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MEMOIRS OF M.A DRAZ to screen at the French Institutes in Cairo and Alexandria
05 February 2025
Maggie Morgan’s documentary on one of Egypt’s most beloved Azharite icons MEMOIRS OF M.A DRAZ is to hold a special screening at both Cairo and Alexandria’s French Institutes, with Cairo’s screening set for Thursday, February 6th, at 9 pm, followed by a discussion with executive producer Noha ElKholy.
The film will also be screening the following day at the Institute’s Alexandrian branch on Friday, February 7th, at 7 pm.
MEMOIRS OF M.A DRAZ stands out as both an archival and cultural masterpiece, highlighting an icon of Islamic history in Egypt: Azharite scholar Mohamed Abdallah Draz, who was noted for his progressive views that espoused tolerance and gender equality long before the rise of conventional feminism.
Decades after his death, Noha ElKholy uncovers letters, diaries, and photographs left behind by her great-grandfather. Through this archive, she embarks on a journey to illuminate M.A. Draz’s life story, from his humble beginnings in the village of Mahallat Diyay to his formative years in Alexandria and his scholarly pursuits in Paris.
MEMOIRS OF M.A DRAZ held its world premiere at the Aswan International Women’s Film Festival, where it won both the Rashida Abdel Salam Award as well as the EU Prize for Best Euro-Mediterranean Film Addressing Women’s Issues. The film also screened as part of the Goethe Film Week at the Goethe Institute in Cairo.
Directed by Maggie Morgan and written by Taghreed El Asfouri, the film was executive produced by Noha ElKholy, edited by Amgad Shafik and Tamer Abdallah, lensed by Emad Nabil, scored by Khaled Al-Kammar, and narrated by Sedki Sakhr. Meanwhile, MAD Distribution handles the film’s sales and distribution in the Arab World and MAD World handles its sales worldwide.
Maggie Morgan is an Egyptian filmmaker, festival curator, and film professor at the American University in Cairo. She previously directed the 2013 film ASHAM, and produced IN THE LAST DAYS OF THE CITY. She also directed the film FROM MEIR TO MEIR; which won the Best Egyptian Film Award at the fourth Aswan International Film Festival, Special Jury Prize at the 23rd National Egyptian Film Festival, and Ahmed Bakri Award at the 38th Jerusalem International Film Festival.
The film will also be screening the following day at the Institute’s Alexandrian branch on Friday, February 7th, at 7 pm.
MEMOIRS OF M.A DRAZ stands out as both an archival and cultural masterpiece, highlighting an icon of Islamic history in Egypt: Azharite scholar Mohamed Abdallah Draz, who was noted for his progressive views that espoused tolerance and gender equality long before the rise of conventional feminism.
Decades after his death, Noha ElKholy uncovers letters, diaries, and photographs left behind by her great-grandfather. Through this archive, she embarks on a journey to illuminate M.A. Draz’s life story, from his humble beginnings in the village of Mahallat Diyay to his formative years in Alexandria and his scholarly pursuits in Paris.
MEMOIRS OF M.A DRAZ held its world premiere at the Aswan International Women’s Film Festival, where it won both the Rashida Abdel Salam Award as well as the EU Prize for Best Euro-Mediterranean Film Addressing Women’s Issues. The film also screened as part of the Goethe Film Week at the Goethe Institute in Cairo.
Directed by Maggie Morgan and written by Taghreed El Asfouri, the film was executive produced by Noha ElKholy, edited by Amgad Shafik and Tamer Abdallah, lensed by Emad Nabil, scored by Khaled Al-Kammar, and narrated by Sedki Sakhr. Meanwhile, MAD Distribution handles the film’s sales and distribution in the Arab World and MAD World handles its sales worldwide.
Maggie Morgan is an Egyptian filmmaker, festival curator, and film professor at the American University in Cairo. She previously directed the 2013 film ASHAM, and produced IN THE LAST DAYS OF THE CITY. She also directed the film FROM MEIR TO MEIR; which won the Best Egyptian Film Award at the fourth Aswan International Film Festival, Special Jury Prize at the 23rd National Egyptian Film Festival, and Ahmed Bakri Award at the 38th Jerusalem International Film Festival.
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