In a remote cotton-farming village in Sudan, teenager Nafisa has grown up listening to her grandmother’s stories of resistance and resilience. Life follows the rhythm of the cotton harvest until the arrival of a handsome businessman from abroad, whose plans for modernisation threaten the future of the community and its traditions.
As tensions grow, Nafisa finds herself at the centre of a struggle over land, identity and power. Blending coming-of-age drama with elements of fable and folklore, Cotton Queen is a richly textured story about self-discovery, community and the lasting impact of colonial histories.
Sudan, Germany, France 2025
Director/Writer: Suzannah Mirghani
Cast: Mihad Murtada, Rabha Mohamed Mahmoud
Language: Arabic (subtitled)
Further information: www.berwickfilmsociety.co.uk