Egyptian documentary 'Om Amira' to be screened at Berlin Film Fest: TRAILER

Directed by Egyptian filmmaker Naji Ismail, 'Om Amira' will be screened at the Berlinale Shorts section of the 2014 Berlin International Film Festival

The 64th edition of Berlinale, or Berlin International Film Festival, one of the world's most renowned festivals dedicated to film industry, will take place between 6 and 16 February 2014.
Egyptian filmmaker Naji Ismail's documentary Om Amira will be screened within the festival's Shorts section. Om Amira was produced in 2013 upon the initiative of ANA HUNNA ('I Am Here' in Arabic), an organisation aiming to strengthen the voices of financially and socially underprivileged communities, promoting women in Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia and Morocco.
On its Facebook page ANA HUNNA writes: "Women are present, active and competent, women contribute to the economy and their work makes a difference. But their contribution is not recognised, they remain invisible and their work is poorly paid. ... Women's Power in Films is an [ANA HUNNA] initiative based on films; films that already exist and others that are produced in the project including both documentary and fiction films."
The film is narrated by Om Amira (Amira's Mother) herself, an Egyptian woman struggling to make ends meet while desperately trying to help her sick daughter Amira recover. The film is a moving portrayal of the life of millions of Egyptian women from the lower-middle socio-economic strata. Om Amira received a standing ovation during the movie's screening at Egypt's El-Sawy Culturewheel in September 2013.
One of the most important meeting points for European and international filmmakers and producers, the festival will this year screen more than 400 films and host over 8000 professionals from 95 countries. The movies screened vary in length, format, topic and target audiences.
The 2014 Berlinale comprises a number of main sections at its core: 'Competition movies'; 'Panorama', bringing the new films by renowned directors; 'Generation' dedicated to films for young audiences; 'Perspectives' aiming at shedding light at the German film scene's emerging talents; 'Berlinale Shorts' presenting smaller productions which are nevertheless poignant, controversial and at times disturbing cinematic accounts by international independent filmmakers; 'Berlinale Special' aiming at honouring remarkable cinema personalities by screening their new films; 'Retrospectives', a section dedicated to older productions which this year will focus on the aesthetics of light and shadow in films of the first half of the 20th century and 'Homage', which pays tribute to the greatest filmmakers of our times.
Aside the film screenings, the festival will also host a series of panel discussions and meetings between the artists.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/92608.aspx