A FOOTNOTE IN BALLET HISTORY ?

Hisham Abdel Khalek

france usa saudi arabia egypt 2018 116 min

The establishment of classical ballet in Egypt under the auspices of the State during the Cold War is at the heart of an extraordinary saga, told by its first pioneers. Prima ballerina Magda Saleh and her fellow dancers recall five decades of history, from the founding of the first national ballet school with Soviet teachers and its early triumphs, through its decline, to the hopes of its revival today.

• About the film

  Directed by Hisham Abdel Khalek

  Screenplay Hisham Abdel Khalek Sahar Sherbini

  Cast Magda Saleh Diane Hakak Aleya Abdel Razek Wadoud Faizy Maya Selim

  Music Remon Sakr

  Cinematography Ismail El Abras Elliot Storey Steven Tong

  Editing Ramy Tadrous

  Production Companies So Freakantastik H and O Productions LLC

• Festivals & Awards

  Cairo International Film Festival
  2016 | International Panorama

  Mediterranean Film Festival Cannes
  2017 | Best Documentary Section

  FESPACO — Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou
  2017 | Documentary Competition
  3rd Prize — Best Documentary

  Dhaka International Film Festival
  2017 | Cinema of the World

  Luxor African Film Festival
  2017 | Official Selection — Out of Competition

  Alexandria Short Film Festival
  2017 | Special Section

  Sunlight International Film Festival
  2017 | Official Competition
  Special Award

  Archaeology Channel International Film Festival
  2017 | Official Competition

  Khartoum Arab Film Festival
  2017 | Official Competition

  Arabisches Film Festival Tübingen
  2017 | Official Competition

  PriMed — Festival de la Méditerranée en Images
  2017 | Official Competition

  Mawassem du cinéma arabe
  2017 | Official Selection

  Gold Movie Awards — Goddess Nike
  2017 | Official Monthly Selection

  Tiharqa International Award for Cinema and Art
  2017
  Best Script — Winner