It's not easy for Palestinian women to enter a variety of occupations, but one of the trickiest is surely 'race car driver'.

And yet, one group of Palestinian women have made a mark for themselves in the male-dominated world of racing in the West Bank.

The unique team is the focus of a new documentary called Speed Sisters, a feature length film by Amber Fare. The documentary played to packed audience's at a recent documentary festival in Sheffield.

The film lays bare the team's trials and tribulations as they fight stereotypes and resistance in this male-dominated sport.

Mona Ali, 29, says in the film: “I was racing cars when I was a kid, learning how to do it, speeding with the boys from school." At 16, without a licence, she used to race in the night time streets of Ramallah. “At first, the boys wouldn’t accept me; they didn’t want to race with me." But she said she would continue racing whether they liked it or not.

Ali was one of the first women to join the Palestinian racing federation in 2005, which has become a regular event in Palestine. Weekend racing "circuits" comprise airstrips and market squares.

The first challenge facing each woman was having their passion accepted by their family – often involving many economic sacrifices by loved ones due to the high cost of the sport. They also faced resistance from Palestinian males. But one of the toughest challenges was dealing with the hardships and dangers of living in an occupied land – a challenge that is undiminished.

You can watch the trailer for the documentary here: https://vimeo.com/125648413