Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story

• Director: Yousry Nasrallah
• Writer: Waheed Hamed
• Cast: Mona Zakki, Mahmoud Hemeda, Hassan El Raddad, Sawsan Badr, Rehab El Gamal
• Theatrical Release Date: February 22, 2011
• On The Web IMDB Entry

Synopsis: Adopting the story-within-a-story framing device of Arabian Nights, Nasrallah recasts the tale's Scheherazade as Hebba Younis (Mona Zakki), a contemporary, fiercely independent talk-show host. Married to Karim Hassan (Hassan El Raddad), a needy and opportunistic newspaper editor for a government-owned daily, Hebba is asked to forfeit the success of her career for the professional ambitions of her husband. In the eyes of government officials, before Karim may ascend his own political and professional ladder, he must persuade his wife to soften the blazingly critical tone she broadcasts across the nation. Afraid of how yet another divorce may affect her celebrity among the Cairo public, Hebba finally complies, ultimately privileging the success of her marriage over her own personal and professional aims. But by shifting from hard politics to softer “women's stories,” she discovers lives and struggles that may be even more damaging to reveal. [Synopsis courtesy of TIFF]