The world premiere of the feature film is being hosted by Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival (VMDIFF) on February 22nd at 8.30pm at Odeon Point Village.
VMDIFF marked the U.N International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) with the announcement on February 6th.
Written and directed by Northern Irish film-maker Mary McGuckian, ‘A Girl From Mogadishu’ is based on the testimony of Ifrah Ahmed who, having made the extraordinary journey to Ireland to escape war-torn Somalia, emerged as one of the world's foremost international activists against Gender Based Violence and Female Genital Mutilation. An inspiring true story of female empowerment, the film follows Ifrah’s journey from a refugee fleeing war-ravaged Somalia to one of the leading activists against FGM/C.
Starring Irish actors Orla Brady (‘The Foreigner’), Stanley Townsend (‘Florence Foster Jenkins’) and Pauline McLynn (‘Father Ted’), the film boasts an impressive cast including Aja Naomi (‘How to Get Away With Murder’, ‘The Upside‘) as Ifrah Ahmed and Oscar nominee Barkhad Abdi (‘Captain Philips’). McGuckian also produced the film alongside Adrian Politowski under her production company Pembridge Pictures.
Alongside ‘A Girl From Mogadishu’, VMDIFF also announced that ‘Ben is Back’ and ‘The Wedding Guest’ have been added to the programme. The 17th iteration of the festival runs from February 20th to March 3rd, featuring 125 events including Irish and international feature films, short films and documentaries as well as special events featuring industry leaders.
Click here for more information on the Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival