Female directors celebrated at the Netherlands- Flemish
Institute
http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/02/19/female-directors-celebrated-at-the-netherlands-flemish-institute/
The collection of films included a range of genres; from
personal chronicles to fictional stories and novelistic documentaries
Last Sunday the Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo screened seven
short films made by up-and-coming female directors. The collection of films
included a range of genres; from personal chronicles to fictional stories and
novelistic documentaries.
One of the films that really stood out was Nadine Salib’s
entry Dawn, which is a collection of thoughts and images featuring Salib as she
tries to define herself in the world around her.
She made the movie two years after her mother’s death in
2011, in the midst of the Egyptian revolution. Salib focused on her own
thoughts and emotions and in only seven minutes captured how the world defines
her, how she defines herself and how she perceives issues such as love, Egypt and the
family.
In the film she flowed naturally from subject to subject,
saying things like, “my mother told me the best thing in the world is to love
and be loved”. At times she is painfully honest about herself and the world: “I
eat when I am depressed, I write a lot to forget.”
Salib made the film as the product of a self-portrait video
workshop at the Townhouse Gallery. Although Salib only started making films
recently, she is definitely a director to watch.
Another mesmerising film was Aida Kashef’s A Tin Tale, which
depicts the heart-wrenching story of a prostitute called Mona Farkha, played by
Maryam Saleh. The short film is not a documentary but it is based on true
events. The film mixes between telling the story of Farkha and chronicling the
reactions of Aida, played by Amina, as she listens to Farkha’s story.
The film exposes the cruelty of society by showing how it
deals with Farkha from the moment she is gang-raped at the age of 13. It also
subtly hints at how relatable Farkha’s story can be. At times Amina is the one
wearing Farkha’s scarf, especially during the parts relating her strength as an
individual. The tale ends on a sad note, as expected, but the film handles the
story deftly and artistically.
Then there was the fictional film, Spring of 89, by Ayten
Amin, which records the friendship of Sarah and Camellia. The film, as apparent
from the title, is set from 1988 to 1989. Amin’s attention to detail in the
movie is great; costumes, sets, décor and the music all reflect the tastes of
the period. The plot is a quirky one that reveals itself only gradually during
the film.
One of the interesting documentary entries was Nada
Zaitona’s Ghareeb, which chronicles the life of an ex-police informer turned
actor. Nada follows her subject, Ghareeb, in his daily life both around his
neighbourhood and when he goes to an audition. The film highlights an aspect of
Egyptian life that is completely unknown.
Other films included Mona Lotfi’s A Walk in the Grey Sun,
about the brief walk of a guidance counsellor who seems to be living in the past.
The very personal film of Noha El Meadawy, At Night, is a collection of images
rather than a talking movie. The last movie of the night was Graffiti Artist
Aya Tarek’s How to Fuck Up Your Mind, which is a sequence of drawings concerned
with the effects of fame.