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In Cairo, the little indie cinema that could

In Cairo, the little indie cinema that could

News.com.au03-06-2025
In the heart of Cairo, a small cinema has for over a decade offered a unique space for independent film in a country whose industry is largely dominated by commercial considerations.
Zawya, meaning "perspective" in Arabic, has weathered the storm of Egypt's economic upheavals, championing a more artistic approach from the historical heart of the country's golden age of cinema.
Zawya was born in the post-revolutionary artistic fervour of the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime president Hosni Mubarak.
"There was this energy where people wanted to produce and create, not just in cinema, but in all the arts, you could feel it," said Zawya founder Youssef Shazli.
In the time since, it has escaped a wave of closures -- some forced -- of art centres across the capital.
Egypt had long been known as the Hollywood of the Arab world, but in the decades since its mid-century heyday, the domestic industry has largely been restricted to crowd-pleasing blockbusters.
"It's often said that we're lucky to have a large film industry, with infrastructure already in place," said filmmaker Maged Nader.
"But the truth is this industry operates solely on a commercial logic," leaving little room for independent filmmakers, he added.
Yet Zawya has survived in its niche, in part due to the relative financial stability afforded to it by its parent company Misr International Films.
Founded in 1972 by Egyptian cinematic giant Youssef Chahine -- Shazli's great uncle -- the company continues to produce and distribute films.
- Young talent -
For Shazli, Zawya is "a cinema for films that don't fit into traditional theatres".
But for young cinephiles like 24-year-old actress Lujain, "it feels like home," she told AFP as she joined a winding queue into the larger of Zawya's two theatres.
Since 2014, Zawya's year-round programming -- including both local and international short films, documentaries and feature films -- has secured the loyalty of a small but passionate scene.
Its annual short film festival, held every spring, has become a vital space for up-and-coming directors trying to break through a system that leaves little room for experimentation.
"I didn't even consider myself a filmmaker until Zawya screened my short," said Michael Samuel, 24, who works in advertising but says the cinema rekindled his artistic ambition.
For many, that validation keeps them going.
"Zawya has encouraged more people to produce these films because they finally have somewhere to be seen," said the cinema's manager, Mohamed Said.
When Mostafa Gerbeii, a self-taught filmmaker, was looking for a set for his first film shoot, he also turned to the cinema.
Without a studio or a budget, Zawya "just lent us their hall for free for a whole day", he said, saving the young director 100,000 Egyptian pounds (around $2,000) to rent a location.
- The heir -
The light of its marquee spilling onto downtown Cairo's Emad al-Din Street, Zawya is the 21st-century heir to a long artistic tradition that still lingers, though often hidden away in corners of the district's broad avenues.
"It's a unique neighbourhood with an equally unique flavour of artistic and intellectual life," said Chihab El Khachab, a professor at the University of Oxford and author of the book "Making Film in Egypt".
Starting in the late 19th century, the area was home to the city's biggest theatres and cabarets, launching the careers of the Arab world's most celebrated singers and actors.
Today, its arteries flowing out of Tahrir square -- the heart of the 2011 uprising -- the neighbourhood is home to new-age coworking spaces and galleries, side by side with century-old theatres and bars.
Yet even as it withstands the hegemony of mall multiplexes, Zawya cannot escape Egypt's pervasive censorship laws. Like every cinema in Egypt, each film must pass through a state censors before screening.
"Over time, you learn to predict what will slide and what won't," Shazli said.
But even the censors' scissors have failed to cut off the stream of ambition among burgeoning filmmakers.
"Around Zawya, there's a lot of talent -- in every corner," Shazli said.
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Happy Gilmore 2 review: Golf comedy sequel fails to match original magic
Happy Gilmore 2 review: Golf comedy sequel fails to match original magic

