Screened as part of TOAFF18
“Let’s smash the patriarchy!” Swedish hip-hop artist Silvana Imam shouts through a megaphone, and hundreds of hands shoot into the air.
Silvana’s uncompromising punk rap lyrics explore feminism, antiracism, LGBTQ rights and her own immigrant background (her father is from Syria, her mother from Lithuania). Challenging bodyshaming, racial and gender stereotypes propagated by religious institutions and the media alike, her performances ruffle a fair few feathers.
This intimate portrait of a radically intersectional and talented voice scratches at the polished surface of Sweden’s benevolent, progressive tolerance to reveal the many prejudices bubbling beneath – and celebrates a trailblazer who empowers thousands of young girls to seek a different understanding of their own strength.
