Koromousso: Big Sister
- Description
- Reviews
- Citation
- Cataloging
- Transcript
KOROMOUSSO: Big Sister explores the phenomenon of female genital mutilation (FGM) as experienced by African immigrant women in Quebec. Taking a collaborative, inclusive approach and demonstrating immense cultural sensitivity, Habibata and co-director Jim Donovan also examine the shame that can be felt by women subjected to FGM, both socially and when engaging with the Western medical system, which is largely unresponsive to their experience. While attitudes in Africa are slowly changing, the film shows that if all Canadian women are to have access to equitable sexuality, more education is needed within the Quebec and Canadian healthcare system—a task that may well be initiated by these brave sisters in struggle.
Citation
Main credits
Ouarme, Habibata (film director)
Ouarme, Habibata (screenwriter)
Ouarme, Habibata (narrator)
Donovan, Jim (film director)
Donovan, Jim (screenwriter)
McCready, Denis (film producer)
Aubé, Christine (film producer)
Other credits
Cinematography, Vanessa Abadhir [and 3 others]; editor, François Normandin; music, Jenny Salgado.
Distributor subjects
Africa; Gender and Sexuality; Women's Studies; Sexuality; Social IssuesKeywords
00:00:09.750 --> 00:00:12.208
- (Birds chirping,
- children giggling)
00:00:18.583 --> 00:00:20.375
(Speaking foreign language)
00:00:37.958 --> 00:00:39.833
(Indistinct chatter)
00:00:55.666 --> 00:00:57.166
(Speaking foreign language)
00:01:23.083 --> 00:01:24.958
(Indistinct chatter)
00:01:31.333 --> 00:01:33.208
(♪ Women vocalizing ♪)
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(Birds chirping)
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(Insects chirring)
00:07:56.958 --> 00:07:59.000
(Both laughing)
00:08:16.041 --> 00:08:18.166
(Phone ringing)
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(Laughing)
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(Laughing)
00:09:08.208 --> 00:09:09.958
- (Man):
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(Children talking, indistinct)
00:09:40.958 --> 00:09:43.125
- (Rooster crowing,
- indistinct chatter)
00:09:53.541 --> 00:09:54.791
(Children laughing)
00:10:15.750 --> 00:10:16.750
- Habi...
00:10:16.750 --> 00:10:18.291
(Laughing)
00:10:23.250 --> 00:10:25.125
(Indistinct chatter)
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Oh my God.
00:16:48.166 --> 00:16:49.958
(Exhaling sharply)
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(Women talking, indistinct)
00:18:41.666 --> 00:18:42.666
(Women laughing)
00:18:47.333 --> 00:18:48.750
(Sighing)
00:19:41.583 --> 00:19:43.500
(Exhaling slowly)
00:19:58.750 --> 00:19:59.958
- Mmm.
00:21:43.041 --> 00:21:43.958
(Laughing)
00:23:40.416 --> 00:23:41.541
My God!
00:23:42.625 --> 00:23:43.541
(Sighing)
00:23:50.125 --> 00:23:52.125
(Chicken clucking)
00:23:52.125 --> 00:23:54.000
(Children laughing)
00:23:56.875 --> 00:23:58.750
(Children talking, indistinct)
00:32:22.541 --> 00:32:24.416
(♪ Woman vocalizing ♪)
00:33:00.458 --> 00:33:01.500
(Laughing)
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Oh, wow!
00:33:36.833 --> 00:33:37.750
(Giggling)
00:33:42.291 --> 00:33:43.666
Ooh la la!
00:36:27.541 --> 00:36:28.958
(Sighing)
00:36:52.791 --> 00:36:54.958
- So, I'm a gynecologist.
00:36:54.958 --> 00:36:57.750
- I currently do care for women
- that have been impacted
00:36:57.750 --> 00:36:59.666
by female genital cutting.
00:36:59.666 --> 00:37:03.291
- And I am hoping
- to establish further expertise
00:37:03.291 --> 00:37:07.625
- and hopefully train our future
- generation of gynecologists
00:37:07.625 --> 00:37:10.958
around clitoral reconstruction.
00:37:10.958 --> 00:37:13.666
- Clitoral reconstruction
- can have a tremendous impact
00:37:13.666 --> 00:37:16.125
- on the well-being of those
- that have been impacted
00:37:16.125 --> 00:37:17.583
by the practice.
