Aflam Film Club to Screen ‘Cairo Exit’ in Abu Dhabi

Egyptian film producer Sherif Mandour to attend the screening on April 24th at VOX Cinemas Marina Mall

18 April 2013, Abu Dhabi, UAE: AFLAM, Abu Dhabi’s monthly film club showcasing the best of independent Arabic cinema, will be screening ‘Cairo Exit’ by the Egyptian Director Hesham Issawi. This powerful social drama will be screened alongside the TROPFEST Arabia 2012 shortlisted film ‘Bite of Bread’ by Egyptian Director Eslam Rasmy.

The event will be held at VOX Cinemas, Marina Mall in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday April 24th and will begin with an hour of networking from 7:00 pm, followed by the screening at 8:00 pm. Attending the screening will be the prominent Egyptian producer of ‘Cairo Exit,’ Sherif Mandour. Most known for his role as Executive Director of Cairo International Film Festival, Sherif will end the evening with an open discussion about the film and will be available to answer questions from the audience.

A powerful account of life in contemporary Cairo, this raw drama about a pair of star-crossed lovers shines a powerful spotlight upon the social and cultural taboos that riddle the city’s diverse population. Amal is an 18-year-old Coptic girl, living in Bashtel, in the slums of Cairo. Her Muslim boyfriend Tarek is planning to leave Egypt on an illegal boat crossing to Italy. Amal tells Tarek she is pregnant but he gives her an ultimatum: abandon the country with him or have an abortion. Despite her love for Tarek, Amal rejects both choices. But when Amal is fired from her job, her already precarious future looks bleak. In desperation, she takes a low-paid job as a hairdresser, a job that leads her into a seedy underworld of crime and vice. Is it too late for Amal to escape the sordid, dead-end world of exploitation and misery in Cairo’s darkest corners?

‘Cairo Exit’ was the first film that director Hesham Issawi shot in Egypt after having lived in the US for 20 years. The film was screened as the official selection at several international film festivals including Dubai, Tribeca, Munich and Malmo Arab Film Festival.
The short film ‘Bite of Bread’ was shortlisted and screened at the 2012 TROPFEST Arabia festival and portrays a typical Egyptian citizen fighting to eat a bite of bread and, despite many problems, continues living and accepting fate.

Supported by twofour54, AFLAM was launched following the success of The Scene Club that Nayla Al Khaja and D-Seven Motion Pictures founded in Dubai in 2007 and aims at providing a platform for film industry members and enthusiasts to network and view quality regional films in Abu Dhabi. Subtitled in English, all AFLAM films have an international appeal, with most having been screened at major film festivals around the world. The founders of AFLAM are proud to have introduced such a platform to Abu Dhabi and continue to support a vibrant film culture in the UAE.

Offering complimentary seats, English subtitles, a chance to talk to filmmakers and a forum for industry professionals and film fans to network, AFLAM invites guests to reserve their tickets on www.aflamclub.com. Tickets can be collected at the AFLAM Registration Desk at VOX Cinemas, Marina Mall Abu Dhabi from 7:00 pm and guests are encouraged to arrive on time as seating is offered on a “first come first served” basis.

About AFLAM
Brought to you by D-Seven Motion Pictures and riding on the success of The Scene Club, the film club AFLAM is the home of modern Arabic cinema in Abu Dhabi. It is a monthly film club that highlights and celebrates the best of independent Arabic cinema and filmmakers, showing independent films to the Abu Dhabi community and creating a film network for like-minded people to meet and share ideas. This film club is open to everyone – not just Arabic speakers, but people of all backgrounds. AFLAM’s films will have an international appeal with many having been previously screened at major film festivals across the globe. It’s a club for you, offering complimentary seats, a chance to talk to filmmakers and a place for film professionals and film fans to network. Tickets are complimentary and can be requested by registering online at www.aflamclub.com

About D-Seven Motion Pictures
D-Seven offers a full array of production services including TV commercials, Corporate and Promotional Films, Short/Feature Films and Documentaries. D-Seven and its subsidiaries are led by the direction of Nayla Al Khaja, who is UAE’s first female film producer and director. Our studios are conveniently located in Dubai Media City and twofour54, Abu Dhabi.