Cairo, today. Hebba, a television-speaker, presents a successful political talk show on a privately owned network. Karim, her husband, is deputy editor in chief of a government-owned newspaper. His ambition is to become editor in chief. He is led to believe by the Party big shots, that his wife's constant meddling with opposition politics could put his promotion in danger. Using his boyish charm and sexual prowess, he convinces Hebba to stay away from politics, and devote her program to social issues for which the government cannot be held responsible. She starts a series of talk shows around issues involving women. She listens to the stories of resilient, strong women, who, like Scheherazade in "A Thousand and One Nights", tell their stories to stay alive. Hebba knows, of course, that women's issues are political. But she could not imagine up to which extent. Gradually, she finds herself walking in a minefield of abuse, sexual, religious, social and political repression that lead to the break-up of her marriage. From storyteller, Hebba herself becomes a story.
Screenplay: Waheed Hamed
Cinematography: Samir Bahsan
Editing: Mona Rabi
Music: Tamer Karawan
Sound: Ahmed Gaber
Cast: Mona Zakki, Mahmoud Hemeda, Hassan El Raddad, Sawsan Badr, Rehab El Gamal
Prizes and selections: Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica di Venezia 2009 (Out of Competition; Lina Mangiacapre Award), Toronto International Film Festival 2009 (Special Presentations)
Production:
Misr Cinema
(Giza, T +202 33386800; kamel@pickalbatros.com)
Distribution:
Pyramide International
(Paris, T +33 142960220; F +33 140200551; pricher@pyramidefilms.com; www.pyramidefilms.com)
Villa Medici - 8 Nov, 18.00
Villa Medici - 13 Nov, 18.00