Programs Calendar Films

When her young nephew hears a sermon in Cairo encouraging religious war, Nadia Kamel, long-time assistant to the legendary Egyptian filmmaker Youssef Chahine, takes it upon herself to acquaint him with the history of his maternal grandmother Maria (Naela). Incorporating footage of visits by Maria and her husband to relatives in Italy, Israel, and Palestine, this documentary tells the story of a remarkable woman who is part Jewish, part Christian, part Muslim—and all at once a feminist, a communist, an Italian and an Arab. Her history poignantly reveals the tensions and disfigurements brought about in a culture forced to accommodate the arbitrary boundaries of politics. A tale of humanity, tolerance, and diversity.

Egyptian filmmaker Nadia Kamel was born in 1961. She holds a B.A. in microbiology and chemistry from Cairo University/Ain Shams University and completed her postgraduate studies at the National Centre for Agronomy, as well as a diploma from the Center of Environmental Studies, both in Cairo. Kamel has worked as assistant director and production manager with many Egyptian directors, including renowned filmmakers Youssef Chahine, Yousry Nasrallah and documentarian Atiyyat El Abnoudy. Salata Baladi is Kamel’s first feature-length documentary.