BASRA  
 

Run time: 94mins

Year: 2008

Format: Shot in HD and blow it up to 35mm

Director and writer: Ahmed Rashwan

Production Supervisor : Haitham Hakki
 

Producer: Ahmed Rashwan
 

Production Company : Reelfilms Productions

Executive producer : Dream Production

Cinematography : Victor Credi

Editing : Nadia Hassan

Art Director : Wessam Arafa

Sound : Ibrahim Desoky – Gasser Khorshid

Cast: Bassem Samra ( Tarek)- Yara Goubran ( Nahla)- Eyad Nassar ( Hamada)-Nahed El Sebai ( Maha) - Christine Solomon ( Bouthina ) – Mohamed El-Ahmady (Ziad ) - Fatma Adel ( Hind) - Aya Soliman ( Nayra)  -Naglaa Younes ( Ghada)  - Wagih Agamy ( Hamada’s Father) - Dalia Ramzy ( Farida ) - Rasha Fares ( Randa) – Ahmed Rashwan ( Hotel Receptionist ) -  Abeer Mekawy ( Nada)

1st Assistant director : Hossam Nour El-Din

2nd Assistant director: Ayten Amin – Sameh Awad – Salah El Gazar

Production Managers: Mohamed Ramadan - Ahmed Refai  -  Ali Fayez

Location Manager : Habi Seoud

Makeup Artist : Walid Abdallah

Visual effects : Ahmed Abdel Monem - Ramy El Kerdany

Lyrics : Ahmed Haddad
 

Music : Sherif Elwesseimy

Sound Recording : Gasser Khorshid - Mohab Ezz Eldin - Abdel Rahman Mahmoud
 

Sound Mixing: Ibrahim El desouki

Post Production: Dream Production

Color Correction and Blow Up: Sinefekt - Istanbul - Turkey
 

Synopsis :

Cairo, March 17, 2003. The US- UK strike against Iraq is imminent. How can an Egyptian photographer, in his thirties, surpass his own disappointments & fears? How can he find an answer to the existential questions related to life, death, sex and logic amidst his awareness of all the absurdity around him? Can this artist remain alive (breathing, thinking, and photographing) surviving the oppressive atmosphere? Or is he going to collapse with the fall of Baghdad?

Festivals :

• Mostra de Valencia Film Festival – Spain- October 08

• Sao Paulo International Film Festival – Brazil – October08

• Cairo International Film Festival –Arab Competition – November 08

• Pan African Film Festival (FESPACO) – Burkina Faso – March 09

• Cape Winlands International Film Festival–South Africa–March 09

• Sousse International Film Festival – Tunisia – March 09

• 15th National Film Festival – Cairo - Egypt – April 09

• Arab Film Festival- Rotterdam – Holland - June 09

• Beirut International Film Festival – Lebanon October 09

• Arab film Festival – San Francisco – USA – October 09

• Arab Film Festival – Brussels – Belgium – November 09

Awards:

• The script of (BASRA) has been awarded a prize at the scriptwriting workshop competition – Alexandria Film Festival 2003,

• The script also awarded a grant from Global Film Initiative- USA. 2007.

"BASRA" awarded :
 

• Best cinematography ( Victor Credi) : Mostra de Valencia– Spain- October 2008

• Best Screenplay, Arab Feature Films Competition, Cairo International Film Festival (Shared with Palestinian film " Laila's Birthday ") November 2008

• Best Director (for first Feature Film) and 3rd production award - 15th National Film Festival – Cairo - Egypt – April 2009

• Best Actor ( Bassem Samra) and Special mention for supporting actress ( Fatma Adel ) - Arab Film Festival- Rotterdam – June 09

• The Jury Award  for best long film- Arab Film Festival – Brussels – Belgium – November 09