What is good and what is evil? What is the difference between a good and a bad person? Can an evil person become a truly good person? What can make an honest person turn into a horrible human being? Are people capable of change? What are second chances and how deserve them?
These are questions that raced through our minds while attending the Arab Premiere of Shamareekh by the incredibly talented director and writer Amr Salama at the third edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF). It tells the story of Raouf, played by Asser Yassin, the illegitimate son of an infamous arms dealer Salim Ahel. He does all of his father’s dirty work to please his father and be officially recognized as part of his family. Using fireworks to cover the sounds of his guns, assassinations are his specialty. Everything changes when he meets the righteous lawyer Amina, played by Amina Khalil, the daughter of his latest victim. Blinded by grief and anger, Amina starts to hunt her father’s killer, and chaos and drama ensue.
Diving Into The Film:
The film does incredibly capture the watcher’s attention from the first couple of minutes. The bright colorful fireworks against the dark night sky create a beautiful image that keeps you wanting to see more. The fast-paced nature of the film makes the audience anxious for the next scene. Salama transforms the audience into the character’s world by creating funny, and awkward moments in a series of action scenes, breaking the mold of typical action films.
The film explores several social issues discreetly and creatively. It discusses the stigma and shame of being a child born out of wedlock and the lengths people go through to cleanse themselves from that shame. Also, it discusses the underground illegal market of fireworks, which has been an active and ongoing issue in Egypt. For years, people, including very young children, have lost their eyesight and even lives due to the unlicensed fireworks.
The imagery of the film is a solid documentation of the incredible talent of the Saudi-born Egyptian director. He symbolically uses the lights and shadows to determine the state of goodness in the character. In fact, in many close-up shots of Raouf half of his face is lit up, and the other is dark to reflect the split between good and evil. Salama playfully showcases enchanting landscapes through wide shots highlighting Egypt’s diverse nature.
Shamareekh is exciting, and questions mortality, a question that society often dismisses due to its complicated answer. Watching Shamareekh is a visual experience that you will not forget.