Exploring the Stereotyping of the Egyptian Countryside Through Film
May 14, 2017 9:55 AM   Subscribe

The task was to make a film revolving around the villages in the Delta, and around two elements in particular: water problems and water management, and the problems women living in these villages face and their empowerment.
What do you aim to convey with this film?

Marouan Omara (MO): “The core message is about the media and their power. It is about how the media manipulates. Going from Cairo, where we have been living our entire life, to Kafr el Sheikh was an experience in itself. I remember that when we’d go there, I would be looking around looking for villagers, cows… But instead I saw very tall buildings, BMWs, asfalt everywhere… I had expected to see something totally different: an open landscape with farmers, villagers… The farmers are not wearing galabeyas anymore – they’re wearing jeans. They are farming but they have Android and Facebook. I came with a stereotype image in my head myself, which is built on what I have seen on TV. Going there, I didn’t go to the village I used to see on TV. This was the case in all of the villages we visited.”

Nadia Mounier: “This is also another layer within the title: our crew were also visitors, commenting on the differences we’d see, just like the World Bank visitors, the school girls at the museum, and the presenter and her crew.”

MO: “This is also why I am not sure that what we show through this film is reality. It’s still a selection, our selection.”
The documentary film Azziara (The Visit, 2015), by Marouan Omara and Nadia Mounier in collaboration with Islam Kamal, was prevented from screening at the first edition of Zawya Cinema’s Arabic film festival Cairo Cinema Days on May 10. According to a statement made by the festival organizers, the film, which explores perceptions of the Egyptian countryside, was not granted approval from the Censorship Board.
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Omara, Mounier and Kamal have made the film available to watch online for the duration of Cairo Cinema Days until May 16.
posted by infinite intimation (2 comments total) 8 users marked this as a favorite
 
Oh wow, this looks fascinating. Thanks for sharing.
posted by Fizz at 10:47 AM on May 14, 2017 [1 favorite]


This topic is pertinent to my interests. Thank you for making the FPP, infinite intimation
posted by infini at 12:43 PM on May 14, 2017


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