About Rawy Group

Rawy Films is a newly established group of film lovers interested in expanding the audience of SWANA Independent films (South West Asia and North Africa). We aim to discover talents and untold stories and display them on the big screen by organising events in international and local cinemas that are keen to give space to independent art.

We are honoured to screen the following films:

“Out of the City”

Release year: 2024

Country: Egypt

Director: Ahmed Essam

About the film:

Out of the City follows a young Alexandrian filmmaker caught between his love for his hometown and the allure of Cairo’s buzzing film scene. What will he decide?

About the director:

Ahmed Essam is a visual artist and filmmaker born in Alexandria, graduated from the High Institute of Cinema in Alexandria in 2023 in the first class of the directing department. Ahmed’s work focuses on the relationship of man with his surroundings and how it affects his protagonists’ feelings and thoughts. This relationship becomes more complicated with each new project.

His first recording film (Out of the City) received special recognition from the Zawiya Short Film Festival and participated in several local and international festivals. Currently, he is working on a new project. He also co-founded Handycam Films, an independent production company that seeks to provide works that explore new art and create  alternative production means

“Reverie”

Release year: 2021

Country: Egypt

Director: Ahmed Hussein Saad

About the film:

Reverie is an experimental film that explores disruption in the tape of life.

About the director:

Ahmed is an independent director from Alexandria. He joined the film industry in 2019. Ahmed seeks to discover and understand the cinematic language by stripping and dismantling it to understand the true meaning behind the word cinema.

“ABOVE/ZERO”

Release year: 2024

Directors: Rana Rami, Janna Hammad, Nada Kamal, Youmna Sharif

About the film:

ABOVE/ZERO is dance with light and space, seeking to define oneself within their luminous embrace.

About the Directors:

Rana, Janna, Nad and Youmna are four Egyptian architecture students studying at the German university in Cairo. Their interest in cinema brought them together.

“Kingdom of Strangers”

Country: Egypt

Director: Randa Ali

About the film:

On the Pacific coast of Los Angeles, Ali and Yaffa struggle to remember the Arab Mediterranean cities they have left behind.

About the director:

Randa is a director, writer and producer based in Los Angeles and Cairo. In 2024, her film “Mango” participated in the 46th International Short Film Competition at the Clermont-Ferrand Festival. Her films highlight the themes of migration and the desire to connect in a constantly changing world. She holds a master’s degree in directing from UCLA, where she received a full scholarship for Arab filmmakers.

“Ismael”

Release year: 2023

Country: Egypt

Director: Maged Atta

About the film:

In a darkly comedic twist, Ismail, a school janitor, finds himself at odds with his boss over a delayed incentive. In a moment of frustration, he places a broken chair in her office. When she arrives unsuspecting, a fall exposes her vulnerability, and a fit of uncontrollable laughter tragically takes Ismail’s breath away.

About the director:

Maged Atta, scriptwriter and director based in Egypt. Atta wrote and directed his short film “The Chicken Man” 2015, the short documentary “Batman’s personal issues” 2019 and the short feature film “Ismael” 2023. Atta is currently producing and directing his short film “That is Enough”, which received a production grant funded by AFAC 2022, and he works as a production coordinator at Rahala for Production and Distribution.

“I AM SHAHEER”

Release year: 2023

Country: Egypt

Director: Ramy Mansour

About the film:

Shaheer’s about to pop the question, but there’s one hurdle left: asking his future father-in-law for his girlfriend’s hand in marriage. Will a simple voice note turn into a hilarious ordeal?

About the director:

Ramy Mansour  graduated from the High Institute of Cinema, Directing department. He worked as a director assistant in many films and advertisements. He also directed several short films and won many awards.

“Ali’s Diaries”

Release year: 2023

Country: Egypt

Director: Yusuf Manisi

About the film:

Through a journey of old photos, cherished memories, and a nostalgic soundtrack, Ali’s Diaries embarks on a personal exploration of childhood’s complexities.

About the director:

Yousef Manisi is an Egyptian filmmaker and visual artist. His interest in filmmaking began at an early age with some experiences and volunteer work. His first short film, “Ali’s Dairies”, was named Best Feature Film at Manassat Film Festival and received the Audience Award at the short film competition Well-being on Aflamuna Platform. He participated in the Short Film Lounge at the Gouna Film Festival in 2023.

“1200 Step”

Release year: 2023

Country: Egypt

Director: Nairi Abdel Shafi

About the film:

In “1200 Steps,” the director embarks on a personal journey through the streets of her Alexandria neighbourhood. Each step unveils cherished memories and inherited family stories, weaving a tapestry of the place that shaped her.

About the director:

Nairi is an Egyptian educator and oral historian interested in filmmaking. Her passion lies in documenting personal narratives and trying to produce them in different written, audible and visual forms. She documented the experiences of different immigrant communities. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in oral history.

The film screening is followed by an open discussion between filmmakers and the audience.

Attendance is free without pre-registration

Translated by Mariam Metwali