(ANSAmed) - ASWAN, FEBRUARY 27 - The image of Egyptian
society as traditionalist, sexist, and far from overcoming some
taboos is portrayed in 32-year-old director Mohammed Hammad's
film Akhbar Yabes (Withered Green, 2016), shown at the
first-ever Aswan International Woman Film Festival, which closed
on Sunday.
Hammad's first feature-length film tells the story of two sisters, Iman and Noha, who are left orphans after the death of their parents.
When Iman, the younger of the two, receives a marriage proposal, her traditionalist and conservative ways require her to ask that her aunt and uncle meet the man and his family.
According to local custom, in fact, the presence of a man from the bride's family is necessary in order to contract a marriage.
Hammad told ANSA that Iman represents the "paradigm of Egyptian society".
"Despite the fact that's she still young, she has an old mind," he said.
The two protagonists are two girls like many others, who he said "self-censor, because the neighbours, social and religious pressure, are still too strong and oppressive to let them live freely. Unfortunately Iman embodies our society". Withered Green was also screened at the Namur International French-Language Film Festival and in Dubai and Locarno; in Egypt, however, it still hasn't been shown.
"It still has to pass the scrutiny of censorship, because I shot the film without first having the permits and having had the script approved," Hammad said.
He said that was a risk mainly for the external shots in various neighbourhoods of Cairo.
The film will be screened in Italy as part of Middle East Now, a film festival dedicated to Middle Eastern cinema to be held April 4-9 in Florence.(ANSAmed).
Hammad's first feature-length film tells the story of two sisters, Iman and Noha, who are left orphans after the death of their parents.
When Iman, the younger of the two, receives a marriage proposal, her traditionalist and conservative ways require her to ask that her aunt and uncle meet the man and his family.
According to local custom, in fact, the presence of a man from the bride's family is necessary in order to contract a marriage.
Hammad told ANSA that Iman represents the "paradigm of Egyptian society".
"Despite the fact that's she still young, she has an old mind," he said.
The two protagonists are two girls like many others, who he said "self-censor, because the neighbours, social and religious pressure, are still too strong and oppressive to let them live freely. Unfortunately Iman embodies our society". Withered Green was also screened at the Namur International French-Language Film Festival and in Dubai and Locarno; in Egypt, however, it still hasn't been shown.
"It still has to pass the scrutiny of censorship, because I shot the film without first having the permits and having had the script approved," Hammad said.
He said that was a risk mainly for the external shots in various neighbourhoods of Cairo.
The film will be screened in Italy as part of Middle East Now, a film festival dedicated to Middle Eastern cinema to be held April 4-9 in Florence.(ANSAmed).
