Morad Mostafa’s AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY snags five awards; becomes first Egyptian film to win Jury Prize for Best Film in Post-Production at Final Cut

release date September 08 2024

Director Morad Mostafa is already making history with his debut feature AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY, which just became the first Egyptian film ever to win the Venice Film Festival’s Jury Prize for Best Film in Post-Production at the Final Cut in Venice.

The film also won four other awards, including a prize from the Cinémathèque Afrique of the Institut Français for its non-commercial and non-exclusive broadcasting rights, a €5,000 cash prize for its rights in Italy from Rai Cinema S.p.a., an in-kind award valued up to €10,000 from Titrafilm for various post-production services, and a €5,000 refund from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie on post-production services.

AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY follows the story of Aisha — a 26-year-old African immigrant caregiver residing in Ain-shams, a Cairo neighborhood with a large African migrant community. Through her eyes, the film explores the intricate dynamics of a world where the authorities’ indifference to the violent tensions between Egyptians and various African nationalities has allowed organized gangs to seize control. The situation quickly turns sour after one of them offers Aisha security in exchange for a favor.

Previously, the film received funding and support 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 El Gouna Film Festival.

Produced through Yusuf’s Bonanza Films, the film is a co-production involving Egypt’s Film Clinic (Mohamed Hefzy), which is also handling the film's MENA-wide sales and distribution in partnership with MAD Distribution; Tunisia’s Nomadis Images (Dora Bouchoucha); Egypt’s MAD Solutions (Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab) — which is also handling international sales and distribution through its subsidiary MAD World — and Lagoonie Film Production (Shahinaz El Akkad); and Sudan’s Station Films (Amjad Abu Alala and Mohammed Alomda).

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 along with this 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.

AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY also 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.

Morad Mostafa has an impressive repertoire of experience under his belt; working on several independent films, including Aytin Amin’s SOUAD — serving as a first assistant director — which was an official selection of both the Cannes and Berlin international film festivals.

An alumnus of Berlinale Talents, Durban Talents, and Locarno Academy, Mostafa wrote and directed three short films, all of which were selected in Clermont-Ferrand over three consecutive years and were screened in more than 300 festivals worldwide, winning several awards. His latest short film, I PROMISE YOU PARADISE, was selected for the 2023 edition of Cannes’ Critics Week and the César Awards.