The Mafrouza cycle comprises five films shot by Emmanuelle Demoris over a two-year period in the neighborhood of the same name, a shantytown built by its inhabitants on the remains of a Greco-Roman necropolis in Alexandria, Egypt. The area has since been destroyed, but the film captures to a remarkable degree the very special people who lived here—their daily lives of struggle and happiness, and the special strength and heterogeneity of the community. Built progressively with the people of Mafrouza, each film finds its protagonists organically, and allows them to determine its particular narrative arc.  The five films of the Mafrouza cycle will be screened once each in chronological order; each is an autonomous work that can be appreciated independent of the others. The series concludes with a special Modern Mondays event featuring a discussion with Demoris. All films are directed by Emmanuelle Demoris and in Arabic with English subtitles.

Program Information:

Emmanuelle Demoris’s Mafrouza Cycle