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Maggie Morgan’s MEMOIRS OF M.A DRAZ and Sara Suliman’s HEROIC BODIES get another round of screenings at Zawya Cinema
24 July 2024
In response to the audience's enthusiastic reception and the impressive impressions left on critics and viewers alike, Maggie Morgan’s riveting documentary MEMOIRS OF M.A DRAZ has been extended for the fourth consecutive week at Cairo’s Zawya Cinema, while Sara Suliman’s brilliant documentary HEROIC BODIES has been extended for a second round of screenings at Egypt’s home for indie films.
The two film’s additional screening times are as follows:
MEMOIRS OF M.A DRAZ: Friday, July 26th at 2 pm; Saturday, July 27th at 4:30 pm; and Monday, July 29th at 9:30 pm.
HEROIC BODIES: Thursday, July 25th at 9:30 pm and Friday, July 26th at 4:30 pm.
When it comes to MEMOIRS OF M.A DRAZ, the film was hailed as “one of the best films of the year in terms of idea, structure, and topic” by esteemed Egyptian film critic Mahmoud Abd El Shakour, who also commended the film's “ability to touch both the mind and the soul” and invited others to see it, expressing his hope to see it on television as well.
Recently earning two prestigious awards at the 2024 Aswan International Women Film Festival, the documentary chronicles the extraordinary life of Azharite scholar Mohamed Abdallah Draz. Crafted by Morgan and co-writer Taghreed El-Asfoury, the film delves into Draz's life through a treasure trove of letters, diaries, and photographs discovered by his great-granddaughter, Noha ElKholy.
From his humble beginnings in Mahallat Diyay to his scholarly pursuits in Paris, the film paints a vivid portrait of a man far ahead of his time, advocating for equal opportunities for his daughters and sons long before the rise of feminism in the Middle East.
With its world premiere at the Aswan International Women Film Festival earning the Rasheeda Abdelsalam Special Jury Award and the Euro-Mediterranean Award, the film has solidified its status as a cinematic masterpiece.
MEMOIRS OF M.A DRAZ has garnered critical acclaim for its hauntingly beautiful narration by Sedky Sakr and the evocative musical score by Khaled Al Kammar, elevating the documentary to an unforgettable cinematic experience.
Directed by Maggie Morgan and co-written alongside Taghreed El-Asfoury, the film was produced by Noha ElKhouly, lensed by Amgad Reyad, Olivier Dury, Emad Nabil, and Akram Mamdouh and edited by Amgad Shafik and Tamer Abdullah. MAD Distribution is responsible for the film’s distribution and sales in the Arab-speaking world, while MAD World handles its worldwide sales.
As for Sara Suliman’s Sudanese documentary HEROIC BODIES, the documentary recently held a special screening followed by a Q&A with the director at the Cairo Opera House.
HEROIC BODIES held its world premiere at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and was the first Sudanese feature film to be chosen for the festival's Frontlight Section. The film then went on to screen at the Malmö Arab Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award, besides winning the Shireen Abu Akleh Best Documentary Film Award at the Jerusalem Arab Film Festival.
It was also screened at the SAFAR, Ismailia, Zanzibar, Amman, London, and Karama Beirut Human Rights film festivals, as well as Arab Film Week at Cinema Akil in the UAE.
The film is a powerful female documentary by women, for all women resisting and fighting for an equitable place in their societies
HEROIC BODIES — which stars Aya Tariq, Yassin Raief, Ahmed Raief, and Aya Ahmed — follows Sudanese women across different eras, where ownership of their bodies was denied. However, a courageous group of women rises up, using their bodies as a form of resistance, ultimately transforming violated bodies into ‘Heroic Bodies.’
MAD World handles the film’s worldwide sales while MAD Distribution handles the film’s distribution in Arab-speaking countries.
The two film’s additional screening times are as follows:
MEMOIRS OF M.A DRAZ: Friday, July 26th at 2 pm; Saturday, July 27th at 4:30 pm; and Monday, July 29th at 9:30 pm.
HEROIC BODIES: Thursday, July 25th at 9:30 pm and Friday, July 26th at 4:30 pm.
When it comes to MEMOIRS OF M.A DRAZ, the film was hailed as “one of the best films of the year in terms of idea, structure, and topic” by esteemed Egyptian film critic Mahmoud Abd El Shakour, who also commended the film's “ability to touch both the mind and the soul” and invited others to see it, expressing his hope to see it on television as well.
Recently earning two prestigious awards at the 2024 Aswan International Women Film Festival, the documentary chronicles the extraordinary life of Azharite scholar Mohamed Abdallah Draz. Crafted by Morgan and co-writer Taghreed El-Asfoury, the film delves into Draz's life through a treasure trove of letters, diaries, and photographs discovered by his great-granddaughter, Noha ElKholy.
From his humble beginnings in Mahallat Diyay to his scholarly pursuits in Paris, the film paints a vivid portrait of a man far ahead of his time, advocating for equal opportunities for his daughters and sons long before the rise of feminism in the Middle East.
With its world premiere at the Aswan International Women Film Festival earning the Rasheeda Abdelsalam Special Jury Award and the Euro-Mediterranean Award, the film has solidified its status as a cinematic masterpiece.
MEMOIRS OF M.A DRAZ has garnered critical acclaim for its hauntingly beautiful narration by Sedky Sakr and the evocative musical score by Khaled Al Kammar, elevating the documentary to an unforgettable cinematic experience.
Directed by Maggie Morgan and co-written alongside Taghreed El-Asfoury, the film was produced by Noha ElKhouly, lensed by Amgad Reyad, Olivier Dury, Emad Nabil, and Akram Mamdouh and edited by Amgad Shafik and Tamer Abdullah. MAD Distribution is responsible for the film’s distribution and sales in the Arab-speaking world, while MAD World handles its worldwide sales.
As for Sara Suliman’s Sudanese documentary HEROIC BODIES, the documentary recently held a special screening followed by a Q&A with the director at the Cairo Opera House.
HEROIC BODIES held its world premiere at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and was the first Sudanese feature film to be chosen for the festival's Frontlight Section. The film then went on to screen at the Malmö Arab Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award, besides winning the Shireen Abu Akleh Best Documentary Film Award at the Jerusalem Arab Film Festival.
It was also screened at the SAFAR, Ismailia, Zanzibar, Amman, London, and Karama Beirut Human Rights film festivals, as well as Arab Film Week at Cinema Akil in the UAE.
The film is a powerful female documentary by women, for all women resisting and fighting for an equitable place in their societies
HEROIC BODIES — which stars Aya Tariq, Yassin Raief, Ahmed Raief, and Aya Ahmed — follows Sudanese women across different eras, where ownership of their bodies was denied. However, a courageous group of women rises up, using their bodies as a form of resistance, ultimately transforming violated bodies into ‘Heroic Bodies.’
MAD World handles the film’s worldwide sales while MAD Distribution handles the film’s distribution in Arab-speaking countries.
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