Microphone

Director Ahmad Abdalla (Heliopolis) adroitly navigates the alternative scene in Alexandria - hip-hoppers, rooftop rockers, graffiti artists and filmmakers - in this energetic and captivating film that has become all the more topical given recent events in Egypt. Khaled (Khaled Abol Naga) returns home after years living abroad. Struggling to reconnect with his ailing father and his ex-girlfriend - who is frustrated by the city and plans to emigrate - he wanders the streets and soon becomes immersed in the pulsating cultural life of the city. Outraged that the city's most promising creative talent is sidelined by conservative forces, Khaled finds a renewed focus setting up a club to showcase the talent he discovers. Achieving a cogent interplay between the flexibility of cinematographer Tarek Hefny's verité shooting style, the bustling, labyrinthine streets and the multitude of diverse artists they record, Abdalla's film is a living, breathing tribute to and critique of contemporary Egypt.

Watch Microphone trailer here.