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The City (Al Madina) 
Synopsis
1999, 108 min, Egypt/ France, Arabic and French with English Subtitles
Fri 19 Oct, 6:30 p.m. (presented by Nasrallah)
Mon 22 Oct, 6:30 p.m.
Frustrated with life as a butcher's assistant and under his father's thumb, Ali (Bassem Samra) heads for Paris, only to discover that the only work he can get as an illegal immigrant is as a boxer in rigged fights. Nasrallah uses melodrama to depict life in Cairo, and Neorealist grit for Paris—his mix of genres makes for a film as amiable as its hero.
Festivals and Awards
- Locarno International Film Festival 1999 - Special Jury Prize
- Chicago International Film Festival 1999
- Journées cinématographiques de Carthage 1999 - Best Actor award for Bassem Samra
- New Directors/New Films 1999
- All African Film Award, 2000. Best Arabophone Film, Best Director (Nasrallah), Best Actor (Samra)
- Mapping Subjectivity II: Experimentation in Arab Cinema 1960-Present, Mueum of Modern Art 2011
- Abu Dhabi Film Festival 2011
Reviews
An Actor Escapes Cairo, But It's Only for a While (NY Times Film Review)
Credits
Director: Yousry Nasrallah
Script: Nasser Abdel-Rahmane, Claire Denis, Yousry Nasrallah
Cinematography: Samir Bahzan
Production Designer: Alain-Georges Ferrero, Salah Marei
Editor: Tamer Ezzat
Music: Tamer Karaouan
Produced by: Humbert Balsan, Marianne Khoury, Gabriel Khoury
Cast: Bassem Samra (Ali), Ahmed Fouad Selim (The father), Abla Kamel (Bannoura, the mother), Roschdy Zem (Roschdy), Inês de Medeiros (Agnès), Amr Saad (Oussama), Basma Ahmad (Nadia), Sarry El-Naggar (Fox), Messaoud Hattau (Firas), Seif El Dine (Mounir), Atteya Ouess (Uncle Chalabi), Zaki Abdel Wahab (The film director), Youssra (Herself), Ahmed Azmi
Videos
Scene from The City/ El Madina
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