‘No Paradise if You Are Killed by a Woman’ Teaser Features Female Sniper Battling ISIS

A new film set to debut at the Venice International Film Festival places a woman at the forefront of a gripping narrative about the battle against ISIS.

Halkawt Mustafa’s ‘No Paradise if You Are Killed by a Woman’ will premiere out of competition at Venice next month. The first teaser offers a glimpse into this action thriller, which centers on a Kurdish-Norwegian sniper returning to Mosul while the city remains under ISIS control.

The plot follows the soldier as she revisits a location tied to her past trauma. She has dual motivations for her return: seeking vengeance and rescuing her younger sister, who has been captured.

According to Variety, the teaser depicts a city engulfed in turmoil, showcasing explosions, ruined buildings, and tense moments as the protagonist navigates a perilous landscape dominated by ISIS. The film appears to blend the epic scale of a war movie with the intimate journey of a woman determined to save a loved one.

Mustafa has noted that the film draws inspiration from real women who fought against ISIS. His personal interactions with some of these women significantly influenced the narrative.

“This is a poetic portrait of a woman warrior who refused to bow to darkness,” Mustafa shared with Variety.

Avan Jamal, recognized for her role in ‘The Exam,’ stars in the lead. Norwegian actor Thorbjørn Harr, known for ‘The Tunnel’ and ‘22 July,’ also features in the film.

The film is intricately linked to Iraq’s recent history. Mustafa previously directed the 2023 documentary ‘Hiding Saddam Hussein,’ which examined how the former Iraqi president evaded capture after his ousting.

In his latest project, Mustafa shifts focus to another significant chapter in the region’s narrative. While the story is fictional, it is rooted in the experiences of women who resisted ISIS and those who endured its brutality.

One key influence was Nadia Murad, the Yazidi human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Murad was abducted by ISIS during the Yazidi genocide in 2014 and has since become a leading advocate for survivors of sexual violence and genocide.

This real-world connection adds a personal dimension to the film. Rather than solely focusing on military conflicts or political issues, ‘No Paradise if You Are Killed by a Woman’ seeks to portray the struggle through the perspective of a woman who has faced its horrors and chooses to fight back.

Mustafa not only wrote and directed the film but is also producing it through his Norway-based Hene Films. Janne Hjeltnes and John M. Jacobsen are co-producers, with Rome-based sales company True Colours managing international sales.

As the film heads to Venice, audiences will soon witness Mustafa’s latest endeavor. Based on the teaser, ‘No Paradise if You Are Killed by a Woman’ promises to be a gripping revenge tale centered on survival, family, and the courageous women who stood against ISIS.

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