Egyptian film Aisha Can’t Fly Away to hold its African premiere at Durban Film Festival

The Egyptian film Aisha Can't Fly Away is set to screen at the upcoming Durban International Film Festival in South Africa, taking place from 17 to 27 July 2025. The screening will mark the film's African premiere.

Directed by Morad Mostafa, the film had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at the 78th Cannes Film Festival (13–24 May).

Aisha Can't Fly Away tells the story of Aisha, a 26-year-old Somali woman living and working in Ain Shams, a working-class neighbourhood in eastern Cairo that has become home to many African refugees in recent years.

The film was written by Mostafa, Mohammad Abdulqader, and Sawsan Yusuf and stars Buliana Simona, Emad Ghoneim, Mamdouh Salah, and Egyptian rapper Ziad Zaza.

During its production phase, Aisha Can't Fly Away, and another Egyptian film, garnered the majority of prizes awarded by the Venice Film Festival's Final Cut 2024.

The jury at Venice's Final Cut described the film as "a powerful and authentic story filled with the environment's challenges and complexities."

"Despite being Mostafa's first feature film, it showcased confident direction and a distinct cinematic voice. The film's gritty realism, attention to detail, and impactful storytelling left a strong impression on us," the jury added.

The film also received awards from Titra Film (Paris), Rai Cinema (Italy), the Cinémathèque Afrique of the Institut Français (Paris), and the Festival International du Films de Fribourg (Switzerland).

From : Al-Ahram