Yahoo Autos 'Koromousso: Big Sister': Women overcome the trauma of female genital mutilation
"It was a way for me to kind of give hope to women living with FGM, to know that there's something you can do to change your life," Habibata Ouarme says
African-Canadian women are breaking taboos around female sexuality in the documentary Koromousso: Big Sister (part of the Human Rights Watch Canada Film Festival), which follows three women who are overcoming the trauma of female genital mutilation (FGM).
"Genital mutilation and sexuality are still very taboo," Habibata Ouarme says in the film. "We need to draw attention to the issue specifically."
Ouarme leads us through the story on screen and behind-the-scenes as a co-director of the film as well, alongside Jim Donovan. Ouarme was subjected to FGM and in Koromousso: Big Sister, we see her supporting other women navigate the reconstructive surgery she went through, particularly a woman named Safieta Sawadogo.
“I wanted to do the surgery, but I couldn't find the surgery,” Ouarme told Yahoo Canada. “I had to go to San Francisco to do it.”
“So after that, I decided that I wanted to tell my story ... and also, it was a way for me to kind of give hope to women living with FGM, to know that there's something you can do to change your life. ... I want women to have the option to have the surgery, or not."
For Donovan, he said he didn't know anything about FGM until he meet Ouarme, and that's how he learned about it and ultimately decided it was something he wanted to explore in a film.
“It became clear that [Habibata] would need to be in the film and not just behind the camera because the idea of the film is she's the big sister to Safieta, who wants to change your life at age 42,” Donovan said.
“When the camera was not rolling, we'd be talking about, what do we need to do and how do we continue to tell the story."
'This is one issue where progress needs to be made'
In Koromousso: Big Sister Sawadogo, under the guidance and support of Ouarme, goes through her journey of reconstructive surgery. It highlights the barriers to getting this surgery, including having to leave Canada, the cost, and the loss of paid working time for the surgery and recovery. Additionally, the film highlights the lack of resources there are in Canada when someone has gone through FGM, or has had reconstructive surgery.
