The film is a documentary about an emancipated Saudi woman caught between tradition, love of her homeland and freedom.

Documentary / Germany, South Africa 2025 / Director: Stefanie Brockhaus / 87 mins / Original version with German subtitles

How can Azza, as a Saudi woman, gain her independence?
The film’s protagonist would reply: with skill. Married at 16 and now the mother of four teenagers, she dreams of breaking free from a failed marriage. Ostracised by her family and left to fend for herself, she strives to maintain her financial independence by working as a driving instructor for women. Behind the wheel of a large SUV, she feels confident and – just as she does on the road – overcomes life’s obstacles: a lack of education, precarious employment, exclusion by her family and separation from her children. She does everything she can to ensure that her daughters do not have to go through what she herself has experienced. She dreams of a journey through the desert. This adventure becomes an opportunity to discover both her country and herself. Driving proves to be a means to freedom – just as it is for many other women.

Filmed over a period of three years, the film offers an intimate insight into Azza’s life, her homeland and a society on the brink of change, caught between tradition and modernity.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GC-0pt9wic

Venue: STRAZEkultur
Doors open: from 7.30 pm
Start: 8 pm
Admission: free

An event organised by STRAZEkultur as part of weltwechsel 2026.

The STRAZE is wheelchair accessible. There is a lift and a wheelchair-accessible toilet. All toilets are all-gender toilets. Beanbags are available as alternative seating.