In another sign of warming ties between Cairo and Damascus, Syria’s recent Egyptian Film Week kicked off a film aptly entitled The Lovers.
The film fest was jointly organized by the General Cinema Organization and the Egyptian Antiquities Department, according to the Syria Times.
The first feature, Al Ashiqan (The Two Lovers), was directed by Nour Al Sharif, in his first stab at a romantic film. The work deals with the human condition, specifically that of a man and a woman who live out a deep love despite the difficulties of everyday existence.
The second feature, Ula Thanawi (The First Secondary Class), by director Mohammad Abou Seif, stars Nour Al Sahrif and Mervat Amin. The film tackles the transitional stage between childhood and adolescence. The director also presents the conflict between the past and the present.
The third film, Ardh Al Khawf (The Land of Fear), deals with the world of drug smuggling and addiction.
On the fourth day, a film entitled Hassan and Azeza, covering an issue of state security, was shown by director Karim Jamal Eddin. The work stresses the necessity of cooperating with security forces in order to arrest evildoers.
Al Sharaf (Honour), based on a novel by writer Mohammad Al Besati, was also screened. The events of the film take place during the 1967 war between Israel and the Arab states, as seen through the experiences of an Egyptian family that suffered greatly as a result of Israeli aggression.
Film Thaqafi (Cultural Film) rounded out the event. Directed by Mohammad Amin, the feature deals with a number of issues that primarily of concern to young people – Albawaba.com
