DREAM AWAY

Recent terror attacks have brought tourism in Sharm El Sheikh to a halt. We follow a group of young workers in a luxury hotel compound, holding onto the town despite the lack of tourists. Returning home 

is not an option, as they have absorbed the liberal life-style and experience the difficulty of fitting back into their own culture. Sharm El Sheikh has been for a long time a dream destination for young Egyptians, representing a place of freedom and easy money. Clichés and stereotypes of both western and oriental culture clash and create a carousel-like experience, elevating the young Egyptians into a dream-like state. They lead a double life in the shadow of the shiny shimmering hotel facades, as their families are unaware of the sinful temptations in town. In the absence of tourists, all are facing an uncertain future. It leaves them in a vacuum of lacking opportunities, both on a financial and personal level, leading them to an existential quest about their identity.

MAROUAN OMARA

 

A filmmaker, working with film, video and photography, born in 1987 in Cairo, Egypt. He got his diploma in film-making at the Art & Technology of Cinema Academy and his BA in Applied Arts from Helwan University, Egypt. His works have a dreamlike notion, overlapping fiction and reality by it’s direct responds to the surrounding and the closeness to everyday experiences. He currently works as an adjunct professor for film production at the American University in Cairo. Films: Dream Away (2018), One plus one makes a pharaoh's chocolate cake (2017) – World Premiere: Berlinale - Forum Expanded; Azziara “The Visit” (2015) - World Premiere: Jihlava IDFF; CROP (2013) – documentary, in collaboration with Johanna Domke - World Premiere: Rotterdam IFF.

 

 

JOHANNA DOMKE

 

Johanna Domke studied Fine Arts at the Royal Danish Art Academy in Copenhagen and the Malmö Art Academy in Sweden. She received much attention for her video work in recognized art institutions around the world. Her fascination for film made her follow a post-graduate study in scrip writing and directing at the Media Art Academy in Cologne, Germany. She is now living Berlin producing work for a cross-over field between art and cinema with a both structural and socio- political approach. Films: Dream Away (2017), CROP (2013) in collaboration with Marouan Omara; Untitled Epilog (2011); Man kenenki (2010); Søen i spelt (2009).

• Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Dream Away focuses on the youth from a part of the world that just recently started questioning their limited choices in life. In face of the present political development in the Middle East and its effects to the rest of the world, Dream Away presents a micro scale snapshot of the encounter between young Arabs with western culture. Sharm El Sheikh draws a peculiar picture of this encounter, as the place caricatures both cultural customs. It gives insights but as well asks for responsibility.

DOKer 2019 — Main Competition