Opening 17. ALFILM Spotlight
Nafisa’s village near the Nile depends on cotton farming. The teenager lives under the strict supervision of her grandmother Al-Sit, a matriarch whose anti-colonial past has solidified into social power.
Image gallery
Film Still Suzannah Mirghani “Cotton Queen ملكة القطن”
When a businessman arrives with genetically modified seeds and proposes marriage to Nafisa, the village’s economic interests and her personal fate become intertwined.
Mirghani frames this conflict with a keen sense of the land, hard physical labor, and customs, showing how cotton is both a means of livelihood and a historical legacy. As Nafisa is torn between longing, duty, and the pressure of the community, the film unfolds as a coming-of-age story with political resonance:
Who defines progress? Who pays the price? And who is allowed to dream of a future?
“Cotton Queen” is both tender and unflinching in its portrayal of women who are confronted with existing hierarchies while simultaneously demanding their own self-determination.
(Arabic / With English subtitles / 120–180 min.)
Additional information
Dates
April 2026
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