Finnish-Somali director Naima Mohamud's debut feature "Halima" has been named Best Fiction Project at the Finnish Film Affair, marking the first Finnish feature film directed by a Black woman. Mohamud emphasises the cultural significance of the film, noting that Somali communities have lived in Finland for over 35 years yet most Finnish people remain unfamiliar with their culture and daily life. She hopes the film will foster greater understanding between Somali and Finnish communities.

The film, set in 1998 and currently in post-production, follows a 10-year-old Somali girl obsessed with pop culture icons like Leonardo DiCaprio and the band Aqua, who dreams of becoming a pop star whilst struggling as an outsider within her own family and among her peers. Mohamud deliberately works in the genre of joyful cinema and has developed a particular talent for directing children, valuing their uninhibited confidence and imaginative thinking. She is intentional about selecting projects that align with her directorial identity, consciously avoiding serious, poetic work that would require sensibilities beyond her strengths.