(ENG)

The princess who cried sand

Performance in english and arabic, with english and hungarian subtitles, 70 min

Maria, an Egyptian artist living in Budapest, has been living for years without refugee status, trapped in a gray zone – and now, she takes the narrative of her life story into her own hands in her monodrama, The Princess Who Wept Sand. For a year, her own family kept her locked away, and as a woman, she faced violence, oppression, and exclusion – and now, she fights against legal invisibility in her new homeland.

The story follows the journey of a girl, escaping her home after being abused and her life being threatened, seeking refuge in another country. The storyteller is accompanied by sand on the stage, a material that becomes a muse, a tactile invitation to immerse, and a co-performer that helps to tell the moments where words fail.

Inspired by the performer's own life, this fairytale for adults tells the story of the struggles of fleeing and how trauma and immigration policies can steal years from the lives of people.

Performed and written by: Mariam Nasr (she/her, Egypt)

Director: Napsugár Trömböczky (they/them, Hungary)

Song cover: Sarah Diefallah

Illustration on the magazine: Köllő Zsuzsanna

Embrodiery: Sarah Diefallah, Jahn Izabella, Nina Fetulina, Gabriella Caceres, Mariam and Napsugár

Fotos: Gábor Sorok

Animation and videos: Napsugár Trömböczky