Suzannah Mirghani: Al-Sit (Sudan) - 32 Annual Cascade Festival of African Films 2022 - Women Filmmakers Week

Suzannah Mirghani
Al-Sit
Sudan
Fiction - 20min - 2021

Synopsis
In a cotton-farming village in Sudan, 15-year-old Nafisa has a crush on Babiker, but her parents have arranged her marriage to Nadir, a young Sudanese businessman living abroad. Nafisa’s grandmother Al-Sit, the powerful village matriarch, has her own plans for Nafisa’s future. But can the young girl choose for herself? A compassionate story from Sudan about women—both powerless and powerful—exploring opposing ends of the social chain and how these roles might be changing in a modernizing world.

Bio
Sudanese-Russian scriptwriter, researcher and independent filmmaker Suzannah Mirghani is based in Qatar.

 

New York African Film Festival 2020: Marwa Zein in conversation

 New York African Film Festival 2020 

in conversation with Marwa Zein Marwa Zein and Sarra Idris

Marwa talks about her film Khartoum Offside (2019) with Sarra Idris, also a filmmaker from Sudan. The film screening and the conversation are part of the New York African Film Festival's Streaming Rivers: The Past into the Present 2020 virtual edition.

Follow link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AhDPog2uoc

 

 

Festival Films Femmes Afrique 2020 - Marwa Zein : Khartoum Offside

Films Femmes Afrique

Marwa Zein

Khartoum Offside

Sudan - 2019 - 75 min - Documentary

Longs-métrages en compétition |

Feature films in competition

Synopsis

Venant des banlieues de Khartoum sous un régime politique Islamique et un gouvernement militaire, la vie peut être difficile à vivre et les rêves un peu au-dessus de nos moyens. 

Devrions-nous abandonner ? Est-il possible pour des jeunes femmes au Soudan de faire face à l'oppression grâce au football ? 

Coming from the outskirts of Khartoum under an Islamic political regime and a military government, life can be difficult to live and dreams a little beyond our means.

Should we give up? Is it possible for young women in Sudan to confront oppression through soccer?

Biographie | Biography

Marwa Zein est une réalisatrice-productrice soudanaise et égyptienne primée pour ses courts métrages de fiction acclamés Un jeu et Une semaine, deux jours. Khartoum Offside, son premier long métrage documentaire, est un film primé au FCAT 2019. Le film a été présenté avec succès en première mondiale au Berlinale Forum 2019 et depuis lors, le film est officiellement sélectionné en compétition dans les prestigieux festivals internationaux tels que : Visions du réel, Hot Docs, CPH DOX et Sheffield 2019. CPH DOX l'a invitée à faire partie du jury NETX: WAVE 2019. Marwa a fondé ORE Productions basé à Khartoum, au Soudan.

Sudanese-Egyptian director-producer Marwa Zein has received awards for her acclaimed short fiction films A Game and A Week, Two Days. Khartoum Offside, her first feature documentary, received an prize at FCAT 2019. The film was successfully presented as a world premiere at the Berlinale Forum 2019 and since then, it has been part of the official selection in competition at prestigious international festivals such as: Visions du réel, Hot Docs, CPH DOX and Sheffield 2019. CPH DOX invited her to be part of the NETX: WAVE 2019 jury. Marwa founded ORE Productions based in Khartoum, Sudan.

KHARTOUM OFFSIDE 'Official Trailer' from Marwa Zein on Vimeo.

Marwa Zein Oufsaiyed Elkhortoum (Khartoum Offside) Afrika Film Festival Köln 2019

Marwa Zein 

Oufsaiyed Elkhortoum (Khartoum Offside)

Afrika Film Festival Köln 2019 

Marwa Zein (Sudan-Germany)

Oufsaiyed Elkhortoum (Khartoum Offside), 2019, 75 min.

http://afrikafilmfestivalkoeln.de/programm-2019/oufsaiyed-elkhortoum/ 

DESCRIPTION

English

On the outskirts of the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, Sara and her sporty friends dream of one day founding a national football team and taking part in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. But there is no state support for women’s football in Sudan and football doesn’t fit the Muslim society’s traditional image of a woman. For some it is even considered an “immoral act”, which under Sharia law is punishable by lashes. The women still message each other to meet up for training, and show off their skills – both with and without their headscarves.

