Sonita

Illegally living in Tehran, an 18-year old Afghani refugee Sonita dreams of being a rapper. But women aren’t allowed to sing in Iran and as a bride she’s worth $ 9,000. Thrilling account of a journey full of successes and failures – a journey on which Sonita is fighting for her artistic rights.

If Sonita had a say in things, Michael Jackson would be her father and Rihanna her mother. She captures her dream of being a famous rapper in her scrapbook. For the time being, her only fans are the other teenage girls in a Tehran shelter. There, Sonita, a refugee from Afghanistan, gets counselling for the traumas she has suffered and guidance in shaping her future. Her family has a very different future planned for her: as a bride she’s worth $9,000. What’s more, women aren’t allowed to sing in Iran.

How can Sonita still succeed in making her dreams come true? The director ends up personally involved in answering that question, reigniting the discussion of how documentary makers should relate to their subjects. This is just one of the many unexpected twists in an exciting journey replete with the setbacks and successes of a young women looking for her own path. The film’s core consists of Sonita artistically arguing against the disastrous forced marriage practices that obstruct her freedom in an impressive, dramatic rap video.