MAIN DRAMATIC COMPETITION “MAKING WAY”

COTTON QUEEN

2025 / 93 min / color

Suzannah Mirghani’s debut feature is set in a small Sudanese village where life revolves around cotton farming. At the heart of the story is Nafisa (a standout performance by Mihad Murtada), a teenager growing up under the formidable influence of her grandmother. Known as the “Cotton Queen,” the matriarch commands the respect of the local community, which regards her as its ultimate authority. She instills in Nafisa a deep respect for her roots, sharing stories about the resistance against British colonial rule. The village’s daily life is disrupted by the arrival of Nadir, a foreign-educated heir to a former cotton empire. He plans to revolutionize the industry by using GMO seeds – promising higher yields that, in reality, threaten to trap farmers into a perpetual dependence on corporations. Mirghani’s film is a compelling exploration of the conflict between tradition and modernity, and the complexities of individual and communal identity. Cotton Queen seamlessly blends elements of coming-of-age stories, comedy and social drama with pointed commentary on postcolonial politics and the environment.

• Thessaloniki IFF – Golden Alexander, Best Music (Amine Bouhafa)