DIFF FILMS

FOR THE YEAR 2010

THE CITY OF THE DEAD

Portugal, Spain / 2009 / Arabic dialogue with English subtitles / Colour / DigiBeta / 62 mins

Genre: Documentary, Music Documentary

Cast & Credits

Director: Sergio Trefaut
Producer: José Sanchez-Montes, Sergio Trefaut
Scriptwriter: Sergio Trefaut
Cinematographer: Nancy Abdel-Fathah
Editor: Pedro Marques
Composer: Caetano Veloso

Synopsis

Cairo is a colourful, noisy and chaotic world of life - and death. Cleaving a four-mile path down the spine of the city sprawls a mass of ancient, crumbling tombs, mausoleums and crypts. Many date back centuries and are dubbed 'El Arafa' (literally 'The Cemetery') by locals. But this 'City Of The Dead' is also very much alive, home to a community of nearly a million Cairenes. This population lives their lives amidst the long-dead, in the shambolic structures and streets of El Arafa. In this fascinating documentary, Portuguese journalist and filmmaker Sérgio Tréfaut takes us into the heart of this thriving necropolis, exploring the diverse lives of its inhabitants. From young to old, death may be omniscient, but in this surreal district, life's daily struggle to survive is as vivid as anywhere else.

Contains: Strong Language 12+