Mon 28 Sep

Doors:19:00

Start:19:30

Price from:

15.75 AED

CinemaNA: Cotton Queen

Name: CinemaNA: Cotton Queen
Start: 2026-09-28T19:00:00+0400
End: 2026-09-28T23:00:00+0400
Location: The Red Theater, The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi

Discover Sudanese heritage, identity and resilience through the powerful story of Cotton Queen.

The Red Theater, The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi

Mon 28 Sep

Doors:19:00

Start:19:30

The Red Theater, The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi

From:

15.75 AED

Select tickets

Step into the heart of a Sudanese cotton-farming village with Cotton Queen, a moving film by Sudanese filmmaker Suzannah Mirghani that explores heritage, identity, and the courage to shape your own future.

In a village where stories of resistance and resilience have been passed down through generations, teenage Nafisa grows up inspired by the heroic tales of her grandmother, Al-Sit, the village matriarch who carries the memory and strength of those who came before her.

But when a young businessman arrives from abroad with plans to transform the village through a new development project and genetically engineered cotton, a battle begins over more than just the future of the fields.

It becomes a question of identity, tradition, and who gets to decide what comes next.

As Nafisa finds her voice and discovers her own strength, she takes a stand to protect the cotton fields that connect her community to its past, and to fight for the future she believes in.

Directed by Suzannah Mirghani, Cotton Queen is a powerful story of belonging, change, and the strength found in standing up for what matters.

Join us for an evening of cinema that celebrates Sudanese storytelling, cultural heritage, and the human connections that stay with us long after the final scene.

A screening of Cotton Queen, by Sudanese filmmaker Suzannah Mirghani.

Cast

Mihad Murtada (Nafisa)
Rabha Mohamed Mahmoud(Al-Sit)
Talaat Fareed(Babiker)
Haram Bisheer (Aisha)
Mohamed Musa(Bilal)
Hassan Kassala(Nadir)
Fatma Farid (Faiza )
Aya Yassin Altageel (Khadija )
Tagali Magdy (Farida )
Tibr Magdy Al ( Toma)

Crew

Scriptwriter: Suzannah Mirghani
DOP: Frida Marzouk
Editors: Amparo Mejías, Simon Blasi, Frank Müller
Music: Amine Bouhafa
Set Designer: Marwa Amer
Art Direction: Pierre Glemet

Suzannah Mirghani

Suzannah Mirghani is a writer, researcher, and passionate independent filmmaker with a special interest in highlighting stories from the Arab world.

She is a media and museum studies graduate, and the author and editor of several academic books and articles. Being of multicultural Sudanese and Russian backgrounds, Suzannah is interested in stories that examine the complexity of identity.

She holds under her belt a number of short films that she wrote, directed, and produced, including HIND’S DREAM (2014), CARAVAN (2016), and AL-SIT (2020), which won the Canal+ Award at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival (2021).

She has also won six awards at festivals that qualify for the Academy Awards’ Best Narrative Short at the New Orleans Film Festival (2021), Best of Fest at LA Shorts (2021), the Grand Prix at Tampere Film Festival (2021), Best Short Film at BronzeLens (2021), Best Live Action Short at AFI Fest (2021), and Best Live Action Short at the Interfilm Berlin (2021). Her latest short is the experimental VIRTUAL VOICE (2021), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.

The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all patrons.

Entry to the NYUAD Campus is through either the East or West Parking or the Welcome Center.

Patrons will be required to present a valid ticket to an event at The Arts Center upon entry to the campus.

As per current Department of Culture and Tourism guidelines, a Green Al Hosn is no longer needed to attend public events in Abu Dhabi.

The wearing of face masks is no longer required in most indoor public places, including campus buildings.

For access and wheelchair bookings, please email: nyuad.boxoffice@nyu.edu

By car: Take Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan St/E10, Al Mina, and Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed St/E12 to Laffan St. Exit at Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed St/E12. Continue on Laffan Street to your destination. GPS navigation is advised.

By public transportation: You can take bus 170 (Al Saadiyat New York< University Via Abu Dhabi) to the Saadiyat New York University 3 bus stop and take a short walk from there.

By taxi: You can easily reach your destination via taxi or by using a ride-hailing app.

The Red Theater, The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi

NYU Abu Dhabi A6 Arts & Humanities Bldg - Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Hwy - Al Saadiyat Island - Saadiyat Marina District - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates