Illustrations by Maddie Fischer.Find all of our Cannes 2024 coverage here.Somewhere between dystopian and historical fiction, reality and the imaginary, dreaming and waking, sits East of Noon (2024), the second feature film by the Egyptian visual artist and filmmaker Hala Elkoussy. Ostensibly a film about the spirited rebellion of youth in the face of an authoritarian regime, its narrative abstraction makes it a beguiling prospect; this work, set “outside of time,” to use Elkoussy’s own words, floats in an undefined space, both temporally and geographically, yet the world it portrays is so richly detailed and specific. This contrast makes for a fascinating tension in the film—the question “Where are we?” soon gives way to “Where are we going?” In a community in the middle of nowhere, hemmed in by a guarded chain-link fence, Abdo (Omar Rozek) lives with his grandmother Galala (Menha Batraoui), a wise chronicler and keeper of stories for her people.
- 6/14/2024
- MUBI
Nadine Labaki heads “Back to Alexandria” in Tamer Ruggli’s debut feature that allowed him to celebrate Egyptian women.
“I am very close to my mother, who is Egyptian. I don’t know if you know many Egyptian women, but they are exuberant, dominant and endearing.”
In a story based on his mother’s experiences, Sue (Labaki) returns home after 20 years. Her eccentric mom, Fairouz (Fanny Ardant), is dying. She gets into a pink Cadillac and starts driving to Alexandria, talking to Fairouz every step of the way. Even though it’s just in her head.
“This relationship between a mother and a daughter… There is so much depth to it and so much conflict, or at least that was the case in my family,” says Ruggli.
“In the end, this film is about loss and how we can deal with it. When we lose a parent, there are so many things left unsaid.
“I am very close to my mother, who is Egyptian. I don’t know if you know many Egyptian women, but they are exuberant, dominant and endearing.”
In a story based on his mother’s experiences, Sue (Labaki) returns home after 20 years. Her eccentric mom, Fairouz (Fanny Ardant), is dying. She gets into a pink Cadillac and starts driving to Alexandria, talking to Fairouz every step of the way. Even though it’s just in her head.
“This relationship between a mother and a daughter… There is so much depth to it and so much conflict, or at least that was the case in my family,” says Ruggli.
“In the end, this film is about loss and how we can deal with it. When we lose a parent, there are so many things left unsaid.
- 9/28/2023
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
The Middle East's biggest film event drew to a close Wednesday night, the 14th edition of the Dubai International Film Festival ending with the regional premiere of Star Wars: The Last Jedi at the Madinat Jumeirah.
Earlier in the day, Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir saw her Nazareth-set drama Wajib win the best fiction feature award, and the film's two co-stars, father and son duo Mohammad Bakri and Saleh Bakri, share the best actor award. Wajib is Palestine's current submission in the foreign-language Oscars race (and Jacir's third submission overall).
Elsewhere, best actress went to Menha El Batraoui for...
Earlier in the day, Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir saw her Nazareth-set drama Wajib win the best fiction feature award, and the film's two co-stars, father and son duo Mohammad Bakri and Saleh Bakri, share the best actor award. Wajib is Palestine's current submission in the foreign-language Oscars race (and Jacir's third submission overall).
Elsewhere, best actress went to Menha El Batraoui for...
- 12/14/2017
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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