In the footballers’ courageous struggle for self-determination one can already see the revolutionary passion that, shortly after shooting had been wrapped up, led to the toppling of Omar al-Bashir’s decades-old dictatorship, with women also playing a very prominent role. 

Français

A la périphérie de Khartoum, la capitale soudanaise, Sara et une partie de ses amies sont passionnées de sport. Elles rêvent de fonder une équipe nationale de football et de participer à la Coupe du Monde féminine de la FIFA. Mais au Soudan, le football féminin ne bénéficie d’aucune aide de l’Etat et dans une société régit par l’islam, le foot ne fait pas bon ménage avec l’image traditionnelle de la femme. Pour certains, il est même associé à un « comportement immoral » qui, selon la charia, doit être puni par des coups de fouet. Qu’à cela ne tienne ! Les jeunes filles se donnent rendez-vous aussi souvent que possible par téléphone et se retrouvent pour s’entraîner et dribbler habilement avec le ballon, avec ou sans voile. Dans le combat courageux que mènent ces joueuses de football pour l’autodétermination, on sent déjà la passion révolutionnaire qui a conduit, peu de temps après la fin du tournage, au renversement d’Omar el-Béchir, après des décennies de dictature. Dans cette révolution aussi, les femmes ont joué un rôle central.

BIO: MARWA ZEIN

English

Sudanese filmmaker and scriptwriter Marwa Zein was born in Saudi Arabia and lived in Cairo, Egypt. After studying chemical engineering for three years, she decided to pursue her passion for film at the High Institute of Cinema in Cairo, graduating with an honorable mention in 2009.

From 2009 to 2014, Marwa Zein has honed her filmmaking skills at diverse talent campuses, master classes and film workshops: Berlin Talent Campus, Durban Talent Campus, film workshops conducted by Haile Gerima at the Luxor African Film Festival and the Silver Docs AFI Documentary workshop, and international master classes with Tom Tykwer, Jihan El Tahri, Threes Ann and Darine Hotait.

Her film Layl, developed at the Cinephilia Screenwriting Lab for Shorts, received an honorable mention in 2014. Her short film A Game was selected at the 2010 Cannes Short film Corner and has won awards at many festivals including: Sao Paolo International Short Film Festival, Michigan Short Film Festival, Avignon International Short Film Festival, Qartaj Short Film Festival, Ismailia International Short Film Festival.

Français

Marwa Zein est née à la Mecque, en Arabie-Saoudite. Elle a vécu et fait ses études au Caire, la capitale égyptienne et réside aujourd’hui en Allemagne. Elle est réalisatrice et fondatrice de la société de production soudanaise ORE Productions à Khartoum. Ses courts-métrages A Game et One Week, Two Days ont été primés dans plus d’une vingtaine de festivals de cinéma. Oufsaiyed Elkhortoum (Khartoum Offside), un documentaire sur des footballeuses au Soudan est son premier long-métrage. Il a été sélectionné dans la catégorie Forum de la Berlinale 2019 et elle vient le présenter personnellement Festival du film africain de Cologne cette année. (Source: http://www.filme-aus-afrika.de/FR/base-de-donnees-sur-les-films/personnes/personen-details/w/4073/)

IMAGES: https://marwazein.com/

Oufsaiyed Elkhortoum (Khartoum Offside) by Marwa Zein - Official World Premiere in Berlinale Forum 2019

Oufsaiyed Elkhortoum (Khartoum Offside)

by Marwa Zein

Official World Premiere in Berlinale Forum 2019

Oufsaiyed Elkhortoum (Khartoum Offside), 75 min. by Marwa Zein (Sudan / Norway / Denmark). Release date February 2019

Description

The feature documentary film tells a story that reveals Sudan's multi-layered depth; where social, political and economical situation affect even football.

