
Issraa Elkogali Häggström
Owner of Riverflower, the independent content and production company, I am a Sudanese-Swedish creative professional working with mixed-media installations, film and writing.
After several short documentary films including the collaborative film project THE TWO SUDANS I developed the Ibsen Scholarship winning performance piece NORA’S CLOTH. My work has been shown in 14 countries around the world. IN SEARCH OF HIP HOP, my directorial debut film won official selection at Rotterdam and Dubai film festivals in 2013. I have six years of film festival programming experience with CinemAfrica Sweden and three years as contributing art/photography editor at Agave Magazine.
2018 marked my return to the theatre as a producer and dramaturgical researcher with the launch of the black-led National Black Theatre of Sweden.
My first screenplay to get produced is the award-winning short fiction film A HANDFUL OF DATES (2020), an adaptation of Tayeb Salih’s Arabic novel which was directed by Hashim Hassan. I am an alumna of the National Theatre of Sweden, Riksteatern residency for writers 2021.
In 2021 I signed on as co-producer on Mo Kordofani’s fiction feature GOODBYE JULIA, after securing the Malmo Arab Film Festival 2021 development funding prize. The film is being produced by Station Films’ Amjad Abu alAlaa, the award-winning director of YOU WILL DIE AT 20.
Current projects under development: Feature film based on events in Khartoum 1982-85 with David Hinkley (USA) – Writing a full-length screenplay working title: Ge Järnet – Music documentary/personal essay film.
'Always creative and sees the things so many miss.
And a personality that shines too'
Andy Collins, Culture entrepreneur'We feel very strongly about Issraa's talent as a writer, and know that the contribution she will make to world cinema and world literature could indeed be considerable.'
Stephen Geller, BU Film ProgramAchievements
- 2022
Storyteller
A Different Look at The Ethnographic Museum, event by Tensta Konsthall and Accelerator
- 2022
Actor
Acting in Den ömättliga vägen, directed by Josette Bushell-Mingo NBTS at the Royal Dramatic Theatre
- 2021
Co-Producer
MAFF development prize for Goodbye Julia film.
- 2021
Actor
Film Acting debut with BQ short film The Screenwriter in Swedish.
- 2020
Actor
Successfully completed the Augmented Actor course at Stockholms Konstnärliga Högskola, taught by Matthew Allen, Anette Vogel and Joakim Nätterqvist.
- 2018
Producer
Producer of two performances for the launch of National Black Theatre of Sweden
- 2014
BBC
BBC Arabic purchase rights to screen In Search of Hip Hop on TV
- 2013
Netherlands/ DUBAI
In Search of Hip Hop official selection IFFR and DIFF.
- 2012
CinemAfrica Sweden
CinemAfrica Sweden screening at Bio Rio of Sudan Film Factory films. Sweden.
- 2009
Sudan
Traditional Tuti, Photography book published
- 2011
Norway
Ibsen Scholarship awarded for Nora’s Cloth.
- 2008
UK
Solo exhibition of Zeina: A photo iconography Waterloo Gallery, London.
- 2004
Sudan
Angelina Jolie visit and press conference coordinator for UNHCR.
- 2001
USA
Academic scholarship to Boston University Master of Fine Arts In Film.
- 1999
Egypt
The M. Salmawy New Playwright’s Award. Egypt