The 73rd Berlin Film Festival opened with the American film (She Came To), directed by Rebecca Miller. The Egyptian presence is scarce this time. We have the talented director Ayten Amin, who participates as a member of the jury to choose the best (first work) in all the festival’s main and parallel competitions, and what is meant by this description is the first or second film.
Ayten had previously participated two years ago in (Berlin) with her feature film (Souad), which is one of the most important Egyptian films in recent years, in the virtual session that was held (online) due to (Corona), and the film was also officially selected before her in the festival ( It was) in the session that was canceled in the last moments in anticipation of the dreaded virus.
Our Egyptian presence can be found through the presence of Hussein Fahmy, head of the Cairo Film Festival, and with him the artistic director, director Amir Ramses, to select films and contract them to be shown in Cairo.. The departments are intertwined within the German festival, which provides multiple opportunities for selection. We are certainly not alone. The distinguished film expert, Intishal Al-Tamimi, director of the (El Gouna) Festival, and with him the work team preceded us there.
Which means that the decision to return (El-Gouna), which was taken by Samih Sawiris three months ago, began to be implemented realistically. The date for the activities of the sixth session of (El-Gouna) has not yet been settled, but Al-Tamimi confirms the return after the festival stopped last year, just as it was, as usual, four years ago. The Red Sea Festival participates in a pavilion that displays many Saudi films by young filmmakers.
A number of colleagues in the profession, critics and journalists, endured financial hardship in order to attend the (Berlin) activities in light of the current economic conditions, and even before that, the role of Egyptian newspapers, even the major ones, no longer participated in bearing any expenses, and despite that, I notice every year the presence of new colleagues Whether in “Berlin” or “Cannes”, which means that the passion for major festivals still has its sway over colleagues, especially young people. Years ago, (Nile Cinema) was reserving a place for itself to provide distinguished coverage, and I imagine that it has become difficult this time.
We have five Arab participations, not including an Egyptian film.. After we got used to the absence last year, a film directed by an Egyptian participated, but the film according to the nationality of production is German, (I miss you hours) directed by Mohamed Hassan Shawky.. and as of this writing.
I did not see the film, as it was not even shown on (platforms), and at that time he accused the director of the film of promoting homosexuality, and in a conversation I had with him via mobile phone, he assured me that he does not promote or defend, he only shows .. In any case, the film officially does not carry Egyptian nationality .
The Arab films participating in the (Panorama) section are (Under the Sky of Damascus), a long documentary, directed by Heba Adel, Talal Derky and Wajih. Of course, the political orientation in Syrian cinema plays a role and cannot be overlooked. “His residence.”
Whoever resides inside or is allowed to enter Syria will not approach the (Assad) regime and will only point out that what happened is chaos, a criminal act and a conspiracy… While the films that are made outside the borders sympathize with the revolutionaries, defend the revolution, and condemn the era of Assad (the father and the son) And hold them accountable.. Mostly this film will stand at a middle stage, and will not determine its position, because its directors include those who live in Damascus, so that its makers can guarantee freedom to return home without trial or arrest.
Neutrality at that sticking point is only as a minimum what the state allows now, which is what Kinda Alloush did, who co-produced and starred in the film (Exodus) by director Sudad Kad’an, which was shown in (The Red Sea). The Syrian film is exposed, according to the available papers, to violence against women. Also, another film for Syria is shown in the Forum section, which is (The Valley of Concrete), dealing with coping in the lives of immigrants. Its events take place in Canada, and in this case the film may criticize the Assad regime.
Lebanon is also participating in the same section with the movie (Comrade Leader… How nice it is to see you), directed by Walid Raad, about what they called the Lebanon Falls. In the movie (Outside the World), which represented the Egyptian cinema in 2015, and also received an attack at home, and most of those who made accusations against it did not watch it, but in our canned way, in which we repeat the same accusation: (spreading our dirty laundry).
Also participating in the panorama is the Yemeni film “The Exhausted”, directed by Amr Gamal. The film is co-produced by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen, and its events take place in the city of Aden, and deals with the crisis experienced by the population in light of this division within the homeland, and as you can see that the officially participating countries are actually experiencing crises such as Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, trying to express and vent themselves.
When we talk about (Berlin) throughout history, we definitely stop with appreciation in front of Youssef Chahine, who participated more than once in films such as (Bab Al-Hadid), and came close – as he often tells – to the Best Actor Award in 1958 for his influential role (Qenawy), and this The exceptional film is also the first Egyptian film that participated in the same year as a representative of the Egyptian cinema for the selection of the best film in the Oscars.
A year later, Youssef Chahine participated in the movie (Jamila), which deals with the life of the Algerian activist Jamila Bou Hird. On that day, France denounced the film and criticized the German festival, which sided with a film advocating armed resistance against France.. Magda Al-Sabahi said in more than one interview that there was a plan to assassinate her, and for this reason She was accompanied at the festival by tight security.
As for the most important awards that we got for Youssef Chahine, it is the Special Arbitration Committee (The Silver Bear) for the movie (Alexandria Why) in 1979. The film struck in all directions and dealt with tolerance between religions, criticized corruption and called for harmony between all nationalities and religions in a city that was It is a model for the concept of (cosmopolitan), and as usual, there are those who tried to read the film politically because it presents the Jewish character positively.
Egyptian cinema is suffering greatly, our archive (our cinematic past) is subject to destruction, while the present confirms our absence from all international and even Arab festivals..so does anyone hear us?!.
