Qualifications
BA Modern Languages - VUW
MA Creative Writing (Script) International Institute of Modern Letters - VUW
MA Literary Translation Studies - English/Spanish - VUW
Oral History Training - Oral History Centre, Wellington National Library
Short Bio
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Desiree emigrated to Wellington, New Zealand in 1985 with her husband and three daughters.
She writes for theatre and film, and has published a bilingual book of poetry, ‘Next Time Around / la próxima vez’ (Steele Roberts) which deals with the subject of immigration and separation from loved ones. Her poetry piece ‘Under the Southern Stars’ was recorded and broadcast by Radio NZ. A number of her poems have been set to music by award winning NZ composers Gareth Farr and Dorothy Buchanan.
Desiree has also been involved in various projects as script development consultant, and has translated poetry, theatre and fiction from English to Spanish and Spanish to English, including the English translation of the book Náhuatl Stories: Indigenous tales from Mexico by Pablo Gonzáles Casanova (pub VUP, 2012), through the Mexican Embassy in NZ.
Desiree's play 'Nuclear Family' won the Best Stageplay Award (Script) at the 2011 Moondance International Film Festival Competition (USA) and received 5-star reviews in Adelaide (AU), London (UK), Edinburgh (IE), Auckland and Wellington (NZ). Her latest play, ‘Caging Skies’, based on the novel by Christine Leunens, had its world premiere at Wellington’s Circa Theatre in August 2017 and is currently being translated into Spanish and French.
A few words about me, in no particular order...
writer poet playwright screenwriter translator publicist
ink-link cultivator of people & memories
romantic realist music & art lover
Jewish Venezuelan New Zealander
Maiden name ~ Desiree Rebeca Sterental Serr
daughter of engineer Volf Sterental and pianist Harriet Serr
wife of NZSO violinist Yury Gezentsvey
mother of Michelle, Lara (&Nathan), Yael (&Storm)
grandma of Noam & Stella Maurice & Beatrice Quin & Nova
Among my meaningful favorites...
When you look to the heights, hold on to your hat.
Yiddish Proverb
Begin by doing what's necessary
Then do what's possible
Soon you'll be doing the impossible!
St Francis of Assissi
If you keep your destiny in mind,
every moment in life
becomes an opportunity
for moving closer to it.
Arthur Golden
O let me hear thee speaking
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
O speak to reassure me,
To hasten or control;
O speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.
Bode, 1869