Sudan and UK / 2023 / 25mins / Documentary / Arabic

Shot before the outbreak of war in 2023, this film tell the story of a unique beauty salon in Khartoum which hides a secret; it doubles as an underground space for women in danger. Run by the charismatic Abeer who herself fled domestic abuse, the salon is a space where women who are ‘on the run’ arrive from across Sudan seeking advice, sanctuary and pathways. It also does fabulous hair and nails.

Rafa Renas

Rafa Renas began her filmmaking journey began with the award winning short documentary Spider-Man of Sudan she co-made about an anonymous protester in Khartoum who, dressed as Spider-Man, became an icon of the resistance movement during the 2021 military coup. She then directed The Salon, which tells the story of a unique beauty salon in Khartoum that doubles as an underground sanctuary for women in danger. ​ Since 2023 and the war she shifted to frontline storytelling—producing news documentaries and reporting from refugee camps, capturing the realities of displacement and resilience. She worked as a production manager for international news outlets and cinema features, including the Sundance / Berlin hit Khartoum,and the documentary Food is Resistance, a film exploring the role of food in cultural identity and survival.​
Currently, she is studying journalism at Khartoum University while working with MiCT to support Sudanese journalists and advocate for press freedom. Learn More