Sameh Alaa
Locarno Residency 2023 | Egypt
Locarno Residency 2023 | Egypt
Born in Cairo, Egypt, Sameh studied German literature at Cairo University. Sameh’s first short film Fifteen premiered at Toronto International Film Festival 2017 and won several awards around the world. His last short film I Am Afraid to Forget Your Face, is the first Egyptian film in 50 years to be selected for the Official Short Film Competition at Cannes Film Festival 2020 and won the Palme D'or. Sameh is currently developing his debut feature film (When I Close My Eyes I See Your Eyes).
2017 Fifteen
2020 I am afraid to forget your face
2024 The Day I smoked a cigarette with my father
Production: Figleaf
Safeya (39), after her husband's death, she discovers his unrevealed sexuality and the secret behind the failure of their relationship. On her way to bury him in his distant town during the long road with a hearse driver, she also met herself for the first time.
Women in our country still suffer from oppression and patriarchy, even their mobility is restricted to the husband’s accompaniment or permission from him, and this matter shackles women’s thoughts and makes them live without knowing their true selves and without having tools of expression. And our character is one of those women who only met herself after the death of her husband.
