AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY: The Striking Poster Making Waves at Cannes’ Prix Luciole

The official poster for AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY, directed by Morad Mostafa, has captured significant attention at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, reaching the finals of the second edition of the Prix Luciole. This independent award, dedicated to celebrating the art of film posters, highlights a powerful and evocative visual creation.

Designed by Abanoub Shenouda and Maher Diab from MAD Solutions, the poster features Aisha, the film’s protagonist, wearing a cheap Batman mask over her hijab. This striking imagery symbolizes the absurdity and complexity of her life, representing the cultural forces clashing in her challenging environment.

AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY had its world premiere on May 20, 2025, at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, followed by several well-attended screenings. The film received glowing reviews: Eoghan Lyng from Dirty Movies called it a “filthy genius movie,” while Mohamed Tarek of Chroum described it as “a landmark cinematic moment.” Cinematographer Olivia Popp praised its “visually slick” cinematography.

The story follows Aisha, a 26-year-old Sudanese caregiver living in a vibrant Cairo neighborhood, where tensions simmer between African migrants and other communities. Unwittingly, she becomes involved with an Egyptian gang that blackmails her into stealing her patients’ keys to facilitate robberies.

This ambitious project is a co-production between Egypt, France, Germany, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Sudan. It has received significant support, including grants from the Doha Film Institute, Cultural Resource Fund, El Gouna Film Festival, Cannes’ Cinéfondation, La Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde, and Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole. The film has already won major awards at Red Sea Lodge, Venice’s Final Cut, and the Marrakech International Film Festival.

The creative team includes several collaborators from Mostafa’s previous film I PROMISE YOU PARADISE, such as cinematographer Mostafa El Kashef, production designer Eman Elelaby, costume designer Nayera Eldahshoury, sound engineer Mostafa Shaban, and editor Mohamed Mamdouh.

Produced by Sawsan Yusuf’s Bonanza Films alongside Tunisia’s Nomadis Images, Shift Studios, A. A. Films, Cinewaves, MAD Solutions, and other international partners, the film stars Buliana Simon as Aisha, with Egyptian rapper Ziad Zaza making his feature film debut, alongside Emad Ghoniem and Mamdouh Saleh.

Morad Mostafa, born in Cairo in 1988, is a rising Egyptian filmmaker recognized as one of the Arab Stars of Tomorrow by Screen International in 2023. A graduate of Berlinale Talents, Durban Talents, Locarno Academy, and Cinéfondation Cannes, Mostafa’s shorts have been showcased at over 400 festivals worldwide and won around 150 awards.

Following the success of his short film I PROMISE YOU PARADISE — awarded at Cannes and Locarno — AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY marks his first feature-length film, premiering in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section, cementing his status as an important emerging voice in cinema.