The Arab World premiere of AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY at the 22nd Marrakech International Film Festival (November 28th – December 6th) left a lasting impression on audiences, who responded with warm applause and generous praise for its powerful storytelling.
 
Before the screening, director Morad Mostafa, producer Sawsan Yusuf, cinematographer Mostafa El Kashef, and actor Emad Ghoniem took the stage to introduce the film, setting the tone for a daring and original cinematic journey.
 
Following its world premiere at the 78th Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard — the first Egyptian film to do so in almost a decade — AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY has gone on to screen internationally at the Durban International Film Festival in South Africa, the Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival in Armenia where it won the FIPRESCI Award, the Festival Villa del Cine in Colombia where it claimed the top prize, the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival in Brazil, Mostra de València – Cinema del Mediterrani in Spain where it received the Golden Palm Grand Jury Award.
 
The film follows Aisha, a 26-year-old Sudanese caregiver, living in a neighborhood in the heart of Cairo where she witnesses the tension between her fellow African migrants and local gangs.
 
Stuck between an undefined relationship with a young Egyptian cook, a gangster who blackmails her into an unethical deal in exchange for safety, and a new house she's assigned to work in, Aisha struggles to cope with her fears and lost battles, causing her dreams to cross with reality and leading her to an impasse.
 
Previously, in a statement, director Morad Mostafa reflected on the film’s deeper themes, explaining: “AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY is not a migration story; it is more universal than that. It is about the sense of belonging and the need to be seen, no matter how difficult that may be. The film is a deep dive into the loneliness of the ostracized, who live in constant survival mode yet still dare to dream and find light in the darkest of places. Without revealing too much, my aim with this work is to explore themes of justice in creative and imaginative ways.”
 
AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY boasts a stellar cast, with Buliana Simon taking on the lead role of Aisha alongside Egyptian rapper Ziad Zaza in his first outing in a feature-length project, Emad Ghoniem, and Mamdouh Saleh.
 
Produced through Sawsan Yusuf’s Bonanza Films, the film is a co-production involving Dora Bouchoucha and Lina Chaaban of Tunisia’s Nomadis Images, Sherif Fathy of Shift Studios, Ahmed Amer of A.A. Films, Faisal Baltayour from Cinewaves, Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab of MAD Solutions — the subsidiary of which, MAD World, is handling the film’s world sales — May Odeh and Zorana Musikic of Mayana Films, Laura Nikolov of Coorigins, Abellelah Al Ahmary of Arabia Pictures, as well as associate producer Amjad Abu Alala.
 
The creative team behind AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY includes cinematographer Mostafa El Kashef, who also worked on Morad Mostafa’s I PROMISE YOU PARADISE and last year’s Cannes entry THE VILLAGE NEXT TO PARADISE; art director Eman Elelaby, who earned a FIPRESCI Prize for her work on FEATHERS; costume designer Nayera Eldahshoury; and editor Mohamed Mamdouh.
 
In terms of funding and support, AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY received grants from several institutions, including the 81st Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Final Cut Award, and the Marrakech International Film Festival, where it received the Atlas Award for Best Film in Post Production along with a €25,000 cash prize. Additional support came from the Red Sea Lodge, Doha Film Institute, AFAC Film Fund, Cultural Resource (Mawred), Cinéfondation, La Fabrique Cinema of Cannes, Cinemed Montpellier, Locarno Academy, and the El Gouna Film Festival.
 
An Egyptian filmmaker, Morad Mostafa started off as an assistant director in the film industry, excelling in the field for over ten years and becoming an alumnus of Berlinale Talents, Durban Talents, Locarno Academy, and Cannes Cinéfondation.
 
In 2023, he was named by Screen Daily as one of its Arab Stars of Tomorrow — an initiative honoring the most prominent emerging Arab talents. The previous year, he was included in the Arab Cinema Center’s list of 100 Most Significant Cinematic Figures in the Middle East. He has also served on numerous international juries, among them the Cairo International Film Festival.
 
Morad has written and directed four acclaimed short films (HENET WARD, WHAT WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT MARIAM, KHADIGA, and I PROMISE YOU PARADISE), all of which have been selected for the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, and have screened at over 500 festivals worldwide, winning around 200 local and international awards.
 
His last short film, I PROMISE YOU PARADISE, was selected for the 76th Cannes Film Festival’s Critics' Week, where it won the Rail d'Or. It also screened at the 76th Locarno International Film Festival, BFI London, among many other international festivals, and officially made it to the shortlist for the César Awards.