The Australian

time28-07-2025

  • The Australian

Happy Gilmore 2 review: Golf comedy sequel fails to match original magic

And that's probably why, not 24 hours after watching the premiere of Happy Gilmore 2, I'm still not over the absolutely depressive opening of the movie. Am I watching Happy Gilmore or Punch Drunk Love? Hang on, remember when Happy's mum 'moved to Egypt where there's not a rink for more than 1500 miles' because dad worshipped hockey? Oh, and when dad got killed by an errant hockey puck and Happy was sent to live with his grandma at Waterberry? I just realised the first movie had a traumatic opening too! At least grandma dressed like Gene Simmons from Kiss to cheer him up, right? Anyway, I digress but, years on from the movie's shocking opening scenes Happy, the drunk, has changed his name to Sad (not really). The family has moved into a smaller home and he's basically being cared for by his four sons and doting daughter Vienna (played by his real-life child Sunny Sandler). The boys are all basically carbon copies of dad but, if you're hoping for hilarity in the vein of Jim Carrey and his three boys in Me, Myself and Irene, you're going to be disappointed. Vienna's story is central to Happy 2.0 — she's a promising dancer who has won a spot at a prestigious dance school in Paris, and dad has to go back to golf to try to earn the $75k a year it'll take to send her there. There's also a bit of art imitating life with 'The Tour' worried about a new, innovative, big-money competitor — the Maxi League. Think PGA v LIV Golf. They even have a high profile defector in the vein of a Dustin Johnson or Phil Mickelson (or Cam Smith, for the Aussie folk). Anyway, long story short, Happy comes out of retirement, overcomes adversity and ends up pitted against the surgically enhanced Maxi golfers in a fight for the future of golf as we know it. The golf is crazy and the course is insane – think a 1000m par-4 and hazards that include snow and searing flames. Not overly realistic, but kinda fun. SHOOTER, NOSTALGIA AND NEW BLOOD I'm not going to tell you EVERYTHING that happens in the movie, but I will say the only character as essential as Happy — his iconic nemesis Shooter McGavin — is back. Not giving it away, but Shooter's life has taken a surprise turn — although he still has questionable breakfast habits. There are plenty of throwbacks to the original movie, with enough new twists to ensure a giggle. Older Happy, now sporting a beard, is mistaken for Grizzly Adams in a scene with WNBA superstar Kelsey Plum, a play on the Shooter-Lee Trevino 'Grizzly Adams did have a beard' schtick of the original. OG Virginia clad in the white lingerie with two jugs of VB (wait, that's my happy place) makes an appearance in Gilmore's Happy place again. ESPN foghorn Stephen A. Smith appears with a couple of typically ridiculous takes, shouting down the camera about Happy, the Devil and the electric chair — it's supposed to be a parody, but what he says wouldn't make his top-10 dumbest real-life takes. The once ever-so-mildly-funny Rob Schneider continues to live off his good mate Sandler, wheeled out an obligatory 'You can do it'. Sandler's mates are everywhere. There's the nipple-tweaking, gibberish-spouting Cajun assistant coach from The Waterboy, that big dopey bloke with the cross-eyes who is in just about every Sandler movie is around and even Crazy Eyes Steve Buscemi pops up as the bad neighbour. Confession time: the insanely-talented Margaret Qualley will always be Alexandra 'Alex' Russell to me after her incredible turn in the series Maid (if you haven't watched it, trust me), so it's hard to watch her as a character with zero depth. Of course, she totally redeems herself in a scene involving a bunker and a classic Li'l Jon-Yin Yang twins banger. Taylor Swift's handbag Travis Kelce plays a waiter in the movie. He is about as funny as an AI generated NFL player-turned-pop princess's husband-turned-actor: 'That's what she said.' The blond, curly-haired caddie who Happy throttled early on in the original movie is back and all grown up — but he's not a caddie. Sandler's bag carrier, this time, is played by some bloke who goes by the name of Bad Bunny. Wikipedia tells me he is known as 'The King of Latin Trap', whatever that is. I've never heard a note of his music, but Mr Bunny, who plays Oscar in the movie, ended up one of my favourite characters. He's charming, funny and saves Happy's bacon more than once. At one point in the movie, he visits his own happy place — and that involves Kelce, honey and a bear. BRB, just spinning 'I Like It' with Cardi B and J Balvin. Continuing the hip hop/rnb feel, Post Malone is on board as a