“What if your country is going through political, economical and social challenges, can women  dream big?  What if they are playing football?”

Among the protagonists of Marwa Zein's documentary, Sara is the one depicted with a remarkable entrepreneurial mind. And the group of young sporty women she belongs to is very much in need of business models to make their dream come true: putting together a Sudanese team for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. But besides lack of finances, there are quite a lot of other obstacles to overcome. Oufsaiyed Elkhortoum explores this feminist universe on the outskirts of Sudan's capital, where jokes are cracked as versatile as the ball is kicked into the goal. The young women, with and without veil play football, take their smartphones to bed: they are bond by street smarts and staggering energy which have brought them together as a sports team that doubles up as a collective survival strategy. Demonstrating considerable intimacy with these women, Oufsaiyed Elkhortoum reveals their daily lives in a city full of contradictions, showing how family traditions, politics and religion dare to dictate their life plans. Marwa Zein’s debut is at once cinematic proof of the power of female friendship and a Sudanese filmmaker’s concerted effort to rectify stereotypical perceptions of her country. Source: berlinale 

Biography

Sudanese, Marwa Zein El Abdin Seed Ahmed Fadl Arbab, explorer and creator, was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. She lived and studied in Cairo, Egypt and now between Sudan and France.

After studying chemical engineering for 3 years at Cairo University, she decided to discontinue in order to pursue film directing at the High Institute of Cinema in Cairo. She graduated in 2009 with an honorable mention.

She has since worked as Assistant Director in Egypt / Lebanon with film directors such as Dawoud Abdelsayed , Hala Khalil, Khairy Beshara , Dr. Sherif Sabri and Shady El-Fakharany”.

“I believe that films are made to tell a story, give a feeling .. make you think or make you feel lost and maybe sometimes just to speak your confusion and dark sides ..”

Source: marwazein.com

Links

https://marwazein.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Khartoum-Offside-1086792474825828/ 

Luxor African Film Festival 2017: One Week and Two Days | "Une semaine et deux jours" by/de Marwa Zein (Sudan)

Luxor African Film Festival 2017

One Week and Two Days

"Une semaine et deux jours"

by/de Marwa Zein (Sudan)

Women at the 6th Edition |

Les femmes à la 6e édition

SHORT FILM | COURT METRAGE

Synopsis: One Week and Two Days | "Une semaine et deux jours" (2016)

[English]

The relationship of a loving couple is challenged when they try to conceive a baby. Doubts emerge. In such a critical situation, both are required to make important decisions.

[Français]

La relation d'un couple aimant est éprouvée quand ils essaient de concevoir un enfant. Des doutes surgissent. Dans une situation aussi critique, les deux sont tenus de prendre des décisions importantes.

Image: marwazein.com

Forgotten Sudan: Tariq Ali talks to filmmaker Taghreed Elsanhouri

Forgotten Sudan: Tariq Ali talks to filmmaker Taghreed Elsanhouri

Tariq Ali talks to film maker Taghreed Elsanhouri about Sudan, its independence from British Rule, the civil wars which followed and the potential shape of its future.

Link: http://tariqalitv.com/portfolio/s2e16-forgotten-sudan/ (31 mins.)

Sudanese Marwa Zein launches the Indiegogo crowdfunding for film project "One Week, Two Days"

Photo: Marwa Zein Website

Marwa Zein launches Indiegogo crowdfunding for the film project "One Week, Two Days"

For more information on the Indiegogo campaign and to make a contribution: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/one-week-two-days-short-film 

Marwa Zein had this to say to Beti Ellerson about the film project "One Week, Two Days". 

Relationships, people, fear, time. Is time against love? Our film is about love, time, sharing, communication and anxiety. A film that spans a nine-day period and what may happen to any couple during that time. A film about different points of view that are not discussed because it happens all the time. 

Love scenes are hard to make, and going through intimate details between a man and a woman is very difficult. And what is even more difficult is to find someone who is willing to finance it, especially when it's a short film. But it is not difficult to find people who are interested and willing to help us make the movie. We are proud that almost half of the crew are women. And we are happy that the other half are men: in order to oppress them! We are happy to work together on a film that could be about any couple anywhere in the world. 

