In a celebration of the Golden Age of Arab Cinema, Eshmawi Film produced a video titled El Khateeb. Filmed alongside the music of renowned Lebanese band Mashrou’ Leila, and a script written by Wesam Nassar and Hala Alsalman, El Khateeb is a salute to the grandiose history of Arab cinema along with an avant-garde narrative. The video pays tribute to the cultural richness of Arab cities like Beirut, Baghdad and Cairo, which are foundations of tradition, art and literature.
Over 75 people of Middle-Eastern descent were involved in the filming and creation of the video, comprising a diverse range of talents and identities. Depicting the idiosyncratic feel of bustling Cairo and Alexandria in the 1950s, the video reminds us of the splendor of Arab cinema, in all its theatrical glory. Inspired by classic Egyptian films like Awlad El Youm, The Night Train and The Bandit, El Khateeb translates the melodrama, romance and nostalgia of these classic films, which have been such a cornerstone of Arab culture for decades.
For more information: Mashrou’ Leila, Eshmawi Film, @EshmawiFilms, @Mashrou3Leila