Samia
Yasemin Şamdereli
Running is everything to Samia. But Samia grew up in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, where civil war has raged since 1988 and women are banned from sports. This powerful feature film by Yasemin Şamdereli (Alemanya – Willkommen in Deutschland!) tells the true story of Olympian Samia Yusuf Omar, who drowned in the Mediterranean Sea in 2012 trying to reach Europe. Samia is a sensitive and cheerful portrait of a tough young athlete who lets no obstacles stop her from pursuing her dreams.
Yasemin Şamdereli
The director and screenwriter was born and raised in Dortmund. During her studies at the HFF Munich, she worked as an assistant director on international cinema productions by Jackie Chan, Teddy Chan and Stanley Tong. Her graduation film Kismet received the Short Tiger Award. She has directed the TV films Alles getürkt!, Ich Chef, du nix and co-wrote the series Türkisch für Anfänger. Her celebrated cinema debut Almanya had its world premiere at the 2011 Berlin International Film Festival and received two German Film Awards, among others. She recently directed Samia.
Films by Yasemin Şamdereli
Die Nacht der Nächte 2018; Almanya – Willkommen in Deutschland 2011, Ich Chef, du nix! 2007, Alles Getürkt! 2003, Kismet 1999
Awards for ›Samia‹
Publikumspreis – Filmfest München 2024; Special Jury Mention – Tribeca Film Festival 2024
