Zagazig, a small city on the Nile Delta in Egypt. Today.
Souad, 19-year-old young woman, leads a double life. While remaining conservative and veiled among her family and society, Souad is obsessed with her image on social media, and goes in several secret virtual relationships with men. She constantly lies about her personal life, projecting wishfully images of a different desired life. Her ambitions are slowly crushed by the invasion of her true reality.
A series of small incidents lead to a tragic event, that makes Rabab, her 13-year-old little sister, embarks on a real-life journey looking for answers.
Souad, 19-year-old young woman, leads a double life. While remaining conservative and veiled among her family and society, Souad is obsessed with her image on social media, and goes in several secret virtual relationships with men. She constantly lies about her personal life, projecting wishfully images of a different desired life. Her ambitions are slowly crushed by the invasion of her true reality.
A series of small incidents lead to a tragic event, that makes Rabab, her 13-year-old little sister, embarks on a real-life journey looking for answers.
Director
Ayten has been working in the film industry for the past 12 years.
Her first short film ‘Her man’ was selected at Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival, and after receiving several national prizes it was exclusively acquired by Canal Plus in France.
In 2013, her debut feature film ‘Villa 69’, received the Special Jury Award for Arab Film at Abu Dhabi Film.
Throughout her career, Ayten received multiple prestigious awards and recognitions such as the Cairo Film Connection Award for Best Film or Hubert Bals Award at Durban FilmMart. She co-directed the documentary ‘Tahrir 2011’, that was selected at Venice International Film Festival, TIFF Toronto International Film Festival and was nominated for Best Documentary in Cinema For Peace award Berlin 2012.
In 2019 she directed 20 episodes of the hit drama “Saabe’ Gaar” (The Seventh Neighbor), a 70-episode TV series.
Her first short film ‘Her man’ was selected at Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival, and after receiving several national prizes it was exclusively acquired by Canal Plus in France.
In 2013, her debut feature film ‘Villa 69’, received the Special Jury Award for Arab Film at Abu Dhabi Film.
Throughout her career, Ayten received multiple prestigious awards and recognitions such as the Cairo Film Connection Award for Best Film or Hubert Bals Award at Durban FilmMart. She co-directed the documentary ‘Tahrir 2011’, that was selected at Venice International Film Festival, TIFF Toronto International Film Festival and was nominated for Best Documentary in Cinema For Peace award Berlin 2012.
In 2019 she directed 20 episodes of the hit drama “Saabe’ Gaar” (The Seventh Neighbor), a 70-episode TV series.
Cast & crew
CAST
Bassant Ahmed
Basmala El Ghaiesh
Hussein Ghanem
PRODUCER
Sameh Awad
CO-PRODUCERS
Wim Wenders
Dora Bouchoucha
Mohamed Hefzy
Mark Lofty
Festivals and awards
- FESTIVAL DE CANNES 2020 - OFFICIAL SELECTION
- BERLINALE 2021 - PANORAMA
- TRIBECA 2021 - INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
- SHANGHAI IFF
- NEW HORIZONS IFF
- INDIE LISBOA
- ALICE NELLA CITTA
- FESPACO
- THESSALONIKI IFF
- CPH:PIX
- HELSINKI IFF
- CINEMED
- MOSTRA DE VALENCIA
- FEBIOFEST
- TAIPEI IFF
- SAFAR
- MELBOURNE IFF
- INNSBRUCK
- IFFI GOA
- GÖTEBORG IFF
- GANGNEUNG IFF
- NEW ZEALAND IFF
- NEW FEMINITY IFF
"It should travel extensively on the festival circuit, attracting the attention of streaming services and distributors along the way."
"Completely captivating performances of her largely non-professional cast."
"Ayten Amin's bold second feature is brilliantly alive."
"Souad feels like a window into a world we might never otherwise see."
"Razor-sharp, nonjudgmental insight, which captures lives as well as environment with a cleareyed neorealist sensibility… flowing dialogue that feels unscripted and true…"