Q: What inspired the story behind your short film?
A: I was inspired by a picture taken by Abdel Sabour, the guide on the Internet. It showed a happy man washing his horse from a bridge. I started searching for Abdel Sabour, and surprisingly, he was also looking for me. So, I made the film with him.
Q: Can you discuss any unique challenges you faced during production?
A: This film was self-produced, and everyone worked together to bring it to life despite the very low budget.
Q: How did you approach character development within the limited runtime of a short film?
A: By living alongside Abdel Sabour. He came to my hometown, met my friends, and we talked about everything apart from the film. This helped me understand the threads of his character.
Q: What message or emotion do you hope the audience takes away from your film?
A: Acceptance of differences and understanding the logic of contradiction. We are all human beings with unique traits.
Q: How do you see your short film fitting into your broader body of work or future projects?
A: It reflects my ambitions and life experience in exploring human characters. I believe that writing and exploration are what led to my directorial debut in documentation.
Q: If you could cast any actor, living or dead, in your next project, who would it be and why?
A: Egyptian actor Ahmed Rateb. He was very influential in my upbringing, a sincere actor who could seamlessly transition between characters.
Q: What’s the strangest piece of advice you’ve ever received about filmmaking?
A: “Make films and be a director, but don’t live as a director, or you’ll become an employee in the art field.”
Q: Why are festivals like the FAME Shorts Film Festival so important?
A: It’s vital for this film to reach people everywhere, as the world is vast, and we must all coexist in peace.