Egyptian film RAT HOLE delves into the daily life of a telemarketer at an NGO

Inspired by the multiple calls for donations from some unknown Egyptian NGOs and real stories told by his friends, director Mohamed El-Samman — winner of the 2022 Sawiris Cultural Award for Best Script — set out to create a film that reveals the darker side of these institutions.

RAT HOLE follows the life of a telemarketer of a nonprofit organization over the course of a day as she bounces from call to call in an attempt to amass enough donations to appease her manager, who agreed to lend her some money to relocate to a neighborhood with better living standards if she hits her quota. 

The film's protagonist — played by Rana Khattab — takes us on an intense day in the life of a working woman, allowing us to feel the pain of the many women who have to deal with their own problems while also dealing with unprofessional and unethical demands of their superiors at work.

In the pre-production phase, El-Samman hunkered down and worked tirelessly to produce and write a script that authentically portrays women in such professions in an engaging way while keeping the focus on a single character in a single setting for 94 minutes. 

He also employed three cameras instead of one, fewer cuts, and fewer filming days to stay within budget while still achieving the desired effect of real, spontaneous performance.

RAT HOLE was written, produced, and directed byEl-Samman and is competing in the Egyptian Feature Film Competition of the seventh Aswan International Women's Film Festival. Additionally, MAD Solutions is managing the film's worldwide distribution. 

The film stars Rana Khattab, who worked as a radio presenter on Nogoum FM and appeared in a number of works, including the play RAYA AND SEKINA'S GRANDCHILDREN, the TV series MULTIFACETED (100 WESH), WRESTLING PINFALL (LAMS AKTAF), and SARAYA ABDEEN.

The cast also includes Mohamed Yorka, Kamal El-Asnawy, and Hanan Helmy.