1st Week of Classic Egyptian Film
in Windhoek, 12-17 August 2013
Egypt was the first country in Africa and the Middle East to establish a film-industry. Film screenings
took place as early as 1896 when the works by the Lumière Brothers were presented in Alexandria
and Cairo. Still under foreign rule, Egypt was the only colony in which the production of news-reels
and short-films by the local population was possible. First reports about productions date back to
1909.
Within its monthly film series “African Perspectives” AfricAvenir has in the past and will in the future
continue to screen high quality Egyptian cinema to the Namibian public. Due to the outstanding and
rich cinema heritage and history of Egypt, AfricAvenir, in partnership with the Egyptian Embassy, the
Egyptian Film Centre, AfriCine, and the Goethe-Centre Windhoek, with financial support of
Pharaoh’s Lounge Windhoek, has decided to dedicate a full week of screenings to Classic Egyptian
films. In 2013 the week, which will hopefully become an annual event, will focus on films from the
late 1950’s to the early 1970’s.
The Egyptian National Day, Revolution Day, normally celebrated on July 23, will be celebrated after
the end of Ramadan, in the week from 12 to 17 August.
Monday, 12.August 2013, 19h15, @ GZ Windhoek - Opening Film
Cairo Station, 1958
Director: Youssef Chahine, Egypt, 1958, 86 min, fiction
Cairo Station is the venue for a blazingly passionate
drama about Kenaoui, a lame newspaper vendor, played
by Chahine, and his unrequited desire for Hanouma
(Hind Rostom), the Bardotesque lemonade seller. Swept
away by his obsessive desire, Kinawi kidnaps the object
of his passion, with terrible consequences. Chahine
received international recognition when this masterpiece
of sexuality, repression, madness and violence among
society's marginalized played at the Berlin Film Festival,
where it was nominated for a Golden Bear in 1958.
“A jewel of a film” Samir Hachem, The Hollywood Reporter
The film week will be opened in the presence of H.E. Dr. Haxem H. Ramadan.
Tuesday, 13 August 2013, 19h15, @ GZ Windhoek – Egyptian National Day
A man in our House, 1961
Director: Henry Barakat, Egypt, 1961, 93 min, fiction, starring
Omar Sharif
A Man in Our House features a prominent political message
concerning nationalism and patriotism and glorifies the Egyptian
resistance to British colonialism. Using the 1952 Free Officers led
revolt against King Farouk as the context, Ibrahim, played by
Omar Sharif, a brave young man, hurls himself against the unjust
government, assassinates the Prime Minister, and has to go into hiding in the house of ambivalently
supportive citizens. His presence endangers the whole family, particularly since they are not as
partisan as he is. The father has to make difficult decisions about how much can be risked, and is
pulled out of his a-political stance by his son and daughter, the maternal feelings of his wife for the
young man, and her empathy with the likely worries of his mother.
The screen play was written by Abdel Qoddous, a well known opposition journalist of the era, and
much called-upon screen writer.
Wednesday, 14 August 2013, 18h30, @ FNCC (!!!)
The screening of Between Heaven and Earth at the Goethe-Centre is cancelled. We show instead:
Destiny - Directed by Youssef Chahine, Egypt/France, 1997, 135 min, fiction
At the FNCC, Entrance, - N$ 20. The screening is supported by M-Net.
Destiny is an entertaining historical biopic of the influential 12th century philosopher Averroes and a
blunt allegory condemning the politically driven fanaticism of present times. The film premiered at
the 50th anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival in 1997, where Youssef Chahine received a Lifetime
Achievement Award.
The story is set in the 12th century in Arab-ruled Andalusia, where
famed philosopher Averroes is appointed Grand Judge by the caliph
and his liberal court judgements are not liked by everybody. The
caliph's political rivals, a fanatic Islamic sect, force the caliph to send
Averroes into exile and burn all his books. Thanks to his students,
Averroes books and ideas survive.
Thursday 15 August 2013, 19h15, @ GZ Windhoek
The Night of Counting the Years - The Mummy, 1969
Director: Chadi Abdel Salam, Egypt, 1969, 100 min, fiction
Recognized as one of the greatest Egyptian films ever made,
The Night of Counting the Years a.k.a. The Mummy is the most
important Egyptian historical art-film. Based on a true story
and inspired by the famous discovery of the hiding place in
the Valley of the Kings of royal mummies from several
dynasties, the film is centered on the quest for identity of a
young Egyptian. Set in 1881, on the eve of British colonial rule,
an Upper Egyptian clan had been robbing a cache of mummies
near the village of Qurna, and selling the artifacts on the black market. After a conflict within the
clan, the young clan member goes to the police, helping the Antiquities Service find the cache.
Friday, 16. August 2013, 19h15, @ GZ Windhoek
Chased by the Dogs/The thief and the dogs, 1962
Director: Kamal El Sheikh, Egypt, 1962, 130 min, fiction
After four years in prison, the young thief Said Mahran is
released and seeks revenge against those who betrayed him.
His wife and most trusted henchman, who conspired to turn
him into the police, are now married to each other and are
keeping his six-year-old daughter from him.
This felicitous combination of film noir and social commentary,
about an ex-con bent on vengeance, builds to a terrific cat-andmouse finale. Director El Sheikh and cinematographer Kamal Karim use carefully composed lighting
and a range of camera techniques to create a wonderfully moody atmosphere. Made a little more
than a decade after the 1952 Egyptian revolution, The Thief and the Dogs presents a world that
challenges moral judgments—after all, the protagonists are a thief and a prostitute.
The film is based on the novel The Thief and the Dogs by literature Nobel prize winner Naguib
Mahfouz. Mahfouz was inspired by the life of the famous Egyptian thief Mahmoud Amin Soliman.
Saturday 17. August 2013, 19h00, @ GZ Windhoek Closing Film
M Empire, 1972
Director: Hussein Kamal, Egypt, 1972, 113 min, fiction
Based on Ihsan Abdel Quddous’ book and adapted for the
screen by Nobel Prize winner Naguib Mahfouz, M Empire
is one of the most loved Egyptian films. On the surface it
is an enjoyable family drama, but below the surface it is a
political call for liberalism and democracy during Sadat’s
era. The film opens with a young Mona convincing her
parents of her right to choose the man she’ll marry. It
closes with a similar sentiment; her children ultimately
want to demonstrate their democratic right.
The film hints on the ideal way Egyptian society should
and could be. The family represents the country and highlights the crucial leader’s (or mother’s in
this case) role of a multitasked educator. Without her, the family will fall apart and she’s the only
one to assess her children’s capabilities and needs. At the same time, her leadership can expand
outside the house’s borders. ‘Empire M’ advocates pro-democratic views.
© Copyright AfricAvenir Windhoek 2013
Additional Information:
For more information visit: www.africavenir.org and or contact 0855630949 and
africavenir.whk@googlemail.com .