A femme fatale, a greedy drifter, and a plot that goes deliciously sideways.
While on the run from some people, Osama seeks refuge in a remote guesthouse run by Mansour, a miserly old man, and his wife Salma, a young and beautiful dancer. An illicit relationship develops between Osama and Salma, and she tempts him to kill her husband in order to seize his wealth and freely enjoy their love. However, Mansour’s daughter arrives to spend her school vacation, and when Osama sees her, his life changes completely.
Acting
Nelly's Salma smolders with dangerous, calculated vulnerability.
Cinematography
Cairo's underbelly captured in shadow-drenched 35mm.
Writing
Twist that recontextualizes everything you assumed.
Director
Seif El Din Shawkat
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Rare example of Egyptian cinema embracing noir conventions during the 1970s commercial boom, when stars like Nelly pushed boundaries.
Seif El Din Shawkat cast his own daughter Hala as the daughter—a meta layer to the film's father-daughter tension.
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