About Marwa Zein

Sudanese filmmaker and scriptwriter Marwa Zein was born in Saudi Arabia and lived in Cairo, Egypt. After studying chemical engineering for three years, she decided to pursue her passion for film at the High Institute of Cinema in Cairo, graduating with an honorable mention in 2009.

From 2009 to 2014, Marwa Zein has honed her filmmaking skills at diverse talent campuses, master classes and film workshops: Berlin Talent Campus, Durban Talent Campus, film workshops conducted by Haile Gerima at the Luxor African Film Festival and the Silver Docs AFI Documentary workshop, and international master classes with Tom Tykwer, Jihan El Tahri, Threes Ann and Darine Hotait.

Her film Layl, developed at the Cinephilia Screenwriting Lab for Shorts, received an honorable mention in 2014. Her short film A Game was selected at the 2010 Cannes Short film Corner and has won awards at many festivals including: Sao Paolo International Short Film Festival, Michigan Short Film Festival, Avignon International Short Film Festival, Qartaj Short Film Festival, Ismailia International Short Film Festival.

ADAPTED FROM INDIEGOGO CROWDFUNDING DESCRIPTION

Nine days between a loving couple from the Middle East, where intimacy and relationships are hard to discuss in real life and in films.

In a sarcastic yet romantic way, the film relates very small though important details that happen between a woman and a man; which is something relatively new to the Arab short film industry.

As filmmakers we are bound by market requirements and rules, and as Arab artists we are always hounded by constant censorship that thwarts our imagination and redefines our words.

         We want to make films based on our own desires: that are true, free and our own!

One Week, Two Days - Crowd Funding Campaign from Marwa Zein on Vimeo.

Link:

Marwa Zein Website 

The Cultural Healing Festival – London diaspora edition 2013: Founder and director of the festival Taghreed Elsanhouri in partnership with South Sudan Women Skills Development project

The Cultural Healing Festival – London diaspora edition 2013:

Founder and director of the festival Taghreed Elsanhouri in partnership with South Sudan Women Skills Development project

The Cultural Healing Festival is conceived to carry on the legacy of the Cultural Healing project that was originated by filmmaker Taghreed Elsanhouri. Cultural Healing was a EU funded cinema for peace building and community transformation initiative designed to empower ordinary people in Sudan to find their creativity and their voice and to use these to break the silence on taboo issues at the local and the national level. Eight short films by communities across Sudan were made through the project.

Taghreed, please give a bit of context regarding The Cultural Healing Festival.

The Cultural Healing Festival was envisioned as an annual event that would continue and build upon the legacy of the project.  The first edition of the festival was launched in Khartoum in January 2013.  With the recent clampdown on media and artistic activities in Khartoum I realized it might not be possible to sustain the festival as an annual event. However, there are significant Sudanese and South Sudanese diaspora in the UK, Europe and the US and so the idea to create an annual diaspora event emerged.

The London diaspora edition was recently held on 26 October, what are its objectives?

The objective of the diaspora edition is to bring people of the two Sudans together in a spirit of cultural exchange. I think in diaspora the people of the partitioned Sudans experience their differences from a more expansive vantage point, here they are both ethnic minorities and may experience marginalization and discrimination. On the positive side they live in free democracies and have the opportunity to express themselves openly and without fear.

There is a Sudanese proverb that says ‘words are more beautiful when they are spoken out of the mouth of the person they concern.’ In diaspora a new generation is emerging which has the education and the self-knowledge to facilitate the peace back home and it is time that they are mobilized and empowered to make their contribution.

Conversation with Taghreed Elsanhouri and Beti Ellerson, October 2013

Taghreed Elsanhouri's Sudan

Taghreed Elsanhouri

I was struck by the love and tenderness in Taghreed Elsanhouri’s voice when speaking of her son Abdelsamih and the emotional journey of meeting him while making her film The Orphans of Mygoma (2008). From this encounter she evolved from dispassionate filmmaker to ultimately, an engaging mother. Commissioned by Aljazeera, Taghreed set out to Sudan to make a film about the children brought to the Mygoma Orphanage in Karthoum after being abandoned by their unwed mothers.

