Stay updated with breaking news from Cannes 2020. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
Souad Review: Religious Conservatism Clashes With Social Media in Egyptian Drama Souad Review: Religious Conservatism Clashes With Social Media in Egyptian Drama A vibrant young woman north of Cairo is trapped between conflicting modes of comportment, with religion on one side and social media on the other. Jay Weissberg, provided by FacebookTwitterEmail Director: Ayten Amin With: Bassant Ahmed, Basmala Elghaiesh, Hussein Ghanem, Hager Mahmoud, Sarah Shedid, Carol Ackad, Mona Elnamoury, Islam Shalaby, Nayera El Dahshoury. (Arabic dialogue) Running time: Running time: 98 MIN. Courtesy of Berlin Film Festival There are two gods in “Souad,” Allah and smart phones, but in a battle between the two it’s clear who’ll be the winner. Ayten Amin’s bold second feature is brilliantly alive to the contradictions of teenage life in conservative Egypt, where the pressures of social media clash with traditional religious strictures, leading to sc ....
Georgian Cinema Takes Bold Leap Forward as Queer, Women s Voices Shout to Be Heard Christopher Vourlias, provided by FacebookTwitterEmail When Ketie Danelia was approached a few years ago with the script for “And Then We Danced,” Levan Akin’s gay romantic drama about a young man’s sexual awakening in the masculine world of Georgian dance, the producer knew the risks. “Everyone was telling me not to take this project, because it’s very dangerous. Which turned out to be true,” she tells Variety. In a conservative, patriarchal country where the powerful Orthodox Church holds tremendous sway, filming was a challenge. Locations would balk at the last minute, concerned about the potential backlash; far-right groups threatened the cast and crew. When the movie finally premiered in Tbilisi in 2019, after bowing in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight to rave reviews, police units had to escort moviegoers into the cinema. Yet through it all, Danelia remained ....