Experiencing Interruptions?

Fadumo. A Legacy

In 1980, dermatologist Luitgard Wiest saves the life of 7 y.o. Fadumo from (then) Somalia while on a humanitarian rescue mission. The girl lives with Luitgards family in Germany for 2 years before returning to the Horn of Africa.
35 years later, Luitgard decides to search for Fadumo: this is a promise she made to her son Konstantin. After his sudden death Luitgard travels to Somaliland. She is desperate to find the young woman. But slowly the real motive crystallises: Luitgard needs to make peace with her past. Will she come to terms with her destiny? Or will Fadumo be an unfinished business forever?

  • Johannes Rosenstein
    Director
  • Johannes Rosenstein
    Producer
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Fadumo oder Das Vermächtnis
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature
  • Genres:
    Portrait, Biography, Human Interest
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 30 minutes 25 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 30, 2021
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Ethiopia, Germany, Somalia
  • Language:
    English, German
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Abuja International Film Festival
    Abuja
    Nigeria
    November 1, 2021
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Boden International Film Festival
    Boden
    Sweden
    February 13, 2022
    European Premiere
    Semi-Finalist
  • World Film Carneval
    Singapore
    Singapore
    April 1, 2022
    South East Asian Premiere
    Award Winner
  • Tokyo Lift-Off
    Tokyo
    Japan
    May 4, 2022
  • White Unicorn International Film Festival
    Kolkata
    India
    March 18, 2022
    Award Winner
  • Maracay International Film and Video Festival
    Maracay
    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
    June 19, 2022
    Award Best Documentary
  • International Film Festival Kinshasa FICKIN
    Kinshasa
    Congo, the Democratic Republic of the
    July 9, 2022
    Documentary Feature
Director Biography - Johannes Rosenstein

Born in Coburg, raised in England, Tanzania and Kenya, M.A. university degree in Berlin (cinema studies, political and social science) and diploma (film directing) at the Munich University of Television and Film. Various documentary films for TV and short ficiton films. Founder and director of Royal Filmmakers GmbH film production company in Munich (with Ralf Bücheler).
Films include:
DIE 10 AN-GEBOTE (2021)
FRAU. MACHT. KIRCHE (2021)
SEHNSUCHTSORT KLOSTER. (2020)
WIE SCHREINER FRED DEM TOD ENTKAM (2020)
BAYERISCHE INSELWELTEN (2017)
RUPERT NEUDECK. RADIKAL MENSCHLICH (2015)
BLUT, REIS, TRÄNEN (2014)
TRAURIGKEIT UND SEX UND WAHRHEIT (2012)
MAMA MASSAI (2007)

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Having grown up in East Africa I am hooked by the continent, the people, the incredible nature, the vast dimensions and its' beauty.
When I heard about Luitgards story and her obsession to search for a little girl she has not seen for over 35 years I knew it had to do with her "maladie d'Afrique", her love for Africa. No one would support her search so I decided to tell her story.
Luitgards energy and her will to overcome every obstacle was breath-taking - given she is 80 y.o. by now. I follwed her around for more than three years, very close, very intimate, to tell the personal story of a woman who went out to save the world --- only to find out it is a much bigger task to save yourself.
FADUMO. A LEGACY is a document of an inner struggle we all face when we try too hard to achieve something. It is so much harder to admit defeat than to continue struggling. So the film is not so much about finding Fadumo but a lot more about finding inner peace.