Cairo Chronicles (2004)

Cairo Chronicles is a personal documentary that takes places in Cairo, Egypt. The death of the filmmaker's father compels her to return to his native Egypt. Kamal-Eldin documents the past - her father's generation and her own childhood. Cairo Chronicles is a nostalgic tribute that casts a critical look at modern Cairo. Kamal-Eldin's first-person narration is the core of the narrative structure. The piece is shot on 16mm-color film and DV. Rich images are juxtaposed contrasting old and new, rural and urban and rich and poor. The Middle East is a part of the world that is rarely covered positively by Western media. In Cairo Chronicles, Kamal-Eldin imparts a deeper understanding and a more compassionate view of that part of the world.