Goethe Film Week kicks off in Cairo, Alexandria

CAIRO – 1 May 2017: Goethe Film Week will start tomorrow in Cairo with the screening of a documentary titled “Egyptian Jeanne d’Arc,” produced by Egyptian director Iman Kamel.

The documentary discusses women’s emancipation after the 2011 revolution through focusing on female artists.

The film highlights how Egyptian women fight oppression, injustice and guilt. “Egyptian Jeanne d’Arc,” considered to be a hybrid film that mixes documentary and storytelling elements through a mix of poetic narrations, dances and mythology.

Another film that will be featured this week is “24 Wochen” (24 Weeks), an award-receiving German production that tackles late-term abortion issue.
The lead-character, pregnant in the sixth month, starts doubting her determination to give birth after learning that her child will suffer from a serious heart defect and Down syndrome.

Director Anne Zohra takes her audience to the mind of a pregnant woman that has to take the difficult choice of abortion.

“HausOhneDach” (House without a roof) is another film to be screened during the week. The film tells the story of three German brothers with Iraqi roots.

The brothers want to fulfil their mother’s life-long dream to be buried in the Kurdish area of Iraq alongside their father. On their way to what is supposed to be their hometown, they explore their identity, origin and the meaning of homeland. The film was written and directed by young Kurdish director Soleen Yusef.

“Toni Erdmann” is a comedy film that will also be screened. It received five awards at the 29th European Film Awards, including Best Film and it was nominated as the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards.

The film tells the story of a father that tries to reconnect with his daughter, who is a career-oriented woman and too busy to interact with him.

The chosen films tackle social issues in the Egyptian and German societies such as revolutions, wars, migration, political asylum and women’s rights.

The screenings will be followed by open discussions with their makers, as some of the films will be screened for the first time. Audiences will get to attend the screenings without booking any tickets. There are plans to extend the Film Week to Damanhur, Ismailia and Minya in June, and in Aswan in September.

Cinema is a mirror reflecting other cultures for people from different societies, especially when it comes to finding similarities between the East and West. In an effort to enrich Egyptian-German cultural ties, Goethe Film Week kicks off in Cairo from May 2-9 and in Alexandria from May 2-6 in Alexandria
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