A Girl from Mogadishu

Aja Naomi King stars in this inspiring story of Ifrah Ahmed, a Somalian refugee who rises to prominence as an award-winning international activist against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Upon arriving in Ireland, Ahmed first struggles to learn a new language and culture while honoring the life and country she left behind. Once she finds her voice in Ireland and learns more about the mutilation that occurred to her body, Ahmad is unleashed as a force for female empowerment and halting the practice of FGM worldwide. As Ahmad says in a line that director Mary McGuckian states is a nod to Maya Angelou, “Silence may be the rust on the razor with which they threatened to cut my throat, but it was not my tongue they cut.” King breathes life into Ahmed's testimony with a powerful performance that balances humanity with vulnerability and demonstrates the impact of refugee stories on film. (Mill Valley Film Festival)