If there’s any constant in the Egyptian film-making industry, it’s that short and indie movies will always kick the mainstream movies in the behind. So when some of the biggest names in the independent movies world create a big mainstream film, we just knew it had to be good!
Ali, The Goat and Ibrahim is that movie, and we were pleasantly surprised when we watched it. The movie is director Sherif El Bendary’s first feature film that’s produced by Mohamed Hefzy and Hossam Elouan. The original story is written by Ibrahim El Batout, while the screenplay is written by Ahmed Amer.
The cast of the movie include: Ali Sobhy, Ahmed Magdy, Nahed El Sebai, Salwa Mohamed Aly, and Osama Abu El Ata. It also features guest stars Sabry Fawwaz, Asser Yassin, and Gamil Barsoum.
In a nutshell, without spoiling anything about Ali, The Goat and Ibrahim, the movie is about the strange love story of a young man living in a rough neighborhood. He travels across Egypt, after a psychic advised him to, with his friend that’s notoriously known for hearing voices in his head. Their journey turns into a voyage of friendship and self-discovery.
The Scoop team got the chance to talk with the star of the movie, Ahmed Magdy, and discuss the story lines and goats (obviously).
What made you agree to be part of this movie?
As soon as I knew Sherif El Bendary was the director, I was interested because Sherif is one of the best independent directors out there. By the time I started working on my short movies, Sherif was already a well-established director and his work was always a reference for starters like me – artistically and technically. It was a privilege to be a part of his magic.
We sat together and he talked to me about the movie, and I liked his narration of the story. Later when I read the script, I was blown away with how it was written. The script was written in an exceptional way that’s quite rare to find.
What were your thoughts on Ibrahim’s character?
I liked the fact that Ibrahim was basically the other side of Ali. The movie is originally called “Ali Me3za (Ali the Goat)” and Ibrahim is basically his mirror. Ali is an extroverted character that everyone in his area knows due to his mental disturbance. His dirty laundry is out there for everyone to see.
Ibrahim on the other hand is an introvert who’s living in the shadows and no one really knows him. He suffers in silence, and he feels cursed. And this was the type of character I’d love to play, maybe even more than Ali.
What was your biggest challenge in the movie? Was it the goat or Ibrahim?
Dealing with the goat in general was very easy. Goats are very peaceful creatures. The goat was kind, smart and very playful most of the time.
The hardest part for me was dealing with the buzzing noise. Ibrahim’s character suffers from tinnitus (extreme ringing in the ears). That condition is real, and it was so hard and painful to me to experience the suffering of others through this role.
I had to practice a lot. We had to create levels of the episodes that happen to Ibrahim (from 1 to 10) and decide how bad it’ll be in each scene. We had this phone application that mimics the buzzing sound he gets, and we’d set the level of pain. I used to practice on set and even at home. It wasn’t about “acting well” but more of delivering the pain to the audience. It was very challenging.
(SKIP THIS QUESTION AS IT CONTAINS SPOILERS. WE REPEAT, SKIP THIS QUESTION AS IT CONTAINS SPOILERS. THIS IS NOT A DRILL!) The ending of the movie was more fantasy-like, than realistic. Did you guys want this direction, or you simply didn’t want to face the issues of mental disorders and chronic pain in the movie?
From the very start, we all wanted to take the fantasy direction and we all agreed on it. We’re not working on a medical film or documentary. We wanted to discuss magic and voodoo, and it was a major part of the movie’s story.
From two great actors, to an incredible director and a very strong script. What’s the movie’s strongest asset, in your opinion?
I think the strongest assets of the movie, in order, is the concept of the movie, followed by the story, the scenario, the director, then the actors. However, if any of those assets were taken out, the movie would’ve failed. The combination of everything is really what made this movie great.
WE SAID THIS: Ali, The Goat and Ibrahim isn’t a movie you’ll want to miss! Find out where and when to watch it in Cairo here.