mother and how she managed to become a model in London. It is not until she appears to grow frustrated with these interviews that she finally decides to talk publicly about her childhood mutilation. The interviewer is expecting Waris to reveal the "day that changed her life" as the day that she left Somalia like she had talked about before, but Waris finally decides to share her story about female genital mutilation with the world. From this point on, Waris is open about her experience, a large transition from her speaking privately about it with Marilyn in their bedroom. This journey of self-discovery ends with her address the United Nations, the largest platform for worldwide advocacy. Waris ' own transformation without a doubt empowered and transformed countless other persecuted women who previously did not have a voice and should be seen as a great victory in the war against female genital