'Serb Hamam' cast reveal film details

CAIRO – 27 November 2017: Cast members of the Kuwaiti film “Serb Hamam” (Pigeon Squadron) unveiled many details about the film, and its screening in Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), during a seminar held at the headquarters of Egypt Today on Sunday.

Cast members headed the seminar, including prominent Kuwaiti actor Dawood Hussein and Ahmed Eraj.

Dawood Hueesin praised the leading role of Egypt in Arabic cinema. He stressed that “[Cairo] is the Arab world's Hollywood,” highlighting his happiness that the film will screen in Egypt.


Hussein and Eraj while the seminar – Courtesy of Rana Atef

“Screening a Kuwaiti film in the international festival that is taking place in the Arab world's Hollywood means a lot to me and to the whole cast,” Hussein stressed.

The film received positive feedback after screening in CIFF, “I am satisfied with the film’s success, and I am certain that it will gain more popularity after screening in the cinemas, starting February 26, 2018,” Hussein added.

Eraj explained that the film tries to focus on Kuwaiti national values that were most obvious during the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait. He stressed that the film director Ramadan Kherso did a magnificent, encouraging job with all the cast members, explaining that he held many workshops and sessions with the actors to enhance their performance.

“We spent 25 days on an isolated island, Failaka Island, where the real events of the film took place; ruins and remains of the war still exist on that island including cars, bullets, and shattered homes,” Hussein emphasized.

“The film’s cast did their best in depicting every little detail of this period like clothes and accessories,” Eraj added.


Dawood and Eraj in the Seminar – Courtesy of Rana Atef

Eraj also continued talking about the challenges they encountered while shooting, “I think the long one-shot scenes could be considered as master scenes of the film, they were eight to 10 minutes long each.”

Meanwhile, Hussein mentioned that many short scenes could be considered as master scenes as well, as a result of the great cinematic and musical effects.

Revealing his upcoming step, Eraj announced that his film,“Hamed Sadeek Jasem,” will participate in the 14th Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF).

“Hamed Sadeek Jasem” (Hamed, Jasem’s Friend) is directed and written by Eraj; the film traces Egyptian – Kuwaiti relations. It also carries some symbols of the current Middle Eastern events.