"Hijra" of Shahd Amin wins the Grand Prize at the Salé Festival

The film "Hijra" by the Saudi director, Amin, was crowned the grand prize at the nineteenth edition of the International Festival of Women's Film in Salé (FIFFS), which concluded on Saturday evening, October 3, 2026, after a week of presentations and discussions organized by the Al-Bougaz Association under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. The film competed for the grand prize with eight other works of fiction from different nationalities. The story of the film and its artistic excellence narrates the "migration" of a collective journey towards Mecca, where the camera follows the child Jana (12 Sunnah) accompanying her grandmother "Seti" and her older sister Sarah. When Sara disappears into the crowd, Jana and her grandmother embark on a frantic search for her through historical paths linked to the Prophet's migration, in a journey that gradually turns into an internal exploration that reveals family secrets inherited between generations. The film relied on striking visual contrast, from close-up shots of faces and light to wide desert scenes punctuated by the surprise of snowfall, reflecting the emotional maturity of its heroine. The film also received the award for the best female performance in half Between the two actresses Khairia Nazmi and Mar Faden. Honours and other awards The jury was chaired by Luxemburgish filmmaker Paddy Mink, who honoured Canadian filmmaker from Quebec Anaïs Barbou-Lavalet and Moroccanactress Ibtisam El Aroussi in recognition of their artistic path. The film "Calle Malaga" by Moroccan director Mariam Touzani won the Special Jury Prize, in a session that also saw "La Cour de Grande" crowned the Grand Prize in the documentary category. The most prominent awards of the 19th edition of the Salé Women's Film Festival Category Film / Winner Grand Prize Note (Narrative) “Hijra” - The Secretary of Saudi Arabia witnessed the Special Jury Prize “Calle Malaga” - Mariam Touzani Morocco Best Women's Charity Performance Nazmi and Mar Fadden for “Hijra” Best Men's Performance Patrick Yvonne “Amour apocalypse” Grand Prize (Documentary) “La Cour de Gran” Morocco Why this event matters The festival, which is hosted annually by the city of Salé under royal patronage, is dedicated to its position as an Arab and African platform for discussing women's issues and breaking stereotypes in cinema, while continuing to Morocco has attracted multiple international film events such as the Tetouan Film Festival, which concluded in the same period. The victory of "Hijra" and the honoring of Maryam Touzani and Ibtisam Al-Arousi enhance the presence of Arab and Moroccan women's voices in the cinema scene, while the crowning of "La Cour de Gran" in the documentary category remains an additional confirmation of the competitiveness of Moroccan production in the festival.