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1981
Volume 14, Issue 1
  • ISSN: 2042-7824
  • E-ISSN: 2042-7832

Abstract

Cairo has been described as a city of dualities, in the sense of its conflict between the traditions of the past and the modern values of the present. The city has witnessed rapid transformations in terms of its sociocultural aspects due to political, economic and religious changes. In his work, the acclaimed and legendary Egyptian filmmaker Youssef Chahine portrayed such changes in his 1991 short semi-documentary () in surrealistic and flâneurie ways. This article breaks down Chahine’s visual interpretation of Cairo to reveal his sense of in-betweenness as a form of urban surrealism. The film offers fragmented episodes of Cairo that are assembled to reflect Chahine’s imagination and collective memory. In filming , Chahine transformed his portrait of the city into a self-reflexive illustration of a filmmaker who expresses deep admiration for Cairo and its inhabitants.

© 2024 Intellect Ltd
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2024-06-21
2026-04-17

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References

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A surrealistic vérité: Chahine’s in-betweenness in his illustration of Cairo
Short Film Studies 14, 73 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1386/sfs_00112_1
/content/journals/10.1386/sfs_00112_1
/content/journals/10.1386/sfs_00112_1
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  • Article Type: Article
Keyword(s): cinematic; filmmaker; flâneur; megacity; short film; society; urban space

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