MUSCAT : The EU Film Festival 2025 featured a groundbreaking open forum on Women’s Empowerment Beyond Borders, held alongside the Gulf premiere of the Italian film Francesca and Giovanni, a cinematic tribute to the resilience and achievements of women.

The distinguished panel brought together Booker Prize winner Jokha Al Harthy, activist and advocate Reem Al Zadjali, filmmaker and festival director Sudha Sha, and Italian director Simmona Ricky. The session was inaugurated by H.E. Pierluigi D’Elia, Ambassador of Italy to Oman, in the presence of chief guest Ibrahim Bani Uraba, Director General of Arts at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, and Loura Al Siyabi, Head of the Cinema Department.

In her remarks, Reem Al Zadjali highlighted her work as an advocate for women, stressing the transformative role of education in Oman. She credited the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said for his visionary support, which empowered generations of Omani women to excel in leadership and professional roles.

Jokha Al Harthy reflected on her literary journey, explaining that her storytelling began with the voices of women who gathered in her grandmother’s home. She noted that before the oil era, when many Omani men migrated abroad, it was women who sustained families and became the backbone of society — an enduring legacy of resilience.

Speaking about her film Francesca and Giovanni, Simmona Ricky underscored the importance of portraying Italy’s pioneering women, including the country’s first female judge and first female prime minister. The film pays tribute to generations of Italian women who broke barriers and reshaped society.

Festival director Sudha Sha closed the discussion by recognizing the rise of women filmmakers in the past decade. She pointed to the global acclaim for works such as Barbie, Anatomy of a Fall, and All We Imagine as Light, observing how narratives once dismissed or marginalized — such as folklore depicting intelligent women as witches — are now celebrated as stories of strength and achievement. She also noted how the theme of motherhood, when expressed through creative media, enriches storytelling and inspires audiences worldwide.

The forum drew a large audience, who later attended the premiere of Francesca and Giovanni. Widely praised as a powerful addition to the festival, the session fostered cross-cultural dialogue on women’s empowerment and showcased cinema’s role as a catalyst for change.

This year’s EU Film Festival 2025 has been marked by impactful screenings, interactive events, and the debut of the open forum format — an initiative that has deepened cultural exchange and reinforced the power of film as a platform for dialogue and progress.

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