IHT/DSE: Reflections of Society

By Pakinam Amer
First Published: June 23, 2006

CAIRO: The largest budget movie, and arguably one of the most anticipated, in the history of Egyptian cinema may provoke audiences, but will certainly not disappoint them. The bravado of the filmmakers was apparent in preserving the realism of the bestselling novel “The Yacoubian Building” in their provocative adaptation.
The story follows the residents of a building in downtown Cairo, which acts as a microcosm of Egypt’s diverse society, locked together in the same circle of oppression, loss and unfulfilled dreams. Built by an Armenian architect as a lavish apartment complex, the dilapidated structure becomes the home of an assortment of middle class families intermingled with lower class families living on crowded rooftop shacks or rented rooms.
The film had no difficulty in attracting some of the biggest talents in the industry. Adel Iman plays the role of an aged son of a pahsa, Zaki, who numbs his disappointments in life with alcohol, drugs and inappropriate sexual liaisons. Zaki shares an apartment with a meddling sister, played by veteran actress Isaad Younis.
Bosayna (played by Tunisian Hend Sabry) is a young woman torn between poverty and compromise, striving to survive in a cruel world. Engaged to the equally-impoverished porter’s son, Taha El-Shazli (played by Imam’s son, Mohammad), a romantic mild-mannered young man, the only thing that sustains him as he scrubs clean the building’s floor every night is his dream of becoming a police officer.
The same downtown building houses a high-profile journalist, Hatim El-Rasheedy (Khaled El-Sawy). In an attempt to keep his homosexuality a secret, El-Rasheedy is forced to choose lovers from a lower social background, finding himself in a relationship with a simple soldier (Bassem Samra), who finally succumbs to the temptations of money and liquor in exchange for his sexual services despite of his loathing of homosexuality.
Hajj Azzam (Nour El-Sherif), a shoe-shiner whose leap to success and wealth is marked by exploitation and corruption, owns a storeroom in the building. His talents for manipulation become his downfall as he comes face to face with top government official Kamal El-Fouly (Khaled Saleh), his equal in deception.
Though relatively slow-paced in comparison to Alaa Al Aswani’s novel, the movie succeeds in grasping the audience by the strength of its drama. The interwoven web of subplots seemed hard for the director to pull together tightly, where the transitions between characters was neither smooth nor original.
In his first feature length film, director Marwan Hamed creatively captures the essence of some scenes but loses it in others. Inadequate control of both the actors and the storyline lead to a few, fleeting out-of-character moments. Nevertheless, the movie was quite impressive as a first endeavor for Hamed. Some of his scenes suggest a raw and organic talent that needs to be unleashed and further polished.
The three-hour-long movie, however, was sophisticated, being refined by the actors’, both young and old, striking performances, with El-Sawy (playing the homosexual journalist) and the young Iman topping the list. Their performances and roles make a lasting impression.
Imam’s character, the young Taha, takes a striking turn in his life as his dreams of entering the police academy are crushed in a traditional society where social background takes precedence over academic accomplishment. Young Imam’s performance, which was natural and from the heart, takes us into Taha’s psyche as we see the simple, young man turns from political science student to what could be labeled a “terrorist;” where the roots and causes of violent activism are explored.
“This role provokes the talents out of any actor … It’s a complex character that goes through many changes,” the young Imam tells The Daily Star Egypt. “It shakes you and as a first experience it was like a dream come true for me to portray such a character … It is a political statement in a sense.”
“It’s an epic movie,” says Abbass Abul-Hassan, who skillfully played the poker-faced police officer who interrogates Taha. Referring to the disturbing yet captivating persona he played, Abul-Hassan adds that “playing the villain demands charisma … you always remember the bad guy. It’s always very intriguing to do such a role and leave a mark.”
El-Sawy’s colorful performance explores a role that breaks taboos, and is played with wit and intensity. “I connected to the character before they decided to make the movie,” El-Sawy tells The Daily Star Egypt. “It demands daring. It’s challenging and it entices a social dialogue through the portrayal. I’m an activist, in the center of socialist studies and in Kefaya [Enough] movement and I am interested in how art could provoke progressive dialogues.”
El-Sawy’s performance of a homosexual character is certainly not clichéd or stereotypical. He brings this persona to life, especially in one monologue; a moment of brilliance where the character whispers of the ghosts in his head and a past that rules his life. The homosexual, though not hailed, is humanized rather than condemned - a first in Egyptian cinema.
“I was not afraid of my persona,” says Samra, who plays El-Sawy’s lover on screen. “I sympathize with such a role … and I always like roles that touch the man on the street.”
“There is progress in the mind of an Egyptian audience member; in the way he [or she] accepts certain portrayals … and their awareness,” comments veteran El-Sherif, who played the sleazy, ostensibly religious businessman. “A character like one of the gay journalist was expected to be treated with confusion or reservation. That did not happen. On the contrary; people hailed the charming performance of the actor.”
“The movie thoroughly sketches the changes that have taken place on the Egyptian street,” adds El-Sherif, in reference to the movie experience. “When you focus on the downfalls … both the people and their regime watch and benefit. And this is the role of art; not to put forth solutions but to show the problems.”
The movie received international acclaim at film festivals in New York and Berlin. “I think the international audience related to the truth of the moments,” says Abul-Hassan. “They were haunted by these moments; the silent moment and a cinema language that has not been used for years in Egypt.”

Link: http://www.dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=2004