A winner of multiple awards on the international festival circuit, Egypt’s Oscar submission is an accomplished debut feature about the difficult life of a young Cairo girl. Toha, an illiterate but street-smart, eight-year-old domestic, doesn’t yet understand her position in Egypt’s complex social hierarchy. Her main joy comes from her relationship with Nelly, the spoiled granddaughter of her employer. When her employers try to prevent her from attending Nelly’s ninth birthday celebration, Toha learns the reality of class relations. –AS

Curated & presented in partnership with Mizna, SWANA Stories at MSPIFF presents bold and striking new films from North Africa, Southwest Asia, and the diaspora.