Latest news with #Shazli
Kuwait Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Kuwait Times
In Cairo, the little indie cinema that could
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 centers 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. People arrive at the Zawya cinema in downtown Cairo. A man walks outside the Zawya cinema in downtown Cairo.--AFP photos 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 neighborhood with an equally unique flavor 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 neighborhood 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. "But what I wonder is: are there as many opportunities as there is talent? That's the real issue we need to address." - AFP
Observer
3 days ago
- Business
- Observer
In Cairo, the little indie cinema that could
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. People arrive at the Zawya cinema in downtown Cairo on May 1, 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 (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP) - 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. "But what I wonder is: are there as many opportunities as there is talent? That's the real issue we need to address." —AFP
France 24
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- France 24
In Cairo, the little indie cinema that could
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. © 2025 AFP
The Star
05-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Terengganu clear the air after news of FIFA's sanction emerge
Pushing the limits: Terengganu's Azam Azmi Murad (left) in action against Kedah in the Super League match on April 20. — Bernama PETALING JAYA: Terengganu were in for a rude shock when they found themselves as one of the Malaysian football clubs listed under FIFA's transfer ban. But the Super League side have clarified that they had resolved the issue and believed the matter had been unnecessarily blown out of proportion. Terengganu were the latest Malaysian club listed with six others in FIFA's Registration Bans database for flouting rules. In a statement released yesterday, the club admitted that they had a minor dispute with a former foreign official over a five-figure allowance payment but the matter had been settled last month. 'FIFA officially acknowledged the full resolution on April 21, 2025, and gave the claimant five days to confirm receipt of payment. That window has passed, and this issue should no longer be in question,' the statement read. The club also stressed that the current transfer and registration window for the Malaysian League has yet to open, with the expected period falling between July and early August. 'Terengganu have acted swiftly to address the matter, well ahead of the upcoming transfer window,' the club added. Before their clarification, Terengganu had made the FIFA list on April 14. Other clubs facing similar sanctions include Super League side Kelantan Darul Naim (banned since April 7), A1 Semi-Pro League outfit Putrajaya Athletics (March 14), as well as Sarawak United, Perlis FA, Melaka United, and Kelantan. In response to the bans, the Malaysian Football League (MFL) have reminded affected clubs to resolve their outstanding issues before the club licensing deadline on May 10. Acting MFL chief executive officer Shazli Shaik said the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) would have notified all the clubs of FIFA's decision and emphasised the importance for all the clubs to be compliant. 'FIFA would have informed FAM, who in turn would have issued directives to the clubs, including Terengganu, to settle their dues,' said Shazli. 'Our deadline is May 10 and if these clubs wish to register new players and maintain their licence to compete, they must do so quickly.' Shazli said they would continue their efforts to support clubs in enhancing governance and professionalism. 'We've consistently educated clubs on licensing requirements and are committed to helping them transition towards privatisation. We hope to see real progress in the coming years,' he added.
The Star
23-04-2025
- Sport
- The Star
MFL stepping up efforts to increase ticket sales for final
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Football League (MFL) are going all out to ensure a packed crowd at Bukit Jalil Stadium for the Malaysian Cup final this Saturday by rolling out a series of initiatives to boost fan turnout. Earlier, concerns arose over sluggish ticket sales for the clash between Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) and Pahang, with lukewarm response from both sets of supporters. Part of the reason may be that many fans already expect a familiar outcome, dampening the excitement for what should be one of the season's biggest fixtures. Still, MFL have stepped up efforts across all platforms, offering attractive prizes to online ticket buyers as part of their campaign to reignite fan interest. 'There's been a positive shift in ticket sales from both JDT and Pahang fans following our recent publicity efforts,' said acting chief executive officer of MFL, Mohd Shazli Shaik Mohd. 'We're also running a lucky draw with exciting prizes, including three motorcycles, electric scooters, and various gadgets for fans who purchase tickets online. 'With the push from MFL, media outlets, and social media platforms, we're expecting ticket sales to hit at least 80%.' Shazli also revealed that ticket sales for Saturday's final have already surpassed 60% of the 60,000 tickets allocated.
