2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

Write a short summary of what happens in the film

Egypt witnesses extremely absurd-looking situations, especially in terms of transportation on the streets, yet have become too accustomed to them all to the extent that it has become the norm. The film showcases the journey of a young man leaving his house and reaching the Swvl bus meeting point. He is seen unbothered by all the absurdity in order to highlight the ridicule; from kids riding in the trunk of a car, to a man lifted-up in the sky by a crane, a dressed-up dog on a bike, cows as average passengers, to the ridiculous car-versus-toktok accident. The film follows the journey from the man’s point of view; using every frame’s background and foreground to showcase the chaotic streets, while the music ironically sets a peaceful mood for the man.

Cultural / Context information for the jury

Egyptian streets absurdity is referring to the illogical situations seen on the streets. If you take a walk for 5 mins; and focus on what’s happening around, you will be surprised. Absurdity today is a normal occurrence that goes unnoticed by most; however, some situations are just too ridiculous to not be emphasized. Egyptian’s have found mediums, such as Facebook groups and hashtags “onlyinEgypt” to display and share the absurdity they’ve seen, from the streets to everywhere else. A toktok is an unlicensed 3-wheel rickshaw. It is the main mode of transportation for rural areas and people believe that it is cheap, fast, widespread and always available. Although all of this is true, the toktok can be an extremely dangerous mode of transportation due to its lightweight it easily gets involved in ridiculous accidents.

Tell the jury anything relevant about the direction. Do not name the director.

This film shows the young man’s daily journey amidst Egypt’s chaotic traffic. He is followed by a steady cam at times and dolly at others, to ensure smooth camera movement. He plays a song in his earphones, which becomes the soundtrack for the film, setting the mood. The smooth camera movement compliments the music, with a few close-ups and cut ins to help to hammer on situations that need an emphasis. The location choice was to ensure the authenticity, however; production logistics was a nightmare. The film was shot in the busiest parking lot, with uncontrolled traffic in the background and curious bystanders. The lightening needed to be maintained to tell a story of a two-minute journey. The cast members chosen were all inexperienced and new to acting, in order to get real reactions to convey the real story to the consumer.