They work in tandem. The second documentary by Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir was selected for Critics’ Week at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. The action of the film, “The Daughters of the Nile”, which is set in a village in the south of Egypt, follows the journey of several young girls who decide to form a street theater company.
2 mins
with our special correspondent in Cannes, Houda Ibrahim
It is thanks to an association helping women active in artistic disciplines, in rural areas, that the two directors Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir heard of the existence of this group of young Coptic girls who dream of becoming artists. Daughters of the Nile dream of becoming a singer, actress or dancer.
The film shows their struggle through daring performances denouncing their living conditions in deep Egypt. They tell their dearest dreams and also their worst nightmares. The filming lasted four years during which these young girls became women. In the end, only one will make her dream come true by enrolling in a theater course in Cairo.
“ It is an important experience in Egypt, explains co-director Nada Riyadh. JHe thinks we have so many stories from areas far from the capital that haven’t been told. As filmmakers, I believe that we should not only tell Cairo stories. We need to tell stories from all corners of Egypt and especially from places that have artistic tradition and strong social relations. »
The girls of the Nile were all present on the Croisette for the first screening of the film. They came accompanied by their musical instruments and their demands. Among these, the right to wear a dress…
