Waris
Where was Waris born? (country)
Somalia
Who becomes Waris’s friend and flatmate (name)?
Merylin
How did Liam help Waris?
What does FGM stand for?
Female Genital Mutilation.
How can the matching colours of Waris’s dress and the desert flower in the opening scene be interpreted?
They visually link Waris to the flower — emphasising that she, too, is rare, beautiful, and resilient, even in harsh environments
Why does Waris run away from her family?
They wanted to force her into an arranged marriage with an older man.
Where do Waris and Marilyn first meet?
In a public bathroom, where Marilyn finds Waris with nowhere to stay.
Who is Harold in the film?
A man Waris meets in the club, whom she becomes emotionally attached to.
How does Marilyn react when Waris shows her the result of FGM?
She is shocked and emotional, and tells Waris that this is not normal in Western countries.
What does the desert in the title “Desert Flower” symbolise?
It symbolises Waris’s origins in Somalia and the harsh conditions of her early life.
How does Waris arrive in London?
She escapes to Mogadishu, then her relatives help her get to London to work in the embassy.
What job does Marilyn have and what work does she dream of?
She works as a cashier in a store but dreams to becomes a dancer.
How did Liam's attitude to Waris change?
Friendly, supportive and admiring to jelouse, controlling, threatening and critical.
How does FGM affect Waris later in life?
She experiences severe pain, difficulty with relationships, and trauma.
What does Waris’s silence symbolise in the hospital scenes?
It represents shame, fear, and how trauma can take away a person’s ability to speak.
What challenges does Waris face as an immigrant in London?
She struggles with no legal papers, no money, and she doesn’t know the language or the culture.
What is Marilyn’s attitude toward Liam, and what does it tell us about her character?
She is cautious and protective, kepping her distance from L., against this marriage but when it is done she helps W. to live through it (one year).
What can Harold taking the down jacket off W. be interpreted? (literally and metaphorically)
1. carrying
2. foreshadowing attachment ("it is hot here")
3. making W. take her guard down, feel amotionally vulnarable, "naked"
How does the scene in the hospital show cultural beliefs overriding professional responsibility?
The male Somali nurse instead of acting as a neutral translator, shaming Waris and failing to support her as a patient.
How does light and darkness function metaphorically in certain scenes (e.g., photoshoot, flashbacks)?
Light often represents truth and exposure, while darkness holds fear, secrets, and past trauma.
How does Waris use her fame to make a difference?
She becomes a UN spokesperson, speaks out about FGM, and writes a book about her life.
Why is Marilyn an important symbol of chosen family in the film?
She isn’t related to Waris but becomes her biggest support. She represents how love and friendship can build new families beyond blood ties.
Why there is no happy relationship in this story?
Liam: no initial attraction and too many mistakes (lies, tries to control, threaten, misuse his position)
Harold: atraction is there but trauma from FGM, cultural difference and insequrity
How is FGM used as a symbol in the story beyond physical harm?
It symbolises the silencing of girls, cultural control, and the long struggle for healing, identity, and reclaiming one’s voice.
Explain the trend of theme of VOICE in the film (start: arranged marriage scene, London first 6 years scene, hospital scenes, interview, UN conference, final screaming girl scene)
arranged marriage scene - no voice, London first 6 years scene - no voice, hospital scenes - first scene - no voice but second - taking control over her own body, interview - opens up - aquires voice, UN conference - speaks up to help others , final screaming girl scene - shows how females forced into silence/submission through trauma and the importance of giving voice to that pain, turning it into a cry for help)