Indie Arabic film Villa 69, a movie exploring the themes of intimacy and loss, is opening in theaters across Egypt today.
Supported in part by Film Clinic, a production house headed by Mohamed Hefzy known for the chances it takes on promising new directors and unique films, Villa 69 premiered at this year’s Abu Dhabi Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Award.
Villa 69 is an exemplary instance of what Film Clinic does best. This is Ayten Amin’s first feature film; you’ll know her from her award-winning documentary Tahrir 2011: the Good, the Bad and the Politician.
“I knew Ayten from a previous film we did together, a documentary, and she had told me about Villa 69 and it sounded very exciting,” Hefzy told Scoop Empire. “So I wanted to work with her because she was very promising and when I read the script, I loved it right away and decided to co-produce it.”
The film follows the life of Hussein (played by veteran actor Khaled Abol Naga, known for his rist-taking roles), a moody bachelor living in seemingly content isolation – until his sister and great-nephew appear, along with a somber revelation and buried memories of his past.
“Villa 69 is about the everyday lives of people and this is why I think it might relate to many people – each in a different way,” Amin has said about the film.
Hefzy told us that what spoke to him most about Villa 69 was “how it approached death with a view to life. A film about death doesn’t have to be all bad and loss and all the things you can associate with death – and the fact that it was funny and light hearted and moving at the same time.”
“What’s interesting about it is it’s done with the spirit of independent cinema and yet it tries to reach a wider audience,” he explained.
“It’s got great acting and it’s really nice because most of the people in the film, a lot of them are working for the first time, but you also have some very experienced actors like Khaled Abol Naga and Lebleba,” Hefzy told us.
Check out where you can watch Villa 69 in theaters, below:
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