A horse rider, a fire fighter, a mechanic and a rapper; a hairdresser, a presidential escort and an astrophysics PhD candidate… these are the women of Burkina Faso, captured in action a year ago by filmmaker Nicole Mackinlay Hahn (who shot a recent series of shorts for U2). Featuring an excerpt from ‘A Poem for Yennenga’ by Aja Monet, the film is homage to the powerful spirit of the 12th-century West African warrior princess, whose presence is still felt by women living there today. “I sought to undo stereotypes of African women and their inaccurate representation in the media, by simply revealing and acknowledging the professional lives of women in Burkina Faso,” Mackinlay Hahn says. “Inspired by the legendary Princess Yennenga, they give voice to their own unique experiences.”