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Cotton Queen (2025 film)

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Cotton Queen
Directed bySuzannah Mirghani
Written bySuzannah Mirghani
Produced by
  • Caroline Daube
  • Didar Domehri
Starring
  • Mihad Murtada
  • Rabha Mohamed Mahmoud
  • Talaat Fareed
  • Haram Bisheer
  • Mohamed Musa
  • Hassan Kassala
CinematographyFrida Marzouk
Edited by
  • Amparo Mejías
  • Simon Blasi
  • Frank Müller
Music byAmine Bouhafa
Production
companies
  • Strange Bird
  • Maneki Films
  • Philistine Films
  • Film Clinic
Distributed byMad Solutions
Release date
  • 3 September 2025 (2025-09-03) (Venice)
Running time
94 minutes[1]
Countries
  • Germany
  • France
  • Palestine
  • Egypt
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Sudan
LanguageArabic

Cotton Queen is a 2025 internationally co-produced drama film written and directed by Suzannah Mirghani in her feature directorial debut. It stars Mihad Murtada, Rabha Mohamed Mahmoud, Talaat Fareed, Haram Bisheer, Mohamed Musa and Hassan Kassala.

It had its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in the Critics Week section on 3 September 2025.

Premise

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Nafisa lives in a cotton farming village in Sudan, where she is raised on tales from her grandmother of battling British colonizers. When a businessman arrives, with a new development plan and genetically engineered cotton, she becomes the center of a power play.[2]

Cast

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  • Mihad Murtada as Nafisa
  • Rabha Mohamed Mahmoud as Al-Sit
  • Talaat Fareed as Babiker
  • Haram Bisheer
  • Mohamed Musa as Bilal
  • Hassan Kassala as Nadir

Production

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Production was set to take place in Sudan, however, due to the Sudanese civil war, it was relocated to Egypt.[3] Production took place over the course of 25 days.[4]

Release

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It had its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in the Critics Week section on 3 September 2025.[5] It also screened at the Chicago International Film Festival on 18 October 2025.[6] and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival where it won the Golden Alexander for Best Feature Film.[7] Mad Solutions will distribute the film in the Middle East.[8]

References

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  1. ↑ "Cotton Queen". 82nd Venice International Film Festival. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  2. ↑ "Cotton Queen". Totem Films. Archived from the original on 16 September 2025. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  3. ↑ Mirghani, Suzi; Elgamal, Jannah. "Searching for Sudan in Egypt: Displacement Filmmaking on the Set of Cotton Queen". Transition Magazine. Archived from the original on 11 December 2025. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  4. ↑ Reumont, François (9 September 2025). "Director of photography Frida Marzouk, AFC, discusses her work on "Cotton Queen", a film that blends reality and fable by Suzannah Mirghani". French Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  5. ↑ Vivarelli, Nick (21 July 2025). "Venice Critics' Week Unveils Brit-Packed Lineup, Including Julia Jackman's '100 Nights of Hero' Starring Emma Corrin, Nicholas Galitzine and Charli xcx". Variety. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  6. ↑ "Cotton Queen". Chicago International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 15 October 2025. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  7. ↑ Ntim, Zac (9 November 2025). "Thessaloniki Film Festival: 'Cotton Queen' By Suzannah Mirghani Wins Best Film — Full Winners List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 9 November 2025. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  8. ↑ Rosser, Michael (23 July 2025). "MAD Solutions, Film Clinic take MENA rights to Venice-bound 'Cotton Queen'". Screen International. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
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