commentator who repeats the same line, Kid Cudi briefly pops up and there's a hilarious Eminem cameo — more on that later. UNCLE JOHN DALY AND THE GOLFERS Outside of Tiger Woods, it feels like every single big name in golf appears in this movie. From the legendary Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo to present day kings the ilk of Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Bryson Dechambeau and Scottie Scheffler. They're all instantly recognisable but Uncle John Daly steals the show as a tenant living in Happy's garage. Daly plays a piss-drinking, chicken wing munching, hand-sanitiser gulping, loveable larrikin — essentially the most true-to-life character in the entire movie. Other golf identities who make cameos in the movie include: Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Fred Couples, Will Zalatoris, Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Tony Finau, Retief Goosen, Jim Furyk, Lee Trevino, Paige Spiranac, Colin Montgomerie, David Duval, Charley Hull, Collin Morikawa, Corey Pavin, Annabel Angel, Xander Schauffele, Nelly Korda, Wyndham Clark, Nancy Lopez, Charles Howell III. He's not a pro golfer but former child star Haley Joel Osment plays Happy's nemesis Billy Jenkins. He's still the same height as when he saw dead people in the Sixth Sense, just nowhere near as cherubic, the charm used up long ago in classics like Pay it Forward, Artificial Intelligence and Forrest Gump (remember Forrest and Jenny's kid?). REMEMBERING THE FALLEN Four actors integral to the Happy Gilmore story had sadly passed away before the sequel was filmed but Sandler, co-writer and long-time collaborator Tim Herlihy and director Kyle Newacheck find fun ways to pay homage. Carl Weathers died last year and was unable to reprise what was clearly his most iconic role — Gilmore's one-handed mentor Chubbs Peterson … just kidding, 'Dillon, you sonovabish' … ok, ok Apollo Creed. So they brought in Lavell Crawford to play Slim Peterson — Chubbs' son. The Temu Chubbs even has one hand and he makes sure to ease the tension: 'it's all in the hips'. 'I believe that's Mr Gilmore's'. Richard Kiel, the 217cm monster who played Bond villain Jaws, died in 2014, so Sandler turned to loveable 224cm former NBA giant Boban Marjanovich to honour Mr Larson's memory. Marjanovich plays Mr Larson's son, who explains dad died after rolling onto the nail Happy shot into his head with a nail gun, before going on a nudie run up the fairway. 'You will not make this putt, Jackass.' Like Weathers, Joe Flaherty, who played the iconic heckling fan whose simple sledge 'Jackass' almost derailed Gilmore, died last year. Enter Eminem, transformed into his son, who spouts the famous Jackass line, gets in a bar from one of his own songs and his character arc gets no less crazy. It's a scene-munching performance (it'll make sense). 'Grandma' Frances Bay, whose acting career began prior to WWII, died in 2011, aged 92, but she still managed to make an appearance — at least in spirit, as an elderly woman, face obscured by, of course, a Kiss mask. Ben Stiller's turn as a nursing home orderly who straight up torments its residents — 'you will go to sleep, or I will put you to sleep' — in the 1996 film remains one of the great uncredited appearances in comedy history. He's in the credits this time, as Hal L. Stiller. In my opinion — and this might be slightly controversial — Stiller is a hit-or-miss actor. He's nowhere near as funny in Gilmore 2.0 as the dodgy Alcoholics Anonymous support group leader. Hey, at least they made sure we got a 'Mister Mister lady' mention. VERDICT Playing off scratch due to its elite origins, we're not quite in 'talk about a hole in one' territory. It's both a help and a hindrance: the nostalgia and star quality ensures there are enough throwbacks to please OG devotees of the loveable ice hockey dreamer-turned-pro golfer and more than enough golf and broader cameos to satisfy sport fans and movie buffs alike. Today's 'woke' world has made comedy the toughest genre to truly innovate in. Gilmore 2.0 is funny enough but it unfortunately lacks innovation — It's either been done, or never to be done again. That lack of potentially iconic lines and laugh-out-loud moments ensures any hope the sequel could hold a candle to the 1996 original, 29 years later, is nothing but wild fantasy. Watchability score: Bogey, +1 Duffs it off the tee, recovers out of the rough but finds the bunker and can't chip in for par. 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Independent filmmaker's big 'journey of self-belief' and $100k spend to make movie
Independent filmmaker's big 'journey of self-belief' and $100k spend to make movie