00:37:17.583 --> 00:37:21.125
- We know that, overall,
- women that have undergone it
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- have an improved sense
- of a restoration of identity,
00:37:24.375 --> 00:37:26.208
a restoration of anatomy.
00:37:26.208 --> 00:37:28.333
- They have
- improved sexual function.
00:37:28.333 --> 00:37:30.666
They have decreased pain.
00:37:30.666 --> 00:37:34.541
- They have increased metrics
- in sexual function,
00:37:34.541 --> 00:37:38.250
- increased ability
- of sensation, orgasm.
00:37:39.416 --> 00:37:41.333
- There are
- some significant barriers
00:37:41.333 --> 00:37:45.208
- to be able to provide
- reconstructive surgeries.
00:37:45.208 --> 00:37:47.250
- The first
- and most significant one
00:37:47.250 --> 00:37:50.666
- is that we lack personnel
- that are well-trained in this,
00:37:50.666 --> 00:37:54.958
- that have experience
- in conducting these procedures.
00:37:54.958 --> 00:37:59.083
- We also, then, don't have
- established funding
00:37:59.083 --> 00:38:01.833
- that can support
- the holistic care
00:38:01.833 --> 00:38:03.625
- that is required
- for these women.
00:38:03.625 --> 00:38:05.500
And then, finally,
00:38:05.500 --> 00:38:09.541
- because we don't have
- many people with expertise,
00:38:09.541 --> 00:38:11.958
then if one identifies
00:38:11.958 --> 00:38:15.250
- that a patient has had
- female genital cutting,
00:38:15.250 --> 00:38:18.500
there's often an uncertainty
00:38:18.500 --> 00:38:23.166
- about where we could send
- somebody to get expert help.
00:38:41.791 --> 00:38:43.833
(Laughing)
00:38:43.833 --> 00:38:45.375
(Doorbell ringing)
00:39:39.291 --> 00:39:41.208
(Inhaling deeply)
00:41:44.333 --> 00:41:47.541
- Female-genital cutting
- is a very complex issue.
00:41:47.541 --> 00:41:49.958
- It's deeply rooted
- in gender inequality.
00:41:49.958 --> 00:41:51.583
And so, ultimately,
00:41:51.583 --> 00:41:54.916
- until we address gender
- inequality at a societal level,
00:41:54.916 --> 00:41:57.958
- we will not move
- this agenda forward.
00:41:57.958 --> 00:42:00.666
What we can do moving forward
00:42:00.666 --> 00:42:04.541
- is all take responsibility
- in our different arenas.
00:42:04.541 --> 00:42:07.208
- We have a whole generation
- that's been impacted.
00:42:07.208 --> 00:42:09.708
- And so,
- us as a medical community
00:42:09.708 --> 00:42:13.416
- need to first of all recognize
- the impact of this practice,
00:42:13.416 --> 00:42:14.583
and then address it.
00:43:54.791 --> 00:43:56.333
(Women laughing)
00:44:21.666 --> 00:44:22.791
(All laughing)
00:44:44.583 --> 00:44:46.000
(Laughing)
00:45:58.000 --> 00:45:59.625
(All laughing)
00:46:25.791 --> 00:46:27.666
(Phone ringing)
00:46:31.416 --> 00:46:32.708
- Hello?
00:47:22.000 --> 00:47:23.125
- Yes!
00:47:23.125 --> 00:47:24.625
Ooh la la!
00:47:28.500 --> 00:47:29.500
(Both laughing)
00:50:01.666 --> 00:50:02.958
(Both laughing)
00:50:15.916 --> 00:50:17.833
(Woman speaking French on PA)
00:50:29.541 --> 00:50:31.375
- (Flight attendant
- speaking French)
00:50:35.250 --> 00:50:36.875
- Ooh!
00:50:36.875 --> 00:50:38.208
Oh my God.
00:50:40.041 --> 00:50:41.958
(Giggling)
00:51:09.083 --> 00:51:11.083
(People clapping)
00:51:11.083 --> 00:51:12.958
(Talking, indistinct)
00:51:14.958 --> 00:51:17.250
- (Women talking,
- singing in foreign language)
00:51:49.833 --> 00:51:51.291
(Speaking French)
00:53:45.666 --> 00:53:46.875
(Car doors closing)
00:54:16.125 --> 00:54:17.375
(Laughing)
00:54:18.500 --> 00:54:20.375
(Indistinct chatter)
00:54:53.791 --> 00:54:55.125
(Habibata giggling)
00:55:51.958 --> 00:55:53.541
(Sighing)
00:56:19.500 --> 00:56:21.125
Ah...