The Orphans of Mygoma was Taghreed’s second film about Sudan, which she had left as a child. Working in television in England, she always wanted to talk about Sudan but it was only during the Darfur crisis in 2005 that she found her voice and purpose. Her first independent film, All About Darfur came from her desire to understand what was happening in Sudan and to tell the story from the dual perspective of a northerner of Sudan, part of a dominant group, and a black woman in Britain living with racism.

In her third film, Mother Unknown (2009), Taghreed returned to the orphanage around which she bases the stories of two young unmarried mothers and one unmarried father who want to keep their babies.

We continue as she talks about her future projects and answers my many questions about her experiences as a filmmaker. Stirred by the passionate story at Mygoma, I return to our original conversation. Profoundly touched by the experience that transformed her life, and his, Taghreed reflects on her son Abdelsamih. Though blind, having lost his eyes to cancer as a baby, she is nonetheless optimistic by his strength and curiosity, his amazing courage and ability to love and live fully. In her eyes I see that he has a bright future. (Report by Beti Ellerson)

Witness Orphans of Mygoma (Part 1) Taghreed Elsanhouri

Witness Orphans of Mygoma (Part 2) by Taghreed Elsanhouri

Extract of : 'Mother Unknown' - Adam from Scott Radnor on Vimeo

Mother Unknown by Taghreed Elsanhouri

http://vimeo.com/12232291

Extract of: 'Mother Unknown' - The Story of Mary from Scott Radnor on Vimeo

Mother Unknown by Taghreed Elsanhouri

Links

Engagement des femmes cinéastes (Round Table Cannes Film Festival 2008)

All About Darfur

Sara Gubara: Her Father’s Eyes (Sudan)

Sara Gubara’s extraordinary story of perseverance and resolve begins early as a young child. The daughter-father triumph over many obstacles and challenges spans the lifetime of Gadalla Gubara who died in 2008, and continues today as Sara carries the torch of his dreams. At three years old, young Sara was stricken with polio, the family facing the bleak diagnosis that nothing could be done. Gadalla does not accept this fate, devoting himself to his daughter’s recovery. She was encouraged to swim and at twelve years old competes internationally. Moved by Sara’s incredible accomplishment, Gadalla made the documentary Viva Sara, which would later inspire the fiction film Sarahsarà (1994) by Renzo Martinelli.

Aljazeera.net

Sara Gubara journeyed into cinema through her father’s footsteps and as a team they directed more than 40 films. The pioneer of Sudanese cinema, Gadalla Gubara created his own company, Gad Studios, after managing the mobile cinema of the Sudanese Ministry of Information. Through his indefatigable efforts, single handedly he forged a Sudanese cinema infrastructure, producing some 300 documentaries. However, in 1998, Gadalla’s sudden blindness thrust Sara into the forefront. At her father’s side, she became his eyes: “On the film, I work as his eyes. Sometimes we argue about some things but still, we cooperate well together.”

Sara’s film The Lover of Light (2004) is both a metaphor of Gadalla Gubara and of his interest in bringing social issues to light through filmmaking. Taking the torch of her father, Sara is determined to keep filmmaking alive in Sudan: “I love cinema and because of my father—I think he is a brave man to own a studio in Sudan—I don’t want this to die.”

Their last work, Les Miserables, a Sudanese adaptation of the Victor Hugo classic, produced in 2004, is a tribute to the enormous struggle of the Sudanese people against injustice and poverty. The film is about a desperately poor man who commits a minor theft and is punished without compassion: “I brought my daughter, she read the scenario to me, she understood the scenes and she became the director of the film “Les Miserables”. I consider my daughter a part of me, she understands me very much."

Aljazeera: The Home Song Stories (The Gubaras are featured at 8:00/12:59):
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2nVVKtynKA&fs=

Short interview of Sara Gubara by Arsenal-berlin.de