Doha Film Institute
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Filmed over five years, 'Freedom Fields' follows three women and their football team in post-revolution Libya, as the country descends into civil war and the utopian hopes of the Arab Spring begin to fade.

At the new dawn of a nation once cut off from the world, a dynamic group of women from fractured sides of the revolution come together. Their dream, to form the first Libyan women's national football team. A DFI-granted film, 'Freedom Fields' is a story about hope and sacrifice in a land where dreams are a luxury. Filmed over five years, it follows three brave women and their efforts to build a team in post-revolution Libya, as the country descends into civil war.

The challenges they must overcome to achieve their dream of playing for their country are nothing short of remarkable. Throughout, they struggle to gain support, respect, and even the right to play, as certain segments of the community don't approve of their ambitions. Through the eyes of these accidental activists, we see the reality of a country in transition, where the personal stories of love and aspirations collide with history. A love letter to sisterhood and the power of teamwork, the film perfectly encapsulates the broader challenges facing women in contemporary Libyan society.

Credits

Director
Naziha Arebi
Screenwriter
Naziha Arebi
Producer
Flore Cosquer, Naziha Arebi
Executive Producer
Sonja Henrici, Noe Mendelle, Leslie Finlay (Creative Scotland)
Cinematographer
Naziha Arebi
Editor
Ling Lee, Alice Powell, Maya Hawke
Production Company
SDI PRODUCTIONS LTD (UK), HUNA PRODUCTIONS (LIBYA)
Sales Company
Wide House
Sound
Giovanni Buccomino
Music
Katya Mihailova

About the Director

Naziha Arebi
Naziha Arebi is a BAFTA-nominated British-Libyan<br /> artist and filmmaker. Coming from a theatre<br /> background, Naziha returned to Libya during the revolution to work and explore her father’s homeland. In 2012 she co-founded HuNa Productions, a Tripoli-based production collective, working at the intersection between art and activism, creating films around identity, gender and reconciliation w