The 7th edition of the International Film Festival of the Assouan Woman’s Woman recently ended with the closing ceremony announcing award -winning films. This year, the festival presented a selection of 61 films, some of which are worldwide, capturing the life and experience of women in all cultures.
The Korean feature film Jeong-Sun (2022), directed by Jihye Jeong, won the Assia Dagher Prize for the best film. The film tells the overwhelming story of a woman whose unpretentious but happy life is shaken by the shame and mortification of a shared private video.
The documentary feature film Big Little Women (2022), directed by Nadia Farés, won three prizes, including the best Euro-Mediterranean film dealing with the woman’s theme, the best Egyptian film and a special mention of the Jury of Funs. This film aroused a passionate discussion among the public during its projection, opposing those who defend feminism and the rights of women to those who think that women cannot be equal to men. Despite this, it is a good thing, an animated debate can only encourage reflection!
In this poignant account, three generations of women rebel against patriarchal prohibitions. In this cinematographic letter, the Swiss-Egyptian director Nadia Farés pays homage to her father while telling 75 years of struggles for women in Egypt, her father’s country, and in Switzerland, the country of her mother where she grew up. It explores the impact of patriarchal traditions in the east and in the west, describing them as images in a mirror.
The very beautiful animated feature film My Love Affair with Marriage (2022 – Latvia), written and directed by Baumane Sign, won two awards: the Latifa El Zayat Prize for the best scenario and the Samir Farid Prize for the best film awarded by the Egyptian criticism jury. The story of Zelma, from her early childhood in the Soviet Union to her adult life, is told by Baumane sign by highlighting the oppressions suffered by women throughout their lives. Through directly illustrated characters, Baumane’s message is clear and powerful: basic oppression that still haunts women from childhood until their death. Animal symbolism also strengthens the roles imposed on women. The film recalls that the fate of Zelma is that of all the women who watch this film, paying tribute to the beauty and complexity of the life of women.
The film Line (2023 – France) Directed by Ursula Meier won two awards, namely the Bahiga Hafaz Prize for the best achievement and the Rashida Abdel Salam price of the jury. The story follows Margaret, who attacked his mother and is subject to a three -month distance measure. Despite this, she desperately tries to approach her family every day.
In addition to prices for the selected feature and short films, the festival has also distributed prices for short films made by participants in training workshops. These workshops offered a unique opportunity for budding filmmakers to train, learn new techniques and refine their art. The films that resulted were very well received by the public and showed the strength and potential of the filmmakers of tomorrow.
The great participation of young women in the workshops and their contribution to the production of films testify to a change of mentality in the region. The inhabitants began to become aware of the importance of gender equality and the need to offer the same opportunities to women as to men. The festival also encouraged women to express themselves on important subjects and even convinced the parents to let their daughters participate in the workshops and projections late at night. We even saw young girls coming from afar, with the permission of their parents, to attend the festival.
During the closing ceremony, a new festival project was announced. Dozens of educators have been trained to go to remote villages and introduce young girls to the cinema professions. This project testifies to the continuous commitment of the festival to provide a positive change in the lives of people in the region and to help create new opportunities for women in an industry that has been historically dominated by men. This project also offers girls with remote villages the chance to express themselves and tell their stories through cinema.
In addition to being an important cinematographic event, the International Film Festival of the Assouan Woman’s Woman has an impact on the tourism industry in the region. By attracting visitors from around the world, the festival contributes to increasing the visibility of the city and stimulating the local economy. This year, for example, the festival organized excursions for participants, offering them the possibility of discovering the cultural and heritage richness of the region while offering them a means of relaxing and getting to know film screenings. This is how many participants took advantage of the opportunity to explore the historic sites and the emblematic monuments of the region, such as the Temple of Philae, the High Barrage and the Nubian village Gharb Soheil.
The dedication and commitment of the organizers and volunteers made this 7th edition of the Assouan Woman’s Film Festival. Their hard work has created an important cultural and social event for the region and even for women around the world. Hopefully this festival will continue to grow and thrive in the years to come, and that its positive impact on the life of women and communities will never cease to grow.
Neïla Driss
