While women in Egypt have made many advances, they, like women elsewhere, have yet to achieve full empowerment. Their struggle actually began almost a century ago. In Egypt, the 1920s were a time of profound change. The period brought the country’s liberation from decades of British occupation and gave birth to a movement to liberate Egyptian women from oppressive traditions.

One young woman from Cairo was inspired by stories of female pilots in the United States. Lotfia el-Nadi dreamed of becoming a pilot herself - something no Egyptian woman had ever done. So she gave up her veil for a pair of goggles and set out to learn how to fly. Her inspiring story is told in “Take Off From The Sand.”

Through interviews with the legendary Lotfia el-Nadi, director Vajeeh George gives us a vivid portrait of this daring young woman – and of the era in which Egyptian women found the courage to fight for a full role in society.