Two-and-a-Half-Minute Films & a New Recipe for Egyptian Filmmakers

Photography Credit: Farah Desouky

The concept behind the two.five short film competition was deceptively simple. From over 200 applications, 20 emerging Egyptian filmmakers were selected and given a Super 8 film camera along with a roll of Kodak film. Their task: create a two-and-a-half-minute film with no retakes and no post-production.

“We wanted to demystify filmmaking and encourage young Egyptian filmmakers,” Lena Naassana, the competition’s co-founder, tells #CairoScene. “There’s a perception that filmmaking has to be super complicated with big teams, hefty budgets, and high end equipment to be taken seriously. Through this simple format, we wanted to show that filmmaking can be accessible to everyone.”

Photography Credit: Marwan Imam

With such tight constraints and no second chances, planning every aspect of the shoot down to the most minute of details was crucial. To prepare the teams, some of whom had never made a film before, two.five organised a six-week boot camp. During this time, the competitors received guidance through every step of pre-production and attended workshops with established directors like Abu Bakr Shawky and Ahmad Abdallah.

This support extended into the filming stage, with two.five assisting crews with casting and locations. “We realised during the process that a network is the biggest barrier to entry into the filmmaking scene,” Naassana says. “With a network, things can happen even with minimal funds, and that’s what we tried to provide, even if we maxed out on our favours across the country.”

Photography Credit: Marwan Imam

After months of preparation, the competition culminated with a screening at Zawya Cinema in Downtown Cairo, an official partner of two.five. Friends, family and indie cinema enthusiasts gathered to watch the final 20 films, 17 of which were in competition.

Although each film had the quintessentially nostalgic grainy quality emblematic of Super 8, each was unique, showcasing a variety of genres - from surreal conceptual pieces to mini docs - touching on themes both universal and unique to Egypt. Filmed across the country, from a building site in Maadi to the mountains of Sinai and an island in the Nile in Upper Egypt, the competition featured work by regional filmmakers in addition to those based in Cairo.

Photography Credit: @localflowerboy Via Instagram

Following the screening, the winners were announced. The Best Film Award went to Mazen Haggag for his surreal fantasy story ‘Savior’. Inspired by religious folklore and filmed on the banks of Lake Qaroun in Fayoum at dawn, the film tells the story of a mysterious prophet trapped on a deserted island. The prize, presented by the Cultural Attaché of the French Institute, was a fully sponsored trip to participate in the Clermont International Film Festival  in France in January.

“I still can't believe it,” Mazen tells CairoScene. “We worked incredibly hard, but I never expected to win. My last film was screened at my university, and only three people showed up so to win this is a really big deal for me.”

Photography Credit: @localflowerboy Via Instagram

Meanwhile, the Most Original Voice Award was presented by veteran filmmaker Yousry Nasrallah to Ali Zaraay, an award winning photographer and visual artist, for his mini-doc ‘Selim’, which tells the story of a man’s repeated attempts to make the dangerous illegal crossing to Europe.

“I was so happy to win the award but my feelings were also a little mixed,” Ali tells CairoScene. “Up to now I've always wanted to express myself through photography, but now I'm encouraged to continue shooting and exploring filmmaking.”

Photography Credit: Fouad El Batrawi

Finally, the Audience Award, determined by votes from the audience at Zawya Cnema, went to Suha Belal’s comedy film ‘Sharbat’, with a Super 8 camera as a reward. The film, which satirises the social theatre of a traditional Egyptian engagement while subtly addressing Egypt’s ongoing economic crisis, was the young filmmaker's first foray into comedy.

"After participating in the competition and experimenting with Super 8 and the analogue format, all I can think about is what else I can create with it. Now that I have the camera, I can explore those possibilities in future projects," Suha tells CairoScene.

Photography Credit: Ali Zaraay Via Facebook

Despite the challenges of organising the short film competition and the perennial struggle to secure adequate funding, Lena and partner Mena Assad hope to host another edition of two.five in the future. “By the end, it wasn’t even a competition anymore. Everyone was involved in helping each other produce their films, and some have since teamed up to work on new projects together.”