San Francisco Documentary Festival 2011

California Premiere

“An award-winning director duo sweeps us into the chaotic world of a family of voluptuous female belly dancers in working class Cairo as they struggle to practice an art in danger of disappearing. The film centres on Reda, a charismatic widow and ex-dancer with seven children and one on the way, her wise confidante, and three of her daughters, who now dance at raucous all-male celebrations for a living. Reda has all-out fights with her own mother about money, argues fiercely with her daughters about their love lives and drug use, and acts as an agent for their contracts, but she just as passionately defends them from dangerous clients, bails them out of jail and dispenses advice about love and life. Music, dancing, a blistering daytime sun and the magic of Cairo nights pulse throughout this astonishingly intimate and rare portrait of women whose art is desired but no longer considered reputable." - Lynne Fernie, HotDocs (Special Jury Prize).

The 10/20 screening is followed by the Berkeley Closing Night Party at Lot 68 Lounge at the Shattuck Cinemas. The party is 21 up and sponsored by the East Bay Express