A Coptic leper and his orphaned apprentice leave the confines of the leper colony for the first time and embark on a journey across Egypt to search for what is left of their families.
Acting
Rady Gamal's lived-in warmth — first-time actor, actual leprosy survivor.
Cinematography
Egypt's forgotten landscapes shot with documentary patience.
Writing
Obama's sarcasm cuts through sentimentality like a knife.
Director
Abu Bakr Shawky
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Rady Gamal was a non-professional actor discovered at the actual leper colony where the film begins; Shawky spent years building trust to cast him.
The film was Egypt's first Cannes competition entry in decades, yet barely screened domestically — its unflinching poverty gaze made officials nervous.
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