In Cairo, the little indie cinema that could
In the heart of Cairo, a small cinema has for over a decade offered a unique space for independent film in a country whose industry is largely dominated by commercial considerations. Zawya, meaning "perspective" in Arabic, has weathered the storm of Egypt's economic upheavals, championing a more artistic approach from the historical heart of the country's golden age of cinema.
Zawya was born in the post-revolutionary artistic fervour of the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime president Hosni Mubarak. "There was this energy where people wanted to produce and create, not just in cinema, but in all the arts, you could feel it," said Zawya founder Youssef Shazli.
In the time since, it has escaped a wave of closures -- some forced -- of art centers across the capital. Egypt had long been known as the Hollywood of the Arab world, but in the decades since its mid-century heyday, the domestic industry has largely been restricted to crowd-pleasing blockbusters. "It's often said that we're lucky to have a large film industry, with infrastructure already in place," said filmmaker Maged Nader.
"But the truth is this industry operates solely on a commercial logic," leaving little room for independent filmmakers, he added. Yet Zawya has survived in its niche, in part due to the relative financial stability afforded to it by its parent company Misr International Films. Founded in 1972 by Egyptian cinematic giant Youssef Chahine -- Shazli's great uncle -- the company continues to produce and distribute films.
People arrive at the Zawya cinema in downtown Cairo.
A man walks outside the Zawya cinema in downtown Cairo.--AFP photos
Young talent
For Shazli, Zawya is "a cinema for films that don't fit into traditional theatres". But for young cinephiles like 24-year-old actress Lujain, "it feels like home," she told AFP as she joined a winding queue into the larger of Zawya's two theatres. Since 2014, Zawya's year-round programming -- including both local and international short films, documentaries and feature films -- has secured the loyalty of a small but passionate scene.
Its annual short film festival, held every spring, has become a vital space for up-and-coming directors trying to break through a system that leaves little room for experimentation. "I didn't even consider myself a filmmaker until Zawya screened my short," said Michael Samuel, 24, who works in advertising but says the cinema rekindled his artistic ambition. For many, that validation keeps them going.
"Zawya has encouraged more people to produce these films because they finally have somewhere to be seen," said the cinema's manager, Mohamed Said. When Mostafa Gerbeii, a self-taught filmmaker, was looking for a set for his first film shoot, he also turned to the cinema. Without a studio or a budget, Zawya "just lent us their hall for free for a whole day", he said, saving the young director 100,000 Egyptian pounds (around $2,000) to rent a location.
The heir
The light of its marquee spilling onto downtown Cairo's Emad al-Din Street, Zawya is the 21st-century heir to a long artistic tradition that still lingers, though often hidden away in corners of the district's broad avenues. "It's a unique neighborhood with an equally unique flavor of artistic and intellectual life," said Chihab El Khachab, a professor at the University of Oxford and author of the book "Making Film in Egypt".
Starting in the late 19th century, the area was home to the city's biggest theatres and cabarets, launching the careers of the Arab world's most celebrated singers and actors. Today, its arteries flowing out of Tahrir square -- the heart of the 2011 uprising -- the neighborhood is home to new-age coworking spaces and galleries, side by side with century-old theatres and bars.
Yet even as it withstands the hegemony of mall multiplexes, Zawya cannot escape Egypt's pervasive censorship laws. Like every cinema in Egypt, each film must pass through a state censors before screening. "Over time, you learn to predict what will slide and what won't," Shazli said.
