“You’ll face obstacles. It’s a long journey,” 14-year-old Zebiba is warned in a trailer for “Lift Like a Girl.” The aspiring athlete is being trained by Captain Ramadan, who has spent two decades coaching world-class weightlifters in Egypt, including his daughter, Nahla Ramadan, and Abeer Abdel Rahman. The former went on to become a world champion and the latter made history as the first Arab woman to become a two-time Olympic medalist. Zebiba is his latest protégée. Shot over four years, the documentary follows her journey.
“As much as I hope that the film can inspire young girls to pursue their unconventional dreams, I also hope that it can open a discussion about gender roles, stereotypes, and gender bias in language,” director Mayye Zayed told us in a soon-to-be published interview.
Check out the trailer to see Zebiba in action. “Lift like a champion,” she’s reminded. “We’re weightlifting here.”
“Lift Like a Girl” is now screening at the Toronto International Film Festival.
