A GIRL FROM MOGADISHU
BE THE VOICE – NOT THE VICTIM
RTÉ One Friday 8th Dec at 23.15
RTÉ will show award-winning feature, A GIRL FROM MOGADISHU, a drama inspired by the life and work of Irish activist Ifrah Ahmed, following her from childhood in a refugee camp in Somalia to Ireland, on RTÉ One on Friday Dec 8th at 23.15.
Starring Aja Naomi King, this powerful and inspiring film was the winner of the Cinema for Peace Women’s Empowerment Award during the 2020 Berlin Film Festival, just prior to its anticipated cinema release in March of that year.
Scheduling coincides with the United Nations 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence between the International Day for Gender Based Violence on November 25th to International Human Rights day December 10th 2023. Originally released by ECLIPSE PICTURES during the pandemic, if you missed its cinema run, this is your opportunity to catch it on the small screen.
What they said…
4**** Sunday Independent
4 **** RTÉ Entertainment
Sunday Independent – (Hilary White) – “Powerful”
The Guardian – (Leslie Felperin) – “A remarkable story, one full of tragedy, adventure, suspense and even moments of joy”
The Upcoming – (Musanna Ahmed) – “A Girl from Mogadishu rings true with good intent and passion, as exemplified in the lead performance”
Evening Echo -(Cara O’Doherty) – “This is an inspirational film that shows the power one person can wield if they are passionate about their cause”
Entertainment IE – (Dee Molumby) – “hopeful as well as inspiring.”
The Hard Shoulder – Radio Review (John Fardy) – “really powerful” “pretty important and pretty inspiring movie all round”
Fleeing war-torn Somalia in 2006 Ifrah is trafficked to Dublin where she applies for asylum. A traumatic medical examination reveals the extent of her mutilation as a child. Traumatised by the memory, she channels the experience into a force for change and emerges as a formidable campaigner against Female Genital Mutilation at the highest political echelons in Ireland, Europe and globally.
Starring Aja Naomi King (How to Get Away with Murder) as Ifrah Ahmed and Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips) as her trafficker along with Orla Brady (Picard, Rose Plays Julie) and Somali icon, Maryam Mursal the film boasts an original score by Nitin Sawhney and its title track also features Quiet by Milck, the unofficial anthem of the 2017 USA Women’s March. Based on the recorded testimony of activist Ifrah Ahmed, it is written and directed by Mary McGuckian.
Also recipient of the Mill Valley 42nd edition World Cinema Award in the US, A Girl from Mogadishu picked up a host of audience and jury awards during its international film festival run and was released by Showtime in the US and virtually in the UK and Ireland by Eclipse Pictures due to COVID in 2020.
Ifrah Ahmed said: “A Girl from Mogadishu is based on my story – but it is also the story of the 200 million women and girls worldwide who have suffered the consequences of Female Genital Mutilation. While the movie is intended to focus attention on the barbarity and scale of the practice, its ambition is also to empower all young women and girls to have the courage to stand up and speak out.”
Mary McGuckian said: “When we celebrate female heroes in cinema, we not only amplify their voices, we empower audiences to be touched and emboldened by their courage. I’m delighted that the film will now be released so that more young women and girls can identify with courageous characters such as Ifrah.”
US Certificate TVMA / Running Time 113 minutes
The film’s first television broadcast coincides with the United Nations 15 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence between International GBV Day November 25th to International Human Rights day December 10th 2023.
