CAIRO - To talk about the events that took place last week and to try to view them, somehow, from a cinematic point of view is a difficult task. As usual, to attempt to view the events from a wider perspective would be premature, and what occurred at Maspero last week was nothing short of a massacre, one which brings back memories of the early days in revolution. There is no clear view for how to try to comprehend it, or to try and fit it into n a cinematic mold; at least not as of yet. So instead of theorising on film, or even reviewing a film, which would be difficult with the lack of movies right now (the new movies will come out on Eid el-Adha), I'd like to discuss something else this week. As has been mentioned in the past, one of the earliest releases during the holiday will come out next Wednesday is the new Khaled Youssef film “Kaf Al-Qamar” (“The Palm of the Moon”). The always controversial director has a new ensemble cast which includes Wafa Amar, Khaled Salah, Haytham Ahmed Zaki, Hassan el-Radad, Ghada Abdel-Raziq, Jumana Murad, and the new emerging star Horiya Farghali. The film will also include some newcomers, such Tarek Emad, who plays one of the young thieves who break into Wafa Amar's house to rob her. My urge to bash a film I have not seen is rather low compared to many other so-called film critics, but the purpose of this present article is really more to focus on young struggling actors for a series of articles that I think will actually contribute something instead of just merely criticising the industry. Tareq Emad, 23, was born to an Egyptian mother and a father of Greek extract. He has been trying to break into the business since he was 17 years old. Although his big break just came recently and only consists of 6 scenes in “Kaf Al-Qamar,” it hasn't advanced in the way that one would think it should. Tarek was discovered by Ahmed Afifi, Khaled Youssef's Assistant Director. Even though he has a part in a well-publicised film for a known director, not much has actually changed for him. He is still struggling to get phone numbers and make connections in the business. He still constantly has to go to casting directors' offices or call them, which has resulted in some unpleasant confrontations. While becoming a “big star” in any film industry is not an easy thing, one would think that being cast in a significant film would at least open some doors for Tarek. Instead, even after he makes his connections, he ends up getting strung along with a “come see me next week, etc.” It's also not just Tareq who this happens to, but also many other young actors in the industry. Part of this is a problem that a lot of Egyptians have in simply not saying what they mean ��" i.e. instead of telling the actor right out that they can't use them for whatever reason, they continue to give false hope. If they were told straight out what the situation was, then they could move on to different projects instead of wasting time on dead-end roles which they won't get. Tareq tries to remain optimistic. “If I ever do make it in the business, at least I can look back on this and appreciate what I've achieved through all these struggles. It will help me appreciate my success even more.” Tareq is currently in talks with Syrian director Ahmed Yasin to be in his new film “Houhou wa Sharika'u” (“Houhou and his Business Associates”). He's also supposed to have a small part in Sandra Nesh'et's upcoming movie “al-Maslaha” (“The Social Good”). Along with this, he's also being considered for another small role in Nadin Khan's (Mohamed Khan's daughter) first film “Harag wa Marag” (“Commotion and Confusion”). Tareq considers himself to be part of the youth of the revolution, but he's found that it really hasn't changed his situation all that much. In actuality, it seems to him that if anything, it's become harder to move forward in the industry, and it's become “gated” in many ways. People won't even pretend to want to help you anymore. This article isn't just to put a spotlight on Tareq Emad or to “make him a star”, but to witness to the plight of thousands of struggling Egyptian actors. Regardless of the goals of the revolution, little seems to have changed in the film industry. It's still a business dominated by close social connections, with an emphasis on nepotism or heredity, where it's difficult to break into cinema unless your family has been in the business for a long time. Unless something significantly changes in the industry, since the revolution has had little effect on it, stories like Tareq's will continue to emerge. Indeed, Tareq might end up being one of the few lucky ones who has had any roles at all.
