For Sudan – Shubbak Festival 2025

Date: 10 June 2025

Start Time: 19:00

Doors: 18:30

Bar:  Open from 18:00. We serve a selection of craft beer, wine, soft drinks and snacks.

Length: approx. 4 hours

Standard Tickets: £12 + bf

Concession Tickets: £8 + bf

We recommend pre-booking tickets to guarantee entry. Booking on the door will result in an additional fee of £1.

Venue: Grand Junction at St Mary Magdalene’s Church, Rowington Close, London W2 5TF

Closest Stations: Royal Oak (Circle and Hammersmith & City line) 0.3 miles

Warwick Avenue (Bakerloo line) 0.4 miles

Paddington Station (National Rail services and Circle, District, Bakerloo, Hammersmith & City line) 0.9 miles

LINE UP

Nawaris Performing Arts Group

A vibrant Cardiff-based ensemble of talented Sudanese children aged 8 to 14, lighting up the British stage with the rich and diverse dance traditions of Sudan. Under the direction of acclaimed Sudanese actor, director, and youth mentor Majid Hassan, Nawaris brings to life the rhythms and movements of Sudan’s north, south, east, and west. More than just a performance, Nawaris is a cultural celebration, raising awareness of Sudanese heritage and empowering young diaspora voices to stay proudly connected to their roots.

Waleed Elgadi

A British-Sudanese actor with over 23 years of experience on stage and screen, having worked with organisations such as the Royal Shakespeare Company and alongside household names like penelope Cruz, Riz Ahmed, Lupita Nyong’o and Tom Hanks. A writer and activist, Elgadi made his writing debut in 2018 with What Is Worth Living For, a self-penned monologue performed at the Globe Theatre as part of the Young Muslim Voices programme. In 2020, he developed his first play, Ghost House—an intergenerational Sudanese family drama—during a residency with the Sundance Theatre Lab. The piece was subsequently commissioned by Good Chance Theatre and is currently undergoing redrafting. He is also at work on his debut novel. In 2024, Elgadi was commissioned by Cutting the Tightrope at the Arcola Theatre to contribute a new work addressing censorship in the arts. A committed advocate for social and racial justice, Elgadi regularly speaks at events in support of Palestine and Sudan, through organisations including White Kite Collective, London for Sudan and Madaniya.

Ayah M Speaks

A bilingual poet, actor, hike leader and workshop facilitator. Her work is rooted in themes of mental health, mindfulness, identity and soul empowerment. Her creative journey has called her to speak her truth in many spaces such as the Southbank Centre, Royal Court Theatre, Soho theatre, Theatre Peckham and the Black Cultural Archives. Ayah describes her writing as offerings to the universe in a medley of mindfulness and uncomfortable truths, served in a comical way with a hint of sarcasm. She prays that the message in her poetry today is Witnessed. May you explore what your soul seeks as Ayah Speaks.

Mustafa Khogali

Born in Ivory Coast, grew up in Kuwait, educated in New York, moved to Sudan in 2001. Worked as a media consultant on the “CPA” comprehensive peace agreement 2001-2003, established Sudan’s first English Magazine “In The City” 2011-2017, managed Sudan’s first “Open mic nights” for poetry and music 2010-2016”, developed 100’s of youth development programs and events including African voices, Artivism, SPACE and many more, TedxKhartoum speaker 2011, produced 5 radio shows, founded Makaan Arts and Culture Centre, founded Sudan drum and dance community, Ex-Director Programs at British Council Sudan 2015-2017. Moved to Manchester in 2018.

AL-SIT

by Suzannah Mirghani

This film was made for the women and girls of Sudan.

Director Suzannah Mirghani is a Sudanese-Russian writer, researcher, and media studies/museum studies graduate. She is the writer, director, and producer of AL-SIT (2020), screening on Netflix Middle East, and winner of the Canal+ Award at the 2021 Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival as well as 6 Academy Award qualifying prizes at Tampere Film Festival; LA Shorts; BronzeLens; New Orleans Film Festival; AFI Fest; and Interfilm Berlin. Her latest shorts are the social media satire VIRTUAL VOICE (2021), which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival; and KAMALA IBRAHIM ISHAG: STATES OF ONENESS (2022), commissioned by the Serpentine Galleries. Suzannah’s poem “Some Behavioral Characteristics of the Sudanese Honey Bee (Apis mellifera sudanensis)” was published in the Black SWANA issue of Mizna 23, no. 2 (2023). She is working on her first feature COTTON QUEEN, which won the ArteKino Award at L’Atelier de la Cinéfondation at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022.
(Taken from https://filmfreeway.com/SuzannahMirghani)

SUDAN’S FORGOTTEN FILMS

by Suhaib Gasmelbari & Katharina Von Schroder

In Suhaib Gasmelbari & Katharina Von Schrode 2017’s SUDAN’s FORGOTTEN FILMS, Benjamin and Awad run Sudan’s national film archive. The two men, who’ve worked together for more than 40 years, are devoted to protecting their country’s visual memories. Home to some 13,000 films, the archive preserves pivotal moments of Sudan’s turbulent history, and is one of the largest in Africa.
But the archive is in a fragile state. Following years of neglect and poor storage, many film reels are turning to dust in Sudan’s unforgiving tropical climate. The two friends are determined to turn it around and embark on a mission to save the old films. Will they succeed in preserving Sudan’s visual history for future generations before it’s too late?

