Its director is no more than 19 years old: “Ahya’ Am Amwat” (The Living or The Dead) starring Ahmed El Fishawy is the opening film of the 4th edition of the Hurghada Youth Film Festival

The management of the Hurghada Youth Film Festival has chosen the short narrative film “Ahya’ Am Amwat” to be screened at the opening ceremony of its fourth edition on September 10th at the Hurghada Cultural Palace.

The film is having its world premiere and stars Ahmed El Fishawy and Gihan Khairy. It is written and directed by Adam Hall.

With a running time of approximately 14 minutes, the film explores life’s challenges and the social distancing caused by technology through the story of a couple whose lives have turned into a state of emotional and human stagnation, feeling as though technology has stolen their feelings.

The film’s director, Adam Hall, born in Cairo on January 12, 2007, is a director and writer who studied filmmaking at the University of Southern California (USC). He previously made his first documentary film about the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, making “Ahya’ Am Amwat” his second film.

Director Adam Hall expressed his pride and appreciation for the Hurghada Youth Film Festival for selecting his film to screen at its opening ceremony.

Hall stated: “I feel proud that the film’s world premiere is taking place in Egypt and through a youth film festival,” pointing out that the film addresses the negative impact of technology on our human feelings as a problem suffered by various societies.

In turn, screenwriter Mohamed El-Bassoosy, head of the festival, emphasized that screening a film by a director who has not yet turned 19 at the festival’s opening ceremony is a testament to the festival’s goals.

El-Bassoosy said: “The Hurghada Festival is a cinematic platform dedicated to youth as filmmakers, promising talents, and an audience passionate about all young and new experiences.”

Journalist Kadry El-Haggar, the festival’s director, noted that the programs and sections of the fourth edition are packed with activities and new cinematic releases, stressing that selecting “Ahya’ Am Amwat” as the opening film is a natural choice aligned with the festival’s nature and goals.

For his part, director Ahmed Hegras, the festival’s administrative director, explained that choosing the film for screening proves that youth are the fuel of the Egyptian cinema industry.

Hegras stated: “Festivals have become a magnifying screen for promising cinematic experiments, regardless of whether they are feature-length or short films.”