“Cotton Queen”, interview with director Suzannah Mirghani

“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.”

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