It is the screening program of Cinema Everywhere Initiative “Cinema Fi Kol Makan” with support from the British Council in Egypt. Obtained the supporting grant from the British Council in Egypt within the Grants to Artists program for the year 2014, where the grants were focusing on the projects oriented to the communities that weren’t interacting with arts or cultural activities. Thanks to this grant we were able to buy some simple devices that imitate in miniature the screening tools in the traditional theatres, easy to carry, and move to set up the screenings. We were able with these simple devices to reach to other sectors of culturally deprived audiences in areas in far places in Alexandria.
Ten (10) free entrance screenings were set up from 2014/9/19 to 2014/12/25 in 10 non-cultural spaces never have been used in any cultural or artistic event, screening 24 films for Young independent Egyptian and Arab filmmakers including (Short Fiction, Documentary, Animation, and Experimental Video Art).
1 screening in a traditional Nubian Club.
2 screenings in Deaf associations with the presence of an Interpreter.
1 screening in a service center in a rural village in the outskirts of Alexandria.
6 screenings were set up in local cafes.
Films Screened in Cinema For All People program :
Beirut Take 1 (Documentary), Directed by Ahmed Rashwan.
Hesitation (Short Fiction), Directed by Mony Mahmoud.
A Photo & A Fram (Short Fiction), Directed by Mohamed Saadoun.
A Bride for Nubia (Documentary), Directed by Ahmed Hassouna.
Cairographu (Experimental), Dalia Naaous, and Kenda Hassan.
The Who (Short Fiction), Directed by Mohamed Fathalla.
Caika Bel Crema (Short Fiction), Directed by Ahmed Magdy.
Life and Hereafter (Short Fiction), Directed by Khaled Khella.
A Bird Dream (Short Fiction), Directed by Mony Mahmoud.
Experience 4 (Experimental ), Directed Islam Kamal.
Nostalgia (Short Fiction), Directed by Farouk Kassem.
Away from Heat (Short Fiction), Directed by Mina Nabil.
I have a dream (Short Fiction), Directed by Amroush.
Without Make Up (Short Feature), Directed by Hossam Nour Eldin.
Light (Short Fiction), Directed by Mostafa El Ajwady.
Makadi (Short Fiction), Directed by Mona Makram.
This is not a Pipe (Short Fiction), Directed by Dina Abdel Salam.
Waiting (Short Fiction), Directed by Mahamed Saadoun.
Al Nadaha (Documentary), Directed by Zakaria Ibrahim.
A Diary of a Dress (Short Fiction), Directed by Samah Hamdy.
Public Domains (Experimental Video Art), Directed Islam Kamal.
Zizo – 8 Mins (Documentary), Directed by Ahmed Magdy.
Some achievements during executing “Cinema for All People” screening program:
Lots of volunteers joined the program to help in the technical works, documentation, and in choosing the locations of screenings.
We set up 10 screenings in 10 different places which have never been used before in any artistic or cultural activity.
We chose neighborhoods and difficult variety of places in local and squatter settlements, rural and neglected areas in where the inhabitants are marginalized; these places have never seen any cultural or artistic events. It was a hard work but interesting when you introduce yourself for the people of the place you’re going to use as an alternative cultural space (Local Café / NGO, etc). The first impression for the audience is (Surprise), but Soon the surprising fades when we start talking to them and they watch the films. We find them reacting in the discussion which takes place around the film, and in the end they request that we come back to set up new screenings.
Happiness of the members of Deaf Associations that we set up a screening for them in 3rd day Adha feast. They expressed their happiness and joy with the screenings and films and that was for the following reasons :
Because they were able to watch the movies and enjoy the atmosphere of Cinema enjoyed by their healthy peers.
Lots of who watched the films and particularly in Nubian, Deaf associations requested that they learn how to make an Independent film about them to express their problems, their dreams, and their community. Deaf and Dumb told us that they have ideas and they want to make independent films.
We were able to realize the dream of filmmakers, that their films reach the audience, to be watched by ordinary people who know nothing about the independent cinema, never heard about it or its filmmakers.
Many Independent Filmmakers contacted us from Egypt and the Arab region, requesting us to screen their production, and they sent us copies of it to screen in our next tour.
Many young people contacted us from many different provinces, they sent us messages through our page on Facebook or Email, saying that they want to set up screenings in their provinces like Fayoum, Tanta, Suhag, and MarsaMatrouh , Including the president of the Student Union of Tanta University who requested us to set up a screening in Tanta University, and we told them that we will organize screenings in the provinces and that we will go to them in our next tour .
Many critics and Egyptian and Arab filmmakers praised us.
Lots of Printed and online newspapers and Talk shows were interested in “Cinema for All People” program. These program hosted the Founder of initiative and conducted lots of press interviews with him.
We were able provide alternative non-cultural spaces and areas that we discovered- to execute “Cinema for All People” program – to lots of artists and cultural activists who used these spaces in their cultural and artistic activities.