Switzerland-based First Hand Films has boarded international sales on Najiba Noori’s documentary Writing Hawa.
The film will have its world premiere in the International Competition at International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) next month.
Filmed over five years, Writing Hawa tells the story of three generations of Hazara women from the same family in Afghanistan, including those forced into child marriage, suffering abuse from men and learning to read, write and start businesses.
It is produced by Christian Popp of France’s Tag Film, co-produced by Hasse van Nunen and Renko Douze for the Netherlands’ Een van de jongens. The producers will handle sales in their home territories. The film has backing from the CNC, Sundance Film Institute and Doha Film Institute among others. It is co-directed by Rasul Noori.
“War, violence, the lack of access to education, and forced marriages have plagued and victimized countless Afghan women for decades,” said Noori. “The film shows Afghanistan before and after the arrival of the Taliban, when the country falls into the hands of a terrorist group who is erasing women from society.”
”The power of education and Hawa’s perseverance are admirable and inspiring,” said Esther van Messel, founder and CEO at First Hand.
IDFA 2024 runs from November 14-24.
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