ABC News

time20-07-2025

  • ABC News

Independent filmmaker's big 'journey of self-belief' and $100k spend to make movie

Mara Jean Quinn, 35, has spent all her money making a movie. Her film, Andamooka, is about a woman whose life crumbles before her 30th birthday, so in search of comfort and clarity, she sets out to spend the milestone in the outback. "I don't own a house, I don't have any money to my name and I have a family." Her film, which culminates in the South Australian town of the same name, was shot in 2019 on a shoestring budget, by a crew of three. Quinn said it was inspired by a break-up and most characters were found during the trip from Longreach to Alice Springs and Andamooka. "I was working in post-production in Sydney … and it just wasn't giving me any joy and I really wanted to go see central Australia," she said. Quinn is doing the hard yards taking her film on the road and screening it at any film festival she can, a reality for most independent filmmakers in Australia. "Distribution has been impossible. It's been a huge journey of self-belief," she said. Andamooka recently screened at Vision Splendid, a film festival that's been running in Winton in central-west Queensland for 11 years. Festival creative director Greg Dolgopolov said Australian indie, or independent, films should be better supported. "The costs for releasing a film are often so high that those films will play in a few select cinemas or film festivals before they kind of disappear," Dr Dolgopolov said. Andamooka sat untouched until 2023, when Quinn again gave up any income to start post-production and make the film a reality. Another Australian filmmaker Tristan Barr recently screened his fifth indie production as an "audience test" at the festival in Winton, the town that inspired the film. He directed Dunny Derby — The Legend of Derek Dallas & The Underbogs, written by Matthew Caffow. It follows a team trying to beat the "city slicker" antagonists in an infamous dunny race in town. "We were in Winton shooting a horror film and heard about the local dunny races," Barr said. "We just thought this is an amazing environment and unlike anything we'd ever seen." But it took almost six years to get the movie together. "We got supported in many ways by different people along the way. "Festivals are incredible because you get feedback." Barr said the film was likely to officially premiere late this year or early next year. Dr Dolgopolov said film festivals played a crucial role for independent productions. "They inspire people and people often want more, but you know in the real world they can't access more outside of film festivals and that's where the real problem lies. "If you look at any regional or even outer suburban cinema complex, they're not the venues for screening Australian independent films, they just don't make it there." Cinema Association Australasia executive director Cameron Mitchell said local Australian-made films contributed about 5 per cent of Australia's box-office revenue annually. "In 2024, 85 Australian local films were released in Australian cinemas," Mr Mitchell said. "The Australian cinema community works closely with Australian filmmakers to support the creation of Australian content for the enjoyment of Australian audiences." Quinn is still on the road to finding a wider audience for her film. "Other filmmakers have been really inspired by the fact that I did make a feature film on the smell of an oily rag as a nobody."

Groom's ‘humiliating' act on wedding day exposes vile trend
Groom's ‘humiliating' act on wedding day exposes vile trend

News.com.au

time17-07-2025

  • News.com.au

Groom's ‘humiliating' act on wedding day exposes vile trend

A groom who deliberately dropped his bride into a pool on their wedding day has exposed a worrying new trend that experts warn can be extremely damaging to relationships. The alarming act was captured by wedding photographer Emad Joe, who lives and works in Egypt, after he attempted to create a special wedding shot for the newlyweds. The snap should have shown the husband holding his new wife as they lean over the dark water, the pair lovingly looking into each other's eyes. But instead, he captured the horrifying moment the groom seemingly chose to let go of his wife as she leaned onto his arm, instantly breaking her trust. After the young bride fell into the water, a look of sheer horror could be seen across her face as she emerged from the water. In contrast, the groom can be seen appearing to cheer with delight at her suffering, with the footage showing him throw his hands up in the air to celebrate his actions. The clip has understandably sparked uproar online, prompting Australian relationship experts to weigh in, labelling the act 'disrespectful' and 'concerning'. 'Unless this has been specifically spoken about beforehand, and she's given her consent to be in on the joke, this behaviour is disrespectful and alarming,' Melbourne psychologist Carly Dober told 'We know that for so many people a wedding day is a life highlight and something that they have been looking forward to for years. 'While not every wedding day will be 'perfect', ideally all parties involved look back on the day with good feelings and good memories. 'Behaviour such as this can highlight the disparities in some heterosexual relationships where women's feelings aren't valued and they might not be respected by their partner.' Indeed, many social media users – notably predominantly women – were horrified by the groom's antics, claiming it was an indicator the couple might not last. 'This is grounds for an annulment,' reasoned one. 'She could have drowned, all that fabric from the wedding dress in the water is no joke,' pointed out another. As another argued: 'The way he just drops her, then pumps his fists in victory. Run, honey. This won't get better.' Others suggested the act was part of a growing 'humiliation' trend that has seen grooms behave unfavourably towards their new brides, such as by making crude wedding vows or smearing cake on her face. 'Why do men constantly want to embarrass their wives?' one woman asked. While one speculated: 'The way he threw his arms up as if he triumphed over her.' Lauren Muratore, an accredited psychosexual therapist from Melbourne, agrees. 'Embarrassing any human being is bullying, it is derogatory in nature, and this is not acceptable in any relationship,' she told 'There's a difference between humour and jest, but there's no place for degradation ever between couples, the trend suggests men are trying to reassert their power to some degree. 'Or perhaps maybe they feel like their masculinity is at stake.' Ms Dober, the clinic owner at Enriching Lives Psychology, echoed these concerns, stressing that viral videos of these sorts of antics can 'normalise' the apparent poor behaviour, while also urging people to take caution when passing judgement. 'It looks like a spur of the moment decision and it looks very disrespectful, so this is not something that we want to encourage more people to do,' she said. 'However, again if this is a lighthearted joke between both parties who are fully consenting and open to it that is a different story. 'If this isn't a joke between them, and this is something that he's done without her consent- there can be pretty catastrophic emotional consequences. 'Not only may she feel embarrassed, unsure about how seriously he takes her and their relationship, she may also experience a lack of confidence and security, anxious and depressed about how the day went, and she may also have to face some difficult conversations with her friends and family.' Ms Muratore, who gave a TEDx Talk titled 'Sexual Sovereignty – who is the gatekeeper of sex?' in August 2024, added anyone who 'purposely erodes trust to make other people laugh' isn't a person who appears to consider their partner's needs. 'It showing a power balance and that there is a massive lack of respect in the relationship,' she said. 'There's a chance this is a stunt for views, but if it wasn't, you have to ask, 'would she be able to trust her husband?'. 'Trust is a funny thing that can easily be corroded as well as built, but it takes the a long time to build back up and a willingness of two partners.' Shawnda Patterson, a popular dating coach, warned that 'every wedding season videos like this flood our timelines' and it highlights how some men take little thought about the impacts 'pulling a prank' on their bride can have. 'Whether its with their vows, smashing cake in her face and now it's letting her fall into the pool, ruining her hair, her make-up and everything she did to prepare for that day,' she said in a viral video on TikTok. 'Two things men like this don't consider, and that's time and place. He could play like this on the honeymoon when the stakes aren't high, when hundreds of thousands of dollars aren't on the line … this isn't the time to be playing around. 'A stunt like this is only funny if everybody laughs. Shame on you.' Many viewers agreed, with one responding: 'The day she felt she was prettier than ever, he destroyed everything in two minutes.' 'And this is why, I'll forever be single,' remarked another. As one noted: 'She trusted him and he showed her exactly who he is.'

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