Samia is an assertive, independent young woman growing up in a place that isn’t very welcome to young women who are independent and assertive. Raised in a Mogadishu, Somalia torn asunder by civil war, all that young Samia wants to do is run. Despite the harassment from local militias saying women shouldn’t be involved in sports, running is a bright spot in her tumultuous life. Training in a deserted stadium, on a track pockmarked by mortars, she is determined to go to the Olympics like her hero, Mo Farah. That determination pays off when, at the age of 17, she’s selected to represent her country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She returns to Africa with an even brighter flame burning to go to the 2012 Olympics in London. But circumstances have changed, and the path toward fulfilling her dreams is not the one she’d anticipated. 

Based on the true story of Samia Yusuf Omar, director Yasemin Samdereli brings Samia’s life to the screen with a beautiful visual flair and a warm, empathetic approach. Boasting fantastic performances, Samia is an inspirational portrait of a young athlete who won’t let circumstances stop her from reaching her dreams. And like millions of others escaping nations ravaged by war, she risks her life for the hope of a better future.––Jason Gutierrez

Yasemin Samdereli