Miya Miya Film Club x AFC Womens Asian Cup Presents: Offside

Miya Miya Film Club is an independent community-led film and arts initiative dedicated to celebrating and elevating the voices of the South West Asian and North African (SWANA) region. At a time when nuanced representations of SWANA cultures are urgently needed, Miya Miya offers a space where film and art become tools for cultural preservation, connection, and resistance. The name "Miya Miya" translates to "100/100" in Arabic, symbolising excellence and positivity. Each event is a vibrant gathering that brings together storytelling, traditional food and music, and intergenerational dialogue, offering audiences both within and beyond the SWANA diaspora a chance to experience the region’s richness on its own terms.

GOALLLLLLLLL!!!!

The 2026 Womens Asian Cup will be hosted in Australia throughout March. Football has been the biggest part of my life, first as a player, and then as a coach and as a talent scout for the Junior Matildas.

So, for this special football screening, Miya Miya Film Club Presents: آفساید (Offside, Iran, 2006) directed by Jafar Panahi.

Offside is a heartfelt humanist story about young Iranian women barred from attending a World Cup qualifying match because of Iran’s strict gender segregation laws. Using humour and empathy, the film captures their courage, dignity, and yearning for equality, while highlighting the unifying power of football. In the stadium, football becomes more than a game. Football is a shared passion that transcends social, political, and gender divides, connecting people across differences and reminding us of our common humanity.

Football is everything. It is the greatest unifier there is. In 2021, after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, the country’s national women’s team was stripped of the right to play. 38 players sought refuge in Melbourne, where they were granted asylum, allowing them to continue pursuing football, stay safe, and use their platform to advocate for women’s rights, even in exile.

Miya Miya Film Club will be donating to the Afghan Women’s National Team via the Australian Sports Foundation. In the three seasons the women have played in Victoria, they’ve secured back-to-back promotions and next season will be competing in the Women’s State League 2. This is Wrexham eat your heart out.

Wear your favourite jersey, and come early to the courtyard for a pre-movie ahweh, maybe some orange slices, a bit of juggling, some conversation with old and new friends, a little boogie with the ball.

Tickets are available via the link in the bio! (ticket prices cover venue, projection hire, film licencing, drinks from Gaza Cola and Salaam Cola, sweets, and a donation to Afghan Women’s National Team)

Play beautiful ❤️

Miya Miya prides itself on being a hub of safety, inclusivity, and community. Our events are a safe and inclusive space for all peoples, including our SWANA, First Nations, Black, POC, Jewish, and LGBTQIASB+ friends, and we have zero tolerance for harassment of any kind.

No one turned away for lack of funds. Please contact the @miyamiyafilmclub instagram page for ticketing enquiries.

Miya Miya Film Club meets on unceded Gadigal and Wangal land of the Eora Nation. Miya Miya Film Club acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, waters, and community. Miya Miya Film Club pays its respects to the people, the cultures, and the Elders past and present and emerging. Always was, always will be. Miya Miya Film Club also acknowledges the people of Palestine and their rights for self-determination. We acknowledge the devastation and mass atrocities continuing in Gaza and hope that through greater awareness and collective action, we can work towards a world free from genocide, violence, and injustice. Always was, always will be.