On Demand

Sarabah

by Gloria Bremer & Maria Luisa Gambale
The inspiring story of Sister Fa, the Senegalese Hip Hop sensation who continues to break gender and genre barriers.
2011  ·  1h  ·  Germany, Senegal, United States
English
About the Film
Rapper, singer and activist, Sister Fa is hero to young women in Senegal and an unstoppable force for social change. A childhood victim of female genital cutting (FGC), she decided to tackle the issue by starting a grassroots campaign, “Education Without Excision,” which uses her music and persuasive powers to end the practice. But until 2010 there’s one place she had never brought her message – back home to her own village of Thionck Essyl, where she fears rejection.
 
SARABAH follows Sister Fa on this challenging journey, where she speaks out passionately to female elders and students alike, and stages a rousing concert that has the community on its feet. A portrait of an artist as activist, Sarabah shows the extraordinary resilience, passion and creativity of a woman who boldly challenges gender and cultural norms. It’s an inspiring story of courage, hope and change.

Upcoming Screenings

Stay tuned for upcoming screenings!

Festivals and Awards
Movies That Matter Film Festival - Golden Butterfly Award
Editor
Gloria Bremer
Co-director
Producer
Steven Lawrence & Maria Luisa Gambale
Sound Editor
Researcher
Soundtrack Composer
Gary Meister & Nora Balaban
Translator
Writer
About the Director

Gloria Bremer

Gloria is a producer, director, and editor whose work spans music, science, comedy, activism, and sports. Her documentary projects include Sarabah, a portrait of Senegalese hip-hop artist and activist Sister Fa that won the Golden Butterfly at the Movies That Matter Festival, and Funny You Never Knew, currently in post-production, featuring Fred Willard and Kevin Pollak exploring 1950s comedy. Gloria has collaborated on music-focused films such as The Furious Force of Rhymes and Rappers, Divas and Virtuosos, spotlighting extraordinary Muslim artists, as well as creating portraits of Angelique Kidjo, K’naan, and Michael Franti for Amnesty International. Her advocacy work includes The MisInformant, a satirical campaign for healthcare reform starring Jack Black. Gloria also directed science television for PBS Kids’ DragonFlyTV, filming in swamps, kelp forests, and snowy quinzhees.

 

Maria Luisa Gambale

Maria is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and writer based in Brooklyn with over 20 years of experience in film, journalism, and radio across three continents. Her acclaimed film Sarabah, about Senegalese rapper-activist Sister Fa, has screened at over 40 international festivals and won the Golden Butterfly and Cine Golden Eagle awards. She has produced and field produced content for National Geographic’s Explorer, Fusion TV’s Shade: Queens of NYC, and ABC News’s NY Med. As a journalist, she has created video and written content for outlets like the New York Times and PassBlue. Maria also brings extensive experience in public art and teaching, having worked with the Times Square Alliance and taught filmmaking at institutions such as SUNY Purchase and Reel Works, where she continues to mentor youth.

 

Share

Facebook
LinkedIn
Reddit
Tumblr
StumbleUpon
Pocket
Telegram
Email