As she holds her young daughter’s hand firmly, Halima, a Sudanese henna painter living in Egypt, walks towards an Egyptian household to prepare a bride for her wedding. In a room full of cheering, dancing and chatter, she seems uncomfortably tense and silent as she waits to find a safe spot to work. “The henna lady is here,” one woman says while she clears some space for Halima to sit down,”come on girls, leave the room so that the henna lady does her job.” Without recognizing her presence in the room, the girls continue to tease one another as they clean out the mess in the room. Halima, on the other hand, stands watching. Shot inside just one Egyptian household, the short film ‘Henet Ward’ honestly captures the struggles that refugees in Egypt experience in very private and intimate settings. It follows their footsteps throughout their journey, presenting a very raw and real visual experience that touches on the subtle and hidden undertones of racism and bullying. Directed by Morad Mostafa, the film was recently announced as the only Egyptian film selected for the Palm Springs International ShortFest, as well…
‘Henet Ward’: Egyptian Short Film Capturing Refugees’ Struggle With Racism
June 27, 2020
