Life or Death

Fiction, director: Kamal al-Shaikh, Egypt, 1955, 75 min., Arab. with En. ST

> 02.05.2023 | 19.00 | Arsenal |

It’s Eid in Cairo. Ahmed (Imad Hamdi) is captivated by the sight of a dress showcased in an elegant store in Downtown. He imagines his daughter wearing it and decides to do his utmost to afford it as her Eid gift. Confronted by the harsh realities of his poverty and sickness, Ahmed falls into despair. When he sends his daughter to get an urgent medication, a thrilling journey begins for her through the daunting streets of the metropolis. Life or Death is a classic masterpiece of Arab cinema that captures the ambivalence of urban modernity and its temporal dimensions in post-independence Egypt. Influenced by neorealist perspectives, Kamal al-Shaikh chose to shoot the majority of the film on the streets of Cairo, endowing it with unique documentary qualities for its time. The film premiered in the Competition section of the Cannes Film Festival in 1955.

​​With the kind support of ARAB RADIO & TELEVISION (ART).