"We made this film with a 99 percent Sudanese cast and crew (and 1 percent Lebanese). In fact, filmmaking in Sudan is finally beginning to flourish after decades of prohibition and neglect," stated Mirghani in a video, thanking the festival’s jury and adding that "Sudan is overflowing with talent, but there is little opportunity to show it. We hope the film will continue its successful tour across international festivals."

The plot of Al-Sit takes place in a cotton-plantation in Sudan where a 15-year-old Nafisa has a crush on her neighbour Babiker, but her parents have arranged her marriage to Nadir, a young Sudanese businessman who lives abroad. However, Nafisa’s grandmother Al-Sit, the powerful village matriarch, has her own plans for Nafisa’s future.

"Previously receiving three awards from Oscar-qualifying festivals, Al-Sit is becoming one of the most notable nominees for the upcoming Academy Awards," said the film's Arab distributer, MAD Solutions.

Al-Sit, which premiered at the latest edition of the Ajyal Film Festival in Qatar, had earlier received numerous awards from prestigious festivals in Beirut, Zanzibar, Ismailia, Toronto, Malmo, Busan, Spain, Korea and France.

Mirghani, also a researcher and author, wrote Al-Sit and co-produced it along with Eiman Mirghani. The film stars Mihad Murtada, Rabeha Mohammed, Mohammed Magdi and Haram Basher.

Mirghani’s filmography includes a number of short films that she wrote, directed and produced, including Hind’s Dream (2014) and Caravan (2016).