“Cotton Queen”, interview with director Suzannah Mirghani

September 6, 2025

"Cotton Queen", by director Suzannah Mirghani, explores cultural identity, colonial history, and gender dynamics through a compelling Sudanese story.

"Cotton Queen", interview with director Suzannah Mirghani Cristiana Palmieri

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“Cotton Queen”: A Powerful Tale of Tradition and Colonial Legacy in Sudan.

At the 82nd Venice Film Festival, “Cotton Queen” emerges as a striking feature film that delves into the complex intersections of tradition, colonial history, and gender roles in Sudan. The film, directed by Suzannah Mirghani, follows Nafisa, a spirited teenage girl striving to uphold her village’s ancestral customs amidst socio-economic and environmental changes. Set against the backdrop of Sudan’s historic cotton industry, “Cotton Queen” offers a vivid portrayal of a community caught between the past and the future.

“Cotton Queen” masterfully blends documentary elements with poetic storytelling, creating an authentic yet artful narrative. Mirghani highlights how her approach employs magical realism—a genre that allows for a deeper engagement with social and political realities. She notes, “Research on Sudan’s colonial past and the cotton industry informs the film’s layers, but we also used poetic imagery to evoke emotion and symbolize cultural memory.”

Plot

In a cotton-farming village in Sudan, teenage Nafisa is raised on heroic tales of battling British colonizers told by her grandmother, the village matriarch Al-Sit. But when a young businessman arrives from abroad with a new development plan and genetically engineered cotton, Nafisa becomes the center of a power play to determine the future of the village. Awakening to her own strength, Nafisa sets out to save the cotton fields – and herself. Neither she nor her community will ever be the same again.
https://www.sicvenezia.it/film/cotton-queen/ https://www.sicvenezia.it/en/films/cotton-queen/

Written by: Cristiana Palmieri

Guest

Suzannah Mirghani

Film

Cotton Queen

Festival

Critics Week - Venice

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