Egyptian documentary filmmakers eye international festivals
Egypt's film industry enjoys high visibility, but the country's documentary filmmakers struggle with lack of funding and red tape.
CAIRO — Autumn in Egypt marks a time when the country’s budding documentary filmmakers showcase their work at local festivals and aspire to receive an award or two.
On Sept. 4, the 14th edition of the renowned El Sakia Documentary Festival took place at El Sawy Culturewheel, a cultural center located on Zamalek island, Cairo. The winner of the top prize was “Tranzeet,” the graduation project of Dina Moharam and her colleagues. The award was partly due to its unusual and grim subject.
The team’s first work was a short film about four people facing death and the time they spent in their homes, clinics and hospitals. One of the subjects was Ahmed Khaled Tawfik, a well-known doctor and children’s book author who passed away in April. The interview he gave to Moharam's team was his last one.
“The documentary film industry is still developing in Egypt,” Moharam told Al-Monitor. “[Egypt’s] documentary filmmakers need to learn to simplify the idea and present it to the public in an exciting and interesting way to overcome the challenges they face,” she said, adding that the production of documentaries may reach a wider audience, just like cinema and TV does, when the sector develops further.
