Hala Al-Qusi from the Red Sea Festival: "East 12" Inspired by imagination…and the director of photography: The experience was a shared challenge
The Red Sea International Film Festival, in its fourth session, witnessed the Arab premiere of the film “East 12” Directed by Hala Al-Qusi, which is shown within the “New Visions” program. The film was previously screened at the “Directors’ Half Month” event. At the Cannes International Film Festival, it is considered a new collaboration between Al-Qusi and director of photography Abdel Salam Moussa.
In her speech after the screening, Hala Al-Qusi stated: Through the film, we tried to awaken the imagination, as the stories of One Thousand and One Nights do, where it does not matter. Time or place matters as much as the strength of the story itself. I start seeing pictures, and these pictures inspire me to write stories that are turned into films. My work on decoration and clothing stems from my roots in plastic art.
Al-Qusi explained that preparing for the film took eight years due to the search for financing, but she confirmed that this period allowed the work to be developed and released in the form that the audience saw.
Discovering the heroes of the work
Director Hala Al-Qusi stated about choosing the heroes of the movie “East 12”: Omar Zureiq has been acting since his childhood, and I discovered him while working in a movie when he was a young child. Although he appears a lot on television, Sharq 12 represents his first cinematic lead. As for Fayza Shamah, she used to act in the university theatre, and discovered her during her participation in a dance workshop, and this is her first cinematic experience.
For his part, Director of Photography, Abdel Salam Musa, said: The experience was a great challenge, especially with the choice to shoot the film in black and white. Working with Hala Al-Qusi always requires a broad imagination, as she presents ideas that seem complicated at first, but she makes them possible thanks to the cooperation between us. Filming the film with this ancient technology was a joint decision, and through it we sought to provide a distinctive visual experience.”
Moussa added that working with Al-Qusi extends to three previous films, and that their partnership is based on the exchange of ideas and innovation.
The movie "East 12" It has the quality of black comedy and is dominated by a satirical fantasy character, as its events take place in a closed world outside of time. The film was filmed in 22 days using raw cinema, making it the first film to be filmed in this way in more than a decade.
The film stars Manahah Al-Batrawi, Ahmed Kamal, and Omar Raziq. , and Fayza Shamah, with the participation of Osama Abu Al-Atta, Bassem Wadih, and Mahmoud Fares. Participating in choreography by Sherine Hegazy, with music by Ahmed Al-Sawy and sound design by Abdel Rahman Mahmoud.
Hala Al-Qusi is one of the most prominent directors and visual artists, having presented short films that participated in international festivals. Her previous film “Cactus Flower” It won many awards, which strengthened its position as one of the prominent names in the Egyptian and international cinema scene.
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