00:56:31.125 --> 00:56:32.666
(Rain pattering on window)
00:56:38.458 --> 00:56:40.333
(Thunder rumbling)
00:56:42.458 --> 00:56:44.375
(Clock ticking)
00:57:22.791 --> 00:57:24.416
(Groaning)
00:57:48.458 --> 00:57:50.333
(Birds chirping)
00:57:57.875 --> 00:57:59.750
(Habibata laughing)
01:00:33.625 --> 01:00:35.375
(Laughing)
01:00:38.708 --> 01:00:41.333
(♪ Woman vocalizing ♪)
01:01:34.166 --> 01:01:36.041
(Indistinct chatter)
01:02:15.250 --> 01:02:16.541
(Women laughing)
01:02:16.541 --> 01:02:18.250
(Women talking, indistinct)
01:02:24.000 --> 01:02:25.375
(Phone ringing)
01:04:22.000 --> 01:04:23.833
- One of the biggest things
01:04:23.833 --> 01:04:26.375
- about this
- reconstructive procedure
01:04:26.375 --> 01:04:29.958
- is that, although it
- is a simple procedure,
01:04:29.958 --> 01:04:33.250
- it is complicated to know
- if these are the right people
01:04:33.250 --> 01:04:35.166
- that should be
- getting this procedure.
01:04:35.166 --> 01:04:39.166
- And they need very thorough,
- robust assessment,
01:04:39.166 --> 01:04:42.375
- which can take a lot of time
- leading up to the procedure.
01:04:42.375 --> 01:04:43.750
So, this isn't something
01:04:43.750 --> 01:04:45.541
that you can just go away
01:04:45.541 --> 01:04:47.500
- and have done quickly
- and return.
01:04:47.500 --> 01:04:51.500
- Something like this surgery
- requires long-term follow-up
01:04:51.500 --> 01:04:54.875
with the same physician
01:04:54.875 --> 01:04:57.958
- or surgeon that's
- performing the procedure.
01:04:57.958 --> 01:05:01.250
- And so travelling abroad
- really limits that possibility,
01:05:01.250 --> 01:05:04.541
- and I think also limits
- the potential for healing.
01:05:07.083 --> 01:05:08.291
- Oh my God.
01:05:26.166 --> 01:05:28.083
(All laughing)
01:10:36.708 --> 01:10:40.791
- I've been deeply
- impacted by those
01:10:40.791 --> 01:10:42.666
- that have experienced
- this practice.
01:10:42.666 --> 01:10:45.208
- It's been profound what
- they've shared with me,
01:10:45.208 --> 01:10:48.916
- and that has changed me
- for a lifetime.
01:10:48.916 --> 01:10:52.875
- And so I'm, like, committed
- to seeing this through.
01:10:52.875 --> 01:10:55.708
- I plan to offer
- clitoral reconstruction
01:10:55.708 --> 01:10:59.250
- as a part
- of a holistic-care plan
01:10:59.250 --> 01:11:03.458
- for women that would
- be interested and meet criteria.
01:11:03.458 --> 01:11:05.791
But this will require funding,
01:11:05.791 --> 01:11:10.083
- and so we have to lobby
- on government for support,
01:11:10.083 --> 01:11:14.833
- engage our medical community,
- work with advocacy groups.
01:11:14.833 --> 01:11:18.833
- This issue is not an issue
- that exists in countries abroad.
01:11:18.833 --> 01:11:20.750
This exists here.
01:11:20.750 --> 01:11:22.708
These are our Canadian women.
01:11:22.708 --> 01:11:25.000
They need our medical attention.
01:11:25.000 --> 01:11:27.458
- And they're not
- getting it currently.
01:11:27.458 --> 01:11:30.833
- And so this is part of
- my dream and my work
01:11:30.833 --> 01:11:32.916
is that we raise awareness,
01:11:32.916 --> 01:11:35.750
that we become well-educated
01:11:35.750 --> 01:11:38.333
- and are able to provide
- the care that's needed.
01:11:40.458 --> 01:11:42.333
(♪ Afropop ♪)
01:11:44.791 --> 01:11:46.708
(All laughing)
01:14:42.458 --> 01:14:44.333
(♪ Women vocalizing ♪)