An Egyptian Story

The narrative moves through the 1950s and 1960s, a period of postcolonial change and cinematic experimentation. It references British colonial clashes in Egypt, the Cannes and Moscow film scenes, and the early years of the Moscow International Film Festival. These historical touchpoints ground Yehia’s personal journey in a larger cultural moment, while surreal sequences reinterpret memory and ambition.

The film primarily unfolds within Egypt's vibrant film culture, while weaving in scenes set in major international film hubs. Cairo anchors the personal drama, but Yehia’s career carries him to London, Cannes, New York and Moscow, reflecting mid-20th-century global cinema networks. The settings frame a story about artistic ambition, family dynamics, and political upheaval during a transformative era in Egypt and cinema.

🎭 Identity

The film probes Yehia’s self-image as a radical realist filmmaker, while exposing his inner conflicts and vulnerabilities. It blurs lines between artist and ego, showing how personal history shapes creative choices. The inner court trial mirrors his struggle to reconcile fame, desire, and self-doubt.

🧠 Dream logic

A surreal, virtually courtroom-like sequence inside Yehia’s chest reframes his life as a dream-logic investigation. Witnesses, including Yehia’s inner child, reveal repressed memories and fears. The narrative uses dream imagery to critique censorship, memory, and the cost of creative risk.

👩 Patriarchy

The women in Yehia’s life—the mother, sister, and wife—embody the social constraints of patriarchal society. Their actions reflect the pressures of traditional roles and motherhood. The film uses these relationships to question power dynamics and how gender shapes desire and art.

🎬 Cinema as autobiography

The film frames Yehia’s biography as a cinematic experiment, blurring documentary with fiction. It references real-world events and film histories to critique how cinema polices truth and art. By staging the narrative as both production and reflection, it turns personal history into a public meditation on art.