All Projects

Freedom Fields

Spring Grant 2012

Naziha Arebi / Feature Documentary / Libya, United Kingdom, United States of America, Netherlands, Canada, Lebanon, Qatar / 90 min / Original Language: Arabic / Interests: Women, Documentary, Middle Eastern, Sports, Religion, Social Issues, War, Youth, Female Director, Women Issues, Women Interest

Synopsis

In post-revolution Libya, a group of women are brought together by one dream: to play football for their nation. But as the country descends into civil war and the utopian hopes of the “Arab Spring” begin to fade, can they realise their dream? And is there even a country left to play for? Freedom Fields is a film about hope and sacrifice in a land where dreams seem a luxury. Through the eyes of these accidental activists we see the reality of a country in transition, where the personal stories of love, struggle and aspirations collide with History.

Credits

Director

Naziha Arebi

Screenwriter

Naziha Arebi

Producer

Flore Cosquer

About the Director

Naziha Arebi is a BAFTA-nominated British-Libyan
artist and filmmaker. Coming from a theatre
background, Naziha returned to Libya during the revolution to work and explore her father’s homeland. In 2012 she co-founded HuNa Productions, a Tripoli-based production collective, working at the intersection between art and activism, creating films around identity, gender and reconciliation with BBC, Al Jazeera, Hivos, Oxfam, UN Women and NGO’s, as well as a TV hr on the Tabu tribe of Libya for Al Jazeera and a 24min on Salwa Bughaighis. Naziha is a HotDocs Blue Ice and a Sundance Lab fellow, a WEF Global Shaper, a member of Lumiere D’Afrique and co-founder of Bad Donkey Films. She also works as a cinematographer in the MENA region, and her artwork has been published extensively in print and exhibited globally. Alongside her award-winning feature ‘Freedom Fields’ (world premiered TIFF, LFF, IDFA, CPHdox and opening film of Ajyal 2018), she is also producing Giovanni Buccomino’s feature film ‘After a Revolution’ and working on her first hybrid fiction feature film.

Awards and Festival History

Festivals

TIFF 2018, TIFF Docs (WP)
BFI London FF 2018
IDFA 2018, Best of Fests
Ajyal FF 2018, Opening Film
Montreal Int’l Documentary Festival (RIDM) 2018
Mumbai FF 2018
Glasgow IIFF 2019
One World 2019
Thinking Football FF 2019
Beirut Cinema Days 2019

Awards

Best Film, Joburg FF 2018 (Johannesburg)
Best Documentary award, Karama Human Rights FF 2019
Nominated in the Best Feature Category, BAFTAs 2019

Contacts

• Main Contact

  Flore Cosquer

  Company: 

  SDI Productions Ltd

  Phone: 

  +44 7900537631

  Email: 

  flore@scottishdocinstitute.com

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