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MOHAMED RASHAD 

Dates of residency: September till October 2017
Born: 1980
Nationality: Egyptian
Lives and works: Alexandria, Egypt
Education:
2005
Directing, Jesuit cultural center in Alexandria with Simat Foundation
2003 Civil Engineering, Alexandria University
Past films/screenings:
2019
The Profession, (Producer), Feature Documentary, 79’
2016 Little Eagles, (Director), Feature Documentary, 77’

 
Still from 'Little Eagles', 2016

Still from 'Little Eagles', 2016

THE FILMMAKER
Mohamed Rashad is the cofounder and director of Hassala Films. Rashad studied cinema at a workshop organized by the Jesuit Cultural Center in collaboration with SIMAT Foundation. He worked as an assistant director on many independent films. Rashad wrote and directed two short films, From Afar and Maxim. In 2016 he completed his first feature documentary as a director,  titled Little Eagles. He has recently produced the feature documentary The Profession, directed by Ramez Youssef. 

THE RESIDENCY
At BAR Rashad worked on his first feature film circling the relation of homosexuality in the conservative Egyptian community.  The storyline follows Mohamad, the main character, who is terrified of getting arrested because of his homosexuality considered a crime in Egypt. Mohamed, escapes from Cairo and goes back to his hometown of Alexandria. It is there that he reunites with his family - with whom he had a strained and distant relationship for years. Throughout his residency Rashad developed his script in greater detail under the mentorship of Ghassan Salhab.