​Morad Mostafa’s ‘Aisha Can’t Fly Away’ wins top prize at Venice’s Final Cut programme

Morad Mostafa’s Aisha Can’t Fly Away has won the La Biennale di Venezia Prize at the Final Cut programme for films in post-production from Africa and Arab countries.

The film tells the story of a Somali woman who cares for her elderly parents while witnessing the tensions between the different groups who make up her city’s African society.

It is the feature debut for Egyptian filmmaker Mostafa, who was selected as a Screen Arab Star of Tomorrow last year.

Aisha Can’t Fly Away is an Egypt-Tunisia-Saudi Arabia-Qatar-France co-production, and has previously been through the Doha Film Institute’s Qumra lab.

The jury for Final Cut’s 12^th edition comprised Wayne Borg of NEOM, Monica Ciarli of Minerva Pictures and former EFM director Dennis Ruh.

In a statement, the jury said: “The story, rich with her environment’s challenges and complexities, was powerful and authentic. Despite being a first feature film, it showcased confident direction and a distinct cinematic voice. The film’s gritty realism, attention to detail, and impactful storytelling left a strong impression on us.”

Aisha Can’t Fly Away also won a number of additional awards from the Final Cut’s jury of supporters; Titra Film, Rai Cinema and The Cinémathèque Afrique of the Institut Français.

The Final Cut programme is organised by Venice Production Bridge. 52 projects were submitted out of which seven projects were selected.

Other awards went to Mohamed Siam’s Egypt-Norway-Saudi Arabia-Qatar-France co-production My Father’s Scent from Final Cut supporters Laser Film, Oticons, 196-Media and M74.

France-Germany-Lesotho co-production Ancestral Visions Of The Future won awards from Studio A Fabrica, the Red Sea Fund and Festival International du Film d’Amiens.

The Prophet by Ique Langa (Mozambique-South Africa) won prizes from Sub Ti, Sub-Ti Access and Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie.

In This Darkness I See You by Nadim Tabet (Lebanon-France-Qatar-Saudi Arabia) won support from MAD Solutions and El Gouna Film Festival.

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