Draw Me Egypt – Doaa El-Adl, A Stroke of Freedom

Nada Riyadh and Farah Barqawi (Palestinian writer, poet, performer, and feminist organizer), moderated by Balkees Jarrah, Associate Director, International Justice Program, Human Rights Watch, in person for Q&A on June 3

Doaa el-Adl is one the most prominent of the very few female cartoonists in the Arab world. Draw Me Egypt – Doaa El-Adl, A Stroke of Freedom creatively blends documentary, cartoons and animation to bring to life this courageous artist’s thoughts on politics and feminism as she uses her talent to advocate for women’s rights.

As the first woman to win the prestigious Journalistic Distinction in Caricature, Doaa el-Adl is a force for change in the male-dominated world of Egyptian political cartoonists. A rebellious critic of patriarchy, she faces daily critique, censorship, intimidation and death threats for her art. The Egyptian director Nada Riyadh brings el-Adl’s most famous works to life in a creative and exciting mix of documentary, cartoons, and animation. The film is a vibrant and courageous exposé of violence against women that pushes the boundaries of freedom of expression in an often restrictive society, as el-Adl uses her talent to advocate for the rights of women, and to inspire and change society.

This film is part of the collection Draw for Change created by Vincent Coen and Guillaume Vandenberghe.

Draw Me Egypt – Doaa El-Adl, A Stroke of Freedom also screens digitally nationwide between June 5 – 11 on HRWFF’s digital streaming platform. Watch here.