What Is to Be Done?

FRANCE / 2010 / Arabic / Color / Video / 152 min
Director: Emmanuelle Demoris

Mafrouza is a slum town in Alexandria, Egypt. The camera enters its narrow maze-like alleyways, inviting the viewer to experience the same air as its residents and the gentle flow of time there. An elderly man troubled by flooding in his home; young people who sing and dance in the streets at night; and the proprietor of a grocery who preaches at a mosque. We silently lend an ear to their views on life, passion, and relationships with the world outside, often with a cup of tea or cigarette in one hand. All evoke the joy of living.

• Oct. 9 A6 | Oct. 11 CL