onilecraM | Marcelino

We went to AUC to go listen to an Egyptian documentary film speak about his experiences. He was also working on an experimental narrative film project. He found several actors, including one that represents him. He is filming them using locations that he encounters in his daily life. So if he goes to a party, he brings his characters to the party and films them there. Since he was lecturing in the class, he brought the actors to the class, including his actor-self, who gave a lecture before he did about a film on female genital mutilation in Kenya that he had shot in 1994. Needless to say, it was very graphic. I thought it was a particularly interesting choice of a film to show to a classroom full mostly of girls, most of which I would say are conservative.

After he shot his scene, he then explained his project, and showed another film he had shot in 1997 about life in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. His cinematography is absolutely incredible. Jan said it best – the camera becomes a natural extension of his body. He almost never uses a tripod, but you could never tell. I filmed his whole presentation to the class – I think it might fit into the documentary somehow as a possible self-reflection on making documentary films and partly as a closer look into the lives of the girls we’ve been following.

Later on, we interviewed Ahmed in the library. We finally got in. Finally got approval to shoot there. It seems kinda trite, but that was a big accomplishment for John and I. The library has been the one and only location that has been proven difficult to shoot in, despite our AUC-wide approval to shoot everywhere, including the library. We had to get the library administration to approve. Even then, our interview with Ahmed was supervised by one of the library managers. Whatever. We didn’t ask anything political nor did we say anything obnoxious. After the interview, which by the way was Ahmed’s best thus far, we filmed him reading some books. I went to go take some photos from the rooftop and was stopped by security. Had to show him my pass while John explained it to him. Took my photos, wrapped things up, and headed back to the apartment.

Later in the evening, John, Nahla and I headed over to the Cairo Opera House to go see a jazz festival in an open amphitheatre. The same drummer from last night was playing with a different band. He still had a drum solo every song, and he still deserved it. He is seriously one of the best drummers I have ever seen.