El Gouna Film Festival – ‘Of Sheep and Men’

CAIRO – 21 September 2017: Director Karim Sayad’s “Of Sheep and Men” documentary follows the lives of two people in Algeria on the eve of Eid, exploring the personal and political situations of the country in the process.

Hamid is a 16-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a veterinarian, but has not been able to go to school for it. When he acquires a prized ram he dubs it “El Bouq”, he sets his goals on training him to become a world-class fighter. Meanwhile, another sheep-farmer, Samir, has lost all ambition in life and simply tries to get by the days, selling sheep for slaughter as Eid rolls around.

“Of Sheep and Men” is in some way an exploration of masculinity; despite the prevalence of rams, no ewes are featured. More broadly, the sheep here come to represent the people of Algeria, trapped within a society that treats them as little more than a commodity. It is an allegorical tale of Algeria, its people, and the animals dwelling its land.

The film premiered in September at the Toronto International Film Festival.