1999

France - Egypt

90min - 35mm - 1.85 -Color - Drama

Original language : Egyptian & French

Cast

Roshdy Zem
Bassem Samra
Mohamed Nagaty

Credits

Director: Yousry Nasrallah

Screenplay : Yousry Nasrallah, Nasser Abdel-Rahmane, Claire Denis

Image: Samir Bahzan

Editing: Tamer Ezzat

Producers: Humbert Balsan (Ognon Pictures), Gabriel & Marianne Khoury (MISR)

 

 

Festivals & Awards

Locarno 1999 - Special Jury Prize

THE CITY

El Medina

a film by :Yousry Nasrallah

Ali is a young actor, son of a market gardener, who works in the Rod El Farag district. One day, Ali abandons his family, friends, his job and his love to go to Paris, alone. He starts taking boxing lessons, dreaming of making it into the big time. His career is soon compromised by fights fixing which means he always has to lose. But Ali rebels. His enemies take revenge and put him in hospital, where he awakes an amnesiac. The end of his lonely life in Paris is marked. However, his stay in Paris teaches him one essential lesson : all towns are alike, which is why, in order to find yourself, you must first find out who you are. Fully recovered, and regenerated, Ali finally decides to go home to Cairo, to rediscover his past and take up his formerlife again.

French Synopsis :

Ali est un jeune comédien, fils d'un maraîcher qui travaille dans le quartier de Rod El Farag. Un jour, Ali abandonne sa famille, ses amis, son travail, et son amour pour se rendre, seul, à Paris. Il s'initie à la boxe rêvant de combattre sur les plus grands rings. Sa carrière est vite compromise par les paris truqués qui le condamnent à rester un perdant. Mais Ali se rebelle. Ses ennemis se vengent et l'envoient à l'hôpital, où il se réveille amnésique. La fin de son existence parisienne est scellée. Pourtant, son séjour à Paris lui fait comprendre une chose essentielle : toutes les villes se ressemblent. Pour y trouver sa place, il faut avant tout se définir soi-même. Régénéré, Ali décide finalement de rentrer chez lui, au Caire, pour retrouver son passé et concrétiser ses anciens projets.

Photos

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