Asmaa (Asma'a)

  • Asmaa (Asma'a)
© Pacha Pictures
Genre : Drama
Type : Fiction
Original title :
Principal country concerned : Column : Cinema/tv
Year of production : 2011
Format : Feature
Running time : 96 (in minutes)
http://www.pachapictures.com/

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..............................................................

EXECUTIVO PRODUTOR / EXECUTIVE PRODUCER / PRODUCTEUR DÉLÉGUÉ :
Mohamed HEFZY

PRODUTORA ASSOCIADA / ASSOCIATE PRODUCER / PRODUCTRICE ASSOCIÉE :
Bushra ROZZA

REALIZADOR / DIRECTOR / RÉALISATEUR :
Amr SALAMA

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

Sound mixer (Sound Designer) / Mixeur :
Gomaa ABDEL-LATIF

Visual Effects by
Roshdy Ahmed ... visual effects (as Ahmed Roshdy)
Kareem Sultan ... digital compositor / visual effects supervisor

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Yasmine Elkady ... assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Fady Melek ... colourist
Tamer Mortada ... post production supervisor

Additional Crew
Rasha Gawdat ... production assistant


Formats :
16 mm (shooting / tournage)
35 mm (screening / projection)


PRODUÇÃO / PRODUCTION / PRODUCTION :
Film Clinic

CO- PRODUÇÃO / CO- PRODUCTION / COPRODUCTION :
New Century

PARTNERS / PARTENAIRES
....................................

VERLEIH / DISTRIBUIÇÃO / DISTRIBUTION / DISTRIBUTION :

VENTES / SALES
Pacha Pictures

RELEASE / SORTIE SALLES :
....................................

CONTACT (Print Copy / Diffusion du film, Festivals)
Delphyne Besse
Pacha Pictures | dbesse(@)pachapictures.com | www.pachapictures.com/



FESTIVALS - PROJECÇÕES / FESTIVALS - SCREENINGS / PROJECTIONS (selection)

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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