A Girl's Secret
Sat. March 16 – 5:00pm
Seattle Premiere
Sponsored by Middle East Center,
Jackson School of International Studies,
University of Washington
|
A Girl's Secret Magdy Ahmed Ali, Egypt, 2001 91 min., 35mm |
A provocative milestone in Egyptian cinema, Ahmed Ali's third feature graphically portrays an urban society’s struggle to balance tradition and modernity. Through the story of sixteen-year-old Yasmeen, whose out-of-wedlock pregnancy sparks tragic consequences, A Girl’s Secret articulates the many questions on the minds of most Egyptians and Muslims around the world: Should women abide by Islam's stringent dress code? How can parents screen out unwanted Western influences from the Internet and satellite television? Should Egyptian schools teach sex education? Should teen age boys and girls socialize? Inspired by real incidents, director Magdy Ahmed Ali poignantly portrays Yasmeen's nightmarish experiences, while delivering a harsh critique of Egyptian middle-class values. |