But even the censors' scissors have failed to cut off the stream of ambition among burgeoning filmmakers. "Around Zawya, there's a lot of talent -- in every corner," Shazli said. "But what I wonder is: are there as many opportunities as there is talent? That's the real issue we need to address." - AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kuwait Times
a day ago
- Kuwait Times
Prabowo hails ties with Russia after talks with Putin
SAINT PETERSBURG: Russian President Vladimir Putin meets his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto on June 19, 2025. - AFP SAINT PETERSBURG: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto met Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday and hailed growing ties with Moscow in a burgeoning relationship that has caused concern among some of Jakarta's Western allies. The former Indonesian general's decision to skip the G7 summit in Canada this week in favor of talks with Putin has raised fears of a tilt towards Moscow, analysts say, after the nations held their first joint naval drills last year. 'Today we have met and our relationship is getting stronger again,' Prabowo said in a statement after talks in Saint Petersburg. 'My meeting with President Putin today was intense, warm and productive. In all fields of economics, technical cooperation, trade, investment, agriculture, they all have experienced significant improvements.' Putin said Indonesia remained one of Russia's 'key partners' in the Asia-Pacific region. 'Our relations are mutually beneficial and are steadily developing on the basis of long-standing traditions of friendship and mutual assistance,' he said. Prabowo thanked Putin for his support for Indonesia's entry into the 11-member BRICS bloc this year. The Indonesian leader visited Putin in July as president-elect and has not visited Ukraine, as his predecessor Joko Widodo did. Russia has praised Indonesia's balanced view of its military campaign in Ukraine and Prabowo alluded to the offensive on Thursday. 'We respect the sovereignty of each country, we want to solve all problems peacefully,' he said. Indonesia maintains a neutral foreign policy, walking the diplomatic tightrope between regional competitors Beijing and Washington. However, Prabowo has sought to diversify Jakarta's alliances instead of relying solely on Western partners, causing anxiety that he could deviate from the traditional non-aligned foreign policy. Closer ties with Moscow have sparked concern in Indonesia's neighbor Australia. Speculation in April over a reported Russian request to use an Indonesian air base forced Canberra to seek clarification from its Southeast Asian security partner. Prabowo will attend an economic forum in Saint Petersburg on Friday. — AFP
Kuwait Times
a day ago
- Kuwait Times
Brazil sells rights to oil, gas blocks near Amazon river mouth
RIO DE JANEIRO: Manoki Indigenous people take part in a demonstration in front of the hotel where an auction organized by Brazil's Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (ANP) is taking place, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 17, 2025. - AFP RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil sold extraction rights to 19 oil and gas blocks near the mouth of the Amazon river Tuesday, at an auction slammed by environmentalists months before the country is to host a UN climate summit. Two consortiums - one comprising Brazil's state-owned Petrobras and US giant ExxonMobil, the other US multinational Chevron and China's CNPC - spent $153 million on exploration and production concessions for 19 blocks on offer in an area considered vulnerable to environmental harm. They are among 172 blocks, most of them offshore, that went on auction Tuesday as dozens of protesters gathered outside the venue under a banner reading: 'Stop the doomsday auctions.' Green groups have expressed particular concern over 47 blocks in the Atlantic, in an area near the mouth of the Amazon River that flows through the world's largest carbon-capturing tropical rainforest. The first 19 blocks to which rights were sold were part of these 47. In all, 34 blocks found takers at the auction, bringing in about $180 million for the state. Investments of more than $260 million are planned for exploration. Already Latin America's biggest oil and gas producer, Brazil is seeking to increase production from 4.68 million to 5.3 million barrels per day by 2030. At the same time, the country has pledged to reduce its emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions to 1.2 billion tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2e). By 2050, it is seeking to reach neutrality - meaning emissions do not exceed the amount captured, by forests, for example. Brazil's ClimaInfo research institute had estimated that the 172 blocks placed on auction would emit some 11.1 billion tons of CO2e. Leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, seeking to position himself as a leader in the fight against climate change, supported the auction that will see the successful bidders pay royalties on whatever oil and natural gas they eventually do extract. 'If this wealth exists, we cannot ignore it, as it will help us to make the energy transition and secure funds to preserve our forests,' Lula declared in February. 'We must act responsibly. I do not want oil exploration to cause any harm to the environment,' he added. Before they can start exploration, the companies must obtain a drilling license from environment oversight body Ibama. The Climate Action Tracker has said Brazil 'is not on track' to meet its emissions targets and needed to 'peak and rapidly decrease emissions' if the world is to succeed in limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The auction went ahead despite Brazil's Federal Public Ministry, an independent rights-monitoring body set up under the Brazilian constitution, calling for it to be suspended pending 'adequate studies' on the potential impact of exploration. 'Brazil is missing an opportunity to be a leader in decarbonization and environmental protection,' Suely Araujo, a former president of Ibama and coordinator of the Climate Observatory NGO said ahead of Tuesday's auction. And the WWF's Brazil branch said the country 'already has enough oil reserves to meet its internal demand' while gradually transitioning to a greener energy mix. 'The climate crisis requires bold decisions and public policies focused on the future, not the past,' it added. Brazil will host the UN climate conference called COP30 in November in the Amazonian city of Belem.- AFP
Kuwait Times
a day ago
- Kuwait Times
ABK Kuwait-Egypt reports strong results for first quarter of 2025
Over the course of our operational journey, the Bank succeeded in achieving robust growth rates across all financial indicators and managed to demonstrate its strong presence. KUWAIT: Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait – Egypt (ABK-Egypt), reported strong Q1 2025 financial results with Net Profit standing at EGP 1.3 billion, reflecting an increase of 42.3 percent for March 31, 2025 compared to same period last year after excluding foreign exchange revaluation impact. Net Interest Income grew 26.2 percent to reach EGP 1.8 billion compared to EGP 1.4 billion in the same period of the last year. Despite the challenging economic landscape, the Bank managed to further expand its total footings with Total Assets recording a 10.2 percent increase in the end of the Q1 2025 to reach EGP 156 billion compared to EGP 141.6 billion in December 2024. Customer Deposits grew by 12 percent to reach EGP 134.1 billion compared to EGP 119.9 billion in December 2024. Furthermore, the Bank's Total Gross Loans Portfolio grew by 15.8 percent to reach EGP 80.2 billion compared to EGP 69.3 billion in December 2024. Non-Performing Loans (NPL) ratio recorded 2.04 percent at the end of March 2025 compared to 1.74 percent at the end of December 2024. Commenting on the results, Ali Marafi, Chairman of ABK-Egypt stated, 'Over the course of our operational journey that is close to ten years in the Egyptian market, the Bank succeeded in achieving robust growth rates across all financial indicators and managed to demonstrate its strong presence, whilst carefully adhering to all risk management practices to best navigate challenging market conditions and ensure achieving its sustainable success and expansion goals.' Marafi also confirmed that ABK-Egypt has always been keen on prioritizing corporate social responsibility as an integral part of its well-articulated strategy. Since it started operating in Egypt, the Bank has proactively played a leading role in supporting the communities in which it operates through various social initiatives that support the development of the education and healthcare sectors in addition to providing financial relief to the underprivileged. The Bank has also made various contributions to help integrate individuals with disabilities and improve the lives of children, women and families in need. Marafi noted that ABK-Egypt will continue to support development plans in Egypt in cooperation with the relevant authorities. He added that the Bank remains committed to providing the necessary financing to assist individual and corporate clients in carrying out their operations and expanding their activities. This thereby strengthens trust in the Bank as a preferred banking partner in the Egyptian banking sector. Marafi added that ABK-Egypt enjoys the trust of numerous international organizations and institutions, as reflected by the many awards it has received, which affirm its ability to meet the needs of all customers and keep pace with developments in the banking industry. This, in turn, helps the Bank strengthen its competitive position within the banking sector. He expressed his gratitude to the Central Bank of Egypt and the Egyptian government for their continued support of the Bank and the banking sector as a whole, affirming the Bank's full commitment to contributing to the success of future plans aimed at enhancing economic activity and achieving Egypt Vision 2030 across various sectors. Stability and flexibility In the same context, Khaled El Salawy, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of ABK-Egypt, affirmed that these results reflect ABK-Egypt's underlying strength and its emphasis on achieving steady, profitable growth. It also underscores the resilience of the Bank's financial position, the agility of its operational frameworks, and the strength of its risk management practices. Adding that the Bank will continue to focus on its digital transformation agenda as one of the chief drivers of sustainable growth. He also expressed his gratitude for the combined efforts of the entire team and their commitment to delivering very strong results through diversifying revenue streams, which led to achieving EGP 1.7 billion Profit Before Tax excluding foreign exchange revaluation impact. El Salawy further elaborated, 'As we continue working on our plans towards fortifying ABK-Egypt's position in the Egyptian market and playing an active role in supporting the Egyptian economy, our vision will remain focused on providing experiences that simplify and enrich people's lives through our range of innovative and secure banking solutions that serve all customer segments. Moreover, we maintain a positive outlook regarding market conditions and will continue to support all endeavors led by the Egyptian government and the Central Bank of Egypt that pave the way for a brighter future.' El Salawy additionally stated that, in line with the Bank's ambitious growth strategy and plans to expand its geographical presence to best cater for its growing customer base in Egypt, ABK-Egypt recently opened its new branch located in Palm Hills, 6th of October. This recent opening brings the Bank's network to 46 branches covering 18 governorates across the country. Furthermore, the Bank will continue to prioritize the enhancement of its suite of offerings and upgrading its service quality to ensure a distinguished banking experience across all channels and to maximize value for its customers. International Certification It is worth mentioning that ABK-Egypt recently obtained the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) certification V4.0.1, a globally recognized benchmark that guarantees the highest standards in payment cards data protection. The Bank was certified after successfully passing a full audit process and a comprehensive review on Bank's systems and technical procedures related to electronic payment cards data processing. Obtaining this certification reflects the Bank's full commitment to the regulations and directives of the Central Bank of Egypt and will further strengthen its ongoing efforts to implement global best practices in information security and the protection of customer data from threats or breaches. The PCI DSS certification marks an important milestone in the Bank's journey to solidify its credibility in the Egyptian banking market and support its strategy aimed at developing digital services while ensuring the highest levels of security in banking transactions - offering customers a safe and reliable experience. This achievement is the result of effective collaboration across various divisions within the bank, as well as the presence of highly qualified personnel with the technical expertise and skills required to implement advanced security solutions. Previously, ABK-Egypt had also obtained the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification in Information Security Management Systems, making it one of the few Egyptian banks to earn this international accreditation. This stands as further proof of its excellence in applying security governance standards and ensuring data confidentiality and professional handling. Our vision will remain focused on providing experiences that simplify and enrich people's lives through our range of innovative and secure banking solutions that serve all customer segments.
