The Brink of Dreams
LENGTH: 102 mins
DIRECTOR: Nada Riyadh, Ayman el Amir
RATING: N/A
Synopsis
This film documents the trials of a group of adolescent girls in a small Coptic town in upper Egypt who form a street theatre group to challenge gender roles and express their frustrations and dreams. Their passion is disrupted by the hard reality of what is in front of them: the pressure to submit to the strict gender roles of a country town in Southern Egypt in 2020. What makes this work shine is that as it was filmed over four years, the directors were able to develop trusting and close relationships with the girls, and to really step inside their lives and that of their town they live in. We get a precious entry into their world and get to watch as they navigate relationships with siblings, parents and lovers, and maintain their loyalties to each other.
Award: Oeil D’or best documentary, Cannes, 2025
