Oufsaiyed Elkhortoum

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. (Berlinale)