Niger and France / 2016 / 52mins / Documentary / French and Haoussa

Aïcha Macky’s fearlessly personal documentary breaks the silence on a taboo topic in Nigerien society: the ostracism faced by married women who don’t or can’t have children. Speaking out about her own struggles with infertility—which in Niger is always attributed to women, never men—Macky works to shatter the stigma surrounding childlessness and offer hope to other women suffering in silence.

Aïcha Macky

Born in 1982 in the Republic of Niger, Aïcha Macky earned a Master in Sociology and in Documentary Filmmaking at Gaston Berger University in Sénégal. Her debut short was Moi et ma maigreur / Me and My Yhinness, about the thin body perception of the inhabitants of Niger. She continued her training with Contrechamps and Maggia Images (Niger), working as an assistant for many features and documentaries. The Fruitless Tree / L'Arbre sans fruit (2016) is her first feature documentary and was shown at many festivals around the world and won several awards. Zinder (2021) explores gang culture in her hometown of Zinder, Niger. The documentary was nominated for numerous awards and won the Best Documentary award at Reykjavik International Film Festival. Learn More