Based on a real life character, Asmaa is the story of an HIV positive female in her 40's. Originally from the countryside, she left her village after the death of her husband and lives in Cairo with her father and her 17 year old daughter, barely getting by with her salary as an airport janitor. Like many other HIV patients in her social class, Asmaa suffers not only from the scarcity and price of HIV treatment, but also from the feelings of social seclusion and fear of her illness being exposed, even to those closest to her. For months, Asmaa has suffered also from a simple bladder infection, a situation that can be easily treated with simple surgery. Yet because of her HIV positive status, no doctor (private or public) has been willing to carry out the procedure. Some refuse out of ignorance and fear, while others refuse because of their preconception of HIV patients as morally corrupt sinners. With a ticking clock, she must find a solution before her condition becomes fatal.
Her chance comes when she is offered to appear on a famous TV Talk Show presented by Mohsen El Sisi, one of the Arab world's leading TV personalities. This widely viewed public appearance would presents her with what seems like a last chance to fight the system and secure her right for treatment.
The only catch is that she must come out with her face and identity exposed; something no HIV patient has dared do up till that point in Egypt. The consequences would simply prove too costly, bringing shame and further exclusion from society. With only hours to decide, Asmaa must choose between exposing her secret, which so far was only known to her father, doctor, and a group of fellow patients, or continue to suffer in silence; ultimately a choice between social and psychological suicide or a slow physical death.
estrelado / starring / avec : Hend Sabry, Maged El Kedwani, Hani Adel, Ahmed Kamal, Sayed Ragab, Botros Ghali, Fatma Adel
a film by / un film de Amr SALAMA
Egypt | 2011, Feature Fiction 1h36 mins | Arabic | English subtitles | Color | 35mm
Contains: Adult themes
NOTE BY THE PROGRAMMER Asma'a (Hend Sabry) left the colorful comfort of her rural home for the city and is now struggling to raise her teenage daughter and nurse her aging father. The young Egyptian woman is careful around her neighbors and colleagues, for fear that her reputation will be sullied. She suffers from a gall-bladder problem, but no doctor is willing to operate because Asma'a has a secret: she is HIV-positive.
In a world where HIV/AIDS is still stigmatized, Asma'a survives by avoiding any situation that might make it known that she is infected. It takes the fateful intervention of Mohsen (Maged El Kedwani), the bold host of a daring TV show, to teach Asma'a to speak out and fight back against her illness and the ignorance of society.
Sabry shines in the role, which she delivers with deeply affecting grace. Her courage in portraying a marginalized character in circumstances deemed taboo by society is at once humanitarian and artful. Co-starring are the charismatic El Kedwani and the up-and-coming Hani Adel, who plays Asma'a's husband.
Writer/director Amr Salama -whose first film On a Day Like Today had its premiere at ADFF in 2008 -displays masterful cinematography and haunting imagery in this second film, revealing a matured style that is well suited to the story's delicate subject. Based on real-life events, Asma'a tackles thorny issues that will certainly spark heated debate. -Camille Mallat (5th Abu Dhabi Film Festival - ADFF 2011)
Título / Original Title / Titre Original : Asmaa (Asma'a) Duração / Duración / Runtime / Durée : 96' (1h 36 minutes, 01:36:00) Tipo / Type / Type : Longa-metragem Documentário / Feature Fiction / Long-métrage Fiction Gênero / Genre : Drama / Drama / Drame Idioma / Languages / Langues de tournage : Arabic Subtítulos / Subtitles / Sous-titres : Francês, Inglês / French, English / Français, Anglais Ano de Produção / Year of production / Année de production : 2011 Ano de lançamento / Year of Release / Année de Sortie : 2011 Cores / Colors / Couleurs : Cor / Color / Couleur Suporte de difusão / Media / Support de diffusion : Formato / Aspect Ratio / Format Image : Formato de som / Sound Mix / Format Son : Visa Number / Numéro de visa (France) : Orçamento estimado / Estimated Budget / Budget prévisionnel : Période et lieux de tournage : TAGS : HIV, VIH, Sida,
ELENCO / CAST / ACTRICES-ACTEURS Hind Sabri (as Hend Sabri aka Hend Sabry)................ Asmaa (Asma'a) Maged El-Kidwani (Maged El Kedwani)...................... (Mohsen) Muhsen El-Sisi Hany Adel (as Hani Adel).......................................... Mosaad (Asma'a's husband) Ahmed Kamal............................................................ Sayed Ragab.............................................................. Boutros Ghali (as Boutros-Boutros Ghali)...................... Fatmah Adel (as Fatma Adel)........................................ Dana Abed.............................................................. Nora Samia Asaad............................................................... Mohamed Abdel Azim..................................................... Mahmoud Azzazy (as Mahmoud El-Azazy)......................... Pharmacist Abdelhakim Darwish..................................................... Laila Ezz El Arab......................................................... Raafat El Bayoumi........................................................ Samer El-Minyawi........................................................ Samer El-Minyawi (as Samer Elminyawi)........................ Ameer Salah Eldin........................................................ Ahmed Elkholy............................................................ Mohamed Farouk....................................................... Mousa Bayoumi Fouad (as Bayyumi Fuad).............................. Mohamed Nasser Hamza............................................. Maged Mohamed Mahmoud Ibrahim........................................ Ali Idris (as Ali Adris).................................................. Ahmed Maher............................................................. Reda Mostafa Nasr.............................................................. Zakaria Abdel Rahim.................................................... Walid Marwa Tharwat............................................................ Abdelrahman Yasser..................................................... Issam W. Zaid..............................................................
Guionista / Screenwriter / Scénariste : Amr SALAMA
Diretor de Fotografia / Director of Photography / Directeur de la photo : Ahmed Gabr
Director de Som / Sound Recordist (Sound Engineer) / Ingénieur du son : Ahmad ADNAN
Música / Composer (Original Music) / Musique :
Montagem / Editor / Monteuse : Amr SALAH (as Amro Salah) Aly Mourad ... rough cut editor
Production Design / Décors : Hend Haider
Art Direction / Directrice Artistique : Hend HAIDER Ahmed Bakhit (???)
Makeup Department / Maquillage & Coiffure : Jo Allen ... makeup & hair designer / special makeup designer Tilly Calder ... assistant makeup artist Tricia Cameron ... hair stylist Mark English ... hairdresser
Assistant Directors Ihab Amr ... assistant director Karim El-Shinnawi ... assistant director Mohamed Fawzy ... assistant director
2011 | 5th Abu Dhabi Film Festival - ADFF 2011 | Oct. 13-22, 2011 * New Horizons / Afaq Jadida Competition * Best Director from the Arab World (New Horizons Competition) "For the bold and important choice of a topic that will engage conversation about the significance of cinema in raising awareness" * Best Actor (New Horizons Competition) - Maged El Kedwany "A natural and restrained performance bringing to life a character with human complexity and emotional conflict" * World Premiere www.abudhabifilmfestival.ae/en/program/films/2011/detail?f=6492
Fontes / Our Source / Quelle / Nos Sources (MAIS INFORMAÇÕES / READ MORE / PLUS D'INFOS) : - Africiné Magazine - www.abudhabifilmfestival.ae/en/program/films/2011/detail?f=6492 - www.imdb.com/title/tt1826603/ Updated by Thierno DIA, 16 Dec 2023
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