Movies from Egypt

Films by Jacques Siron

A poetical and musical evocation

Western Thebes spreads out on the left bank of the Nile, in Louxor, Upper Egypt. It is there where ancient Thebes along with its traditional life collides with the modern world: They cross and overlap. In the shadow of the pharaonic tombs, next to the famous "Valley of Kings" and the big grave temples swings the daily life of the villages in the mysterious rhythm of their beauty. The essential remains secret towards the many tourists that come from all over the world to see this place.

Films by Jocelyne Saab

After studying literature at Cairo University, Dunia, 23 years old, wants to become a professional dancer. She attends audition for an oriental dance contest where she recites Arabian poetry without any body movement. She explains to the perplexed jury that a woman can't move her body or evoke act of love when society ask women to hide their femininity. She is selected and meets Beshir, an intellectual and activist who will supervise her thesis on ecstasy in Sufi love poetry.

Films by Asma El Bakri

Gohar is fifty years old and teaches history and philosophy at university. One day he decides to leave this place and to live as a beggar, just like his friend, a poet, who owns nothing and wants nothing and as such feels absolutely free. All he needs is a little bit of hash as well as some peace of mind. In a moment when he has neither of that he strangles a prostitute without any real reason.
Nour el Din, who is commissioned to investigate the case, is groping in the dark with the solution of the murder.

Films by Youssef Chahine