Sheherazade, Tell Me A Story

(Movies That Matter) Hebba Younis (Mona Zaki) is a modern TV host. ‘Egypt’s Oprah Winfrey’ is pressured by her husband Karim (El Raddad) to avoid bringing up political subjects in her talk show – only that way he will have a chance to become editor in chief of the state-owned newspaper. Hebba therefore chooses to conduct personal interviews with women from all layers of society. Their stories cause even more outrage, though, since they do not portray Egyptian men in a very flattering way. What’s personal reveals itself to be political, too – with all its consequences for Karim and Hebba.

Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story is a radically feminist movie by Yousry Nasrallah, and an indictment of the role played by men in Egyptian society. It is presumably for that reason that the movie became a big hit among Egyptian cinema goers.

Director: Yousry Nasrallah

Showing: May 9, 2012

Has been shown at the: Doha Tribeca Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Abu Dhabi Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival

RT: 135 mins