Writer-in-Residence: Rania Mamoun (Sudan) & Reem Alghazzi’s “Becoming Iphigenia”

City of Asylum Writer-in-Residence Rania Mamoun has curated a beautiful film screening featuring the work of Syrian filmmaker Reem Alghazzi. Reem is presenting her film Becoming Iphigenia, with a moderated discussion to follow the screening. The film will be screened in the original Arabic, with English subtitles. 

Becoming Iphigenia (ان تکوني افیغینیا) is a feature-length creative documentary. The film follows the story of nine young Syrian women who have fled to Germany to escape the war and, for some, to escape the society at home. The women hail from different walks of life and communities in Syria, and they were brought together on stage at the Volksbühne in Berlin for roles in a modern adaptation of Euripides’ Iphigenia written by playwright Mohammad al-Attar and directed by Omar Abusaada. 

In creating this film, Reem Alghazzi had close access to the cast of non-professional actors. She filmed the preparations, rehearsals, discussions, and the premiere, as well as the women’s lives in Germany outside the theatre. As the women spent more and more time together, they discovered that though they had left to escape pain and possible death, they still carried these hardships wherever they went. Could they escape the past, family, society, and themselves?

This fourth installment of our Writer-in-Residence series is a testament to the connection City of Asylum residents make with members of the Pittsburgh community. Our sanctuary program offers residents the opportunity to collaborate with and be inspired by other artists, forging lasting friendships along the way. 

This program is made possible in part with the support of The Bare Life Review, a literary organization supporting immigrant and asylum-seeking writers. The Bare Life Review is a member of Intersection for the Arts, a historic arts nonprofit organization that provides people working in arts and culture with fiscal sponsorship and resources to grow.

About the Artists:

Rania Mamoun (Curator) is a Sudanese activist and bestselling writer of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. She completed Something Evergreen Called Life, a poetry manuscript written during the COVID-19 quarantine, translated into English by Yasmine Seale and published by Action Books in March 2023. Rania has published two novels to great international acclaim, Green Flash and Son of the Sun, and Thirteen Months of Sunrise, a short story collection that was shortlisted for the 2020 Warwick Prize for Women in Translation. Rania continues to organize for democracy in Sudan. Her writing has appeared in English, Korean, French, and Spanish translations. She has been a Writer-in-Residence at City of Asylum since 2019.

Reem Alghazzi (Filmmaker) is a multifaceted Syrian artist, writer, and filmmaker recognized for her impactful storytelling and dedication to highlighting marginalized voices. Raised in Syria, her work is deeply influenced by her personal experiences and the socio-political realities of her homeland. Reem has directed and produced several films, many of which have been showcased at prestigious international festivals, including Cinéma du Réel in Paris and the Locarno International Film Festival. Beyond filmmaking, she has authored numerous articles and essays featured in local and Arabic media outlets, demonstrating her versatility as a creative voice. In 2010, she founded the Stories Film Lab in Damascus, a platform aimed at fostering independent filmmaking and storytelling. Her works have also been displayed in various exhibitions and at renowned venues like the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw. In 2023, her dedication to her craft and advocacy earned her the Samira Alkhaleel Prize in Paris.

About Your Visit: 

The in-house restaurant, Cucina Alfabeto, is open for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Please visit OpenTable or call 412-435-1111 to make a reservation.