WE ARE ALL SUDAN

by Mia Bittar

A short film by UNDP and co-funded by European Union, Mia Bittar’s 2015, WE ARE ALL SUDAN, is a snapshot into the past. A rare insight into the beauty of Sudan and the shared sentiments and hopes of the Sudanese people for a more united future; working together as one. Filmed across the country, with the sole aim of capturing people’s perceptions of their identity and their country and to celebrate Sudanese diversity.
We Are All Sudan
Directed and Edited by: Mia Bittar
Assistant Director/ Production Manager: Salma Alnour
D.O.P: Ala Kheir

Shurooq Abualnas

*Introducing Shorouq Abouelnass – The Voice of Sudan*. Shorouq Abouelnass is a celebrated Sudanese vocalist known for her uniquely soulful and expressive voice. Widely admired across Sudan for her emotional delivery and refined musical style, she has earned international acclaim by representing Sudan at major global festivals.

Raised in the UAE, her mastery of diverse Arabic dialects has enabled her to connect deeply with audiences across the Arab world. Shorouq has released several successful albums and collaborated with some of Sudan’s most respected poets and composers. She is known not only for her music, but also for her powerful messages of peace, unity, and women’s empowerment. Her performances have graced prestigious stages, including the Cairo Opera House, and she has appeared on leading Arab television channels. Shorouq’s voice carries the spirit of Sudan to the world – a voice of beauty, culture, and hope.

DJ – Heba Tabidi

Tabideee is a British-Sudanese civil engineer, 1/2 of the design studio Space Black, and an international DJ. Her performances explore the rich spectrum of Sudanese sound – moving between traditional genres rooted in oral storytelling and spiritual supplication, to the golden era of Sudanese music and the contemporary rhythms that powered the revolution. Her set is a celebration of Sudan’s expansive musical heritage and a love letter to the land.

Ahmed Akasha’s LIVING LIBRARY

A London-based art director, creative strategist, and multidisciplinary artist working at the intersection of design, culture, and social impact. With a background spanning media, visual arts, and storytelling, Ahmed brings a bold, intuitive eye to his work—crafting visual identities, campaigns, and experiences that are both culturally resonant and strategically thoughtful. As an art director, he leads with a collaborative, human-centred approach, guiding teams and clients from concept to execution across digital and print. His multidisciplinary artistic practice blends graphic design, photography, film and narrative work, often exploring themes of memory, identity, and power. Whether working with grassroots collectives or global brands, Ahmed uses creativity as a tool for equity, connection, and transformation.

Al Kenena Beauty Centre

Henna, selling jebbena and bakhoor, jirtik decorations, jirtik film on their background wall, mannequins with national dress, daughter son and friend all in South Sudanese bead work.

Rayan Elnayal

An artist, designer, and educator whose interest in magic realism was developed during her architecture thesis. Her art combines her research and architectural background to imagine futuristic visuals deeply rooted in Sudan and their diasporas. It serves as a speculative design exploration of futuristic aesthetics that embrace our cultural heritage to challenge Euro-centric design principles.
In addition to her artistic practice, Rayan is also co-founder and director of Space Black, a creative studio of Black built-environment professionals dedicated to challenging conventional norms within the profession and promoting access to built-environment projects through research, outreach programmes, and cultural events. Rayan also lectures and guest-critics at Architecture and Design schools.
Photo credit: Shams Al-Fekaiki. https://rayanelnayal.com/

Toteil Resturant

Toteil Restaurant is a Sudanese eatery located at 76 High Street, Acton, London W3 6LE. It offers authentic Sudanese cuisine, drawing inspiration from Mount Toteil, a site of cultural significance in Sudan.

Saboon Alee

Saboon Alee is a family business, based in South London, that produces natural skincare products and specialises in organic handmade soap.

We are a down to earth brand, that prides itself on the quality of our products. We use high quality pure and natural ingredients and traditional handmade methods to create our offerings. Our products are vegan and plastic-free.

Yassmin Abdel-Magied

A Sudanese author, screenwriter and award-winning social advocate. Yassmin founded her first organisation, Youth Without Borders, at the age of 16, leading it for nine years before co-founding two other organisations focused on serving women of colour. An anti-oppression facilitator and inclusion consultant, Yassmin regularly educates and advocates for Sudanese issues on the global stage. She created the hub eyesonsudan.net and advocates for Sudan on Aljazeera, BBC, France24, CGTN, The Guardian, New Lines, Slow Factory, GQ, Vogue and more

A former mechanical engineer, Yassmin has published five books, including essay collection Talking About A Revolution (PRH, 2022) and two novels for younger readers, You Must Be Layla (Puffin, 2020) and the award-winning Listen, Layla (Puffin, 2021). Her next book is the first in teen fantasy series SILVERBROOK (Hachette, 2026), and she is also a writer on acclaimed British Continuing Drama, Emmerdale.