Amr Abed: The Day We Are Born

CAIRO – 4 October 2019: Egyptian star Amr Abed performs a completely novel role in the only Egyptian feature film screened at the third edition of El Gouna Film Festival, entitled Lama Bentwelled (When We Are Born).

Egypt Today chats with Abed about his controversial role in ‘’Lama Bentwelled’’ and his upcoming plans.
1- Tell us more about Amin’s character in Lama Bentwelled movie.

Amin is a newly married young Egyptian living with his family because he can’t afford to buy an apartment. The only way he sees to fulfil his dream is to work as a male prostitute. It is true that he only does that under certain economic pressures, but at the end of the day this was his choice. This issue is not often discussed, but yes there are male prostitutes out there.

2- How did you prepare for this difficult and bold character? You weren’t afraid of the backlash from a conservative society like Egypt, which has its own customs and traditions?

In general I don’t see it’s a bold movie. I see it as a soft, romantic and simple movie. We were keen to narrate Amin’s story, so no I wasn’t afraid. First I worked hard to accept him, and not to judge his choice. When I first read the script I found myself not angry with Amin, and from that point I started working on the character. Later I sympathized with him and loved him, and if I ever met someone like Amin in real life I would not judge him simply because I am not in his place and I wasn’t subjected to the pressures he was subjected to.

3-In general, is the audience ‘s prospective reaction a factor you consider before accepting a role?

No, I know audiences are smarter than this. By the way this character is not bold at all. In general there are people who think all ‘bold’ scenes are vulgar or cheap, but there are no vulgar or cheap scenes, there are well executed scenes and badly executed scenes. We describe some scenes as vulgar because we have moral judgments on things, but if we see a very bold scene in European or American movie we say, “no problem they are foreigners.” We shouldn’t have double standards when we’re judging movies.

4-Then you don’t have any concerns about performing bold scenes?

I can do any role, as long as I am convinced of the character and the whole movie.

5- Was your intention to make audiences sympathize with Amin?

I don’t take these matters into consideration while I am performing my role. I only want to be honest with myself and the character, to narrate and deliver the character’s story honestly.

6- Do you think that the moral caveats we have in our society restrict cinema? I support that everyone works in the movie he/she sees suits him, that’s all what I can say.

7 - Amin’s story is only one of three in the movie. Do you think that shifted the focus away from Amin?
Yes, Amin’s story can be in a film on its own, but its place in the movie is good too, his story can be narrated in a two-hour movie and it was great when it was included as part of the movie.

8-Tell us more about your experience as an acting coach. Has working as an acting coach taken you away from acting?

My first acting coach was the veteran Ahmed Kamal, he was the one who told me that the actor should always continue learning. I gave acting lessons with Kamal at Studio El Moma- sel, later I directed plays at university and trained the students, then I held workshops and directed short movies, and I am currently writing a feature movie. I love to continuously learn acting, scriptwriting and directing.

9- When will the Aw’at Faragh sequel will be released?
The date is not confirmed yet, the script is now being written.

10- Some sequels never live up to the original. Does that worry you?

Of course yes, but we will do our best to produce a strong, coherent movie. It will tackle what happened to the three heroes after the passing of 13 years.

11- And when will we see your upcoming mov- ie, Ras Shaytan?

The film will be re- leased soon and stars Rania Youssef and Bassem Samra. I hope people will like it.