Director’s Statement

Due to several failed relationships, the concepts of love and long-term marital commitment have become very dubious and unclear to me. As a result, when I got closer to (Y) and (A), I started contemplating the foundation of their love. Why did they stay together in a relationship that was based on the mere biology of a disease that has psychological and socio-political consequences? What we simply call a romantic relationship can not be fulfilled unless there are more complicated elements involved. That’s why the story between (Y) and (A) became interesting to me. They have overcome hardships and got used to living with them. They accept their fate in different ways, and this can also be the source of a bond between two people.

On a different note, the neighborhood where (Y) and (A) live is very similar to El Agamy, the humble area where I grew up. My mother was also born and raised in their neighborhood. This did not only get me closer to them, but it also helped me identify with their feelings on many occasions. I realize how hard it is to live in a humble neighborhood, surrounded by a very particular social cosmos. It is even harder when you are different and unable to be open with your neighbors, especially regarding a disease that represents a huge stigma and can even be life-threatening, in a social stratum that is financially vulnerable and rarely has the support of solid social programs.

Producer’s Note

I have always been searching for a director who has the courage to break norms and aim to discuss the unspoken about the Egyptian society. Someone who could dig into the socio-political layers and meet with the lower classes without looking from above.

That’s why I was amazed when I first met Muhammad as a film fellow participating in the Cinedelta program, which I founded with my colleagues in Alexandria.

Muhammad Salah and I worked together on his first film, Unaired Interview. That was how we realized that we shared similar motivations, intentions, political views, cinematic thinking, and aesthetic approaches. We were like comrades, and that quickly shaped our producer-director dynamic in a very specific way.

Our first collaboration was a step forward in our cinematic journey, and it was well received by the film industry at the Berlinale Forum Expanded and Fidadoc Agadir, in addition to a special mention at the Gabes Cinema Fen in Tunisia.

I met (Y) and (A) 3 years ago while I was doing a commission with UNAIDS, and we became friends. We started visiting each other’s homes and meeting in Kasr el Shouk coffee shop on the Alexandria Cornish frequently. Last year, Muhammad Salah became our companion, and, organically, in one of our gatherings, the four of us decided that we need to do this film. Later on, Aya and Rodrigo joined us as producers, and I am happy to confirm that their complementary qualities will add a lot to this project.

Producer’s Filmography

Mark Lotfy

2020: I Am Afraid to Forget Your Face

2020: Souad

2019: One Night Stand

2019: Unaired Interview

2018: Dream Away

2017: I Have a Picture

2017: One Plus One Makes a Pharaoh's

Chocolate Cake

2016: A Chance for Peace

2016: Piece of Wood

2016: The Visit

2016: Expired

2014: The Long March

2013: Mice Room

2012: Do as You Said

2009: You Bet?

Aya Dowara

2020: Captains of Za’atari

2020: Cross Roads (TV Series)

2018: Gun Shot

2017: Sheikh Jackson

Rodrigo Brum

2020: